Stagecoach boss Hayes honoured at Downing Street after more than 40 years service

Ms Hayes joined transport leaders and workers from across the UK at the ceremony where outgoing Prime Minister David Cameron celebrated the industry’s ‘heroes and heroines’.

Ms Hayes, who has worked for Stagecoach Yorkshire for more than 40 years and took on her current role in 2007, was one of a number of specially invited guests to join Mr Cameron at the reception event, held to celebrate the industry’s efforts to ‘keep Britain moving’.

Ms Hayes said: “It was wonderful to be singled out and invited to the event. To walk down that famous street that you’re so used to seeing on the television while representing my company and my industry was an honour.

“The Prime Minister called us heroes and heroines and said he wanted to thank us for all the hard work we do, day in day out.

“I was really pleased to be able to promote our industry, and the bus sector in particular, as I do believe it’s one where women can join and really flourish. I started off as an engineering clerk back when there weren’t many women in our industry.”

Ms Hayes joined what was then Yorkshire Traction in 1973, working in engineering, recording vehicle information. She was appointed assistant manager of the Barnsley depot in 1989, became manager of all Yorkshire Traction’s depots in 2001, and took on responsibility for the Sheffield and Chesterfield depots in 2005 following the Stagecoach takeover.