Bus bosses roll out new director hunt

LOTHIAN Buses has begun the search to replace a senior executive who left the company in December.

Marketing director Iain Coupar left after being told he was being made redundant just before Christmas.

His departure came just weeks after the controversial appointment of business leader Ron Hewitt as the company's chairman and amid mounting concern over a planned merger between Lothian Buses and the city council's tram firm, TIE.

Adverts for Mr Coupar's replacement appeared yesterday, but details of the job's salary were not released.

Mr Coupar, a board director of the company for the past 11 years, was said to have fallen out of favour with managing director Ian Craig over the firm's marketing and PR strategies.

The company won a string of marketing awards during Mr Coupar's tenure and he was behind successful campaigns fronted by radio presenter Grant Stott.