A WELL-RESPECTED coach driver is retiring after 30 years. Jim Woodburn of Meridian Line Travel at Flint Cross will be leaving tomorrow (Friday) to move to Halesworth to be closer to his daughter. The life-long steam enthusiast joined the company one-and-a

A WELL-RESPECTED coach driver is retiring after 30 years.

Jim Woodburn of Meridian Line Travel at Flint Cross will be leaving tomorrow (Friday) to move to Halesworth to be closer to his daughter.

The life-long steam enthusiast joined the company one-and-a-half-years-ago, driving a wheelchair accessible coach.

However, six months later a detached retina stopped him driving coaches and he became the traffic manager for the company.

During his career, Jim, 65, has also worked as a truck driver for British Rail, a bus driver for Eastern Counties, and a coach driver for Youngs of Rampton, which is where he starting driving wheelchair accessible coaches, taking out disabled groups and senior citizens.

Jim said: "I have enjoyed my career. I was born to drive, and wouldn't have wanted to do anything else."

Nikki Ramsden, co-partner at Meridian Line Travel said: "Jim is a man who cares immensely about his passengers and also about other drivers and their rights.

"He banged many a board room table to get fair play for the people he represented.

"He has the respect of many great people in the industry, together with those he met through his work with disabled and senior citizens' groups in the region, many of whom he still has contact with.

"He will be sorely missed by all at Meridian Line, and the coaching industry.