Centrebus

Centrebus[1] is a bus company based in Leicester operating services in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland.

an Optare Versa in 2017
Founded2001
HeadquartersWenlock Way, Leicester
Service areaBedfordshire
Hertfordshire
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
Rutland
Service typeBus services
DepotsGrantham
Leicester
Luton
Stevenage
Fleet214 (December 2020)
Chief executiveJulian Peddle
Websitewww.centrebus.info

Centrebus also has a 50/50 shareholding in High Peak Buses alongside Wellglade Group and ownership of D&G Bus.

History
Plaxton Centro bodied VDL SB120 in April 2007
Northern Counties Palatine bodied Volvo B10M-50 in September 2008

Centrebus was founded in 2001, it was previously known as Anstey Buslines. In 2002, the businesses of inMotion, Dunstable,[2][3] Lutonian, Luton[4] and Centrebus, Leicester merged to form the basis of the business today.

Expansion

In January 2004, Centrebus acquired the St Albans operation of Blazefield although in March 2008 it was sold to Uno.[5] During February 2005 operations commenced around Grantham, following the closure of MASS Transit.[6]

In June 2007, Centrebus purchased Bowers Coaches,[7] based in Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire. Bowers operated services around Cheshire, Derbyshire and Greater Manchester. In April 2012 Centrebus transferred the business into a joint venture with the Wellglade Group to form High Peak Buses with Bowers operations relocated to Trent Barton's Dove Holes depot.[8][9]

Centrebus shareholders formed Centrebus Holdings in May 2008 with Arriva taking a 40% shareholding. Centrebus Holdings was an independent company from the main business, but was managed by Centrebus on a day-to-day basis. In September 2013, Arriva bought out its partners with the West Yorkshire operations rebranded as Yorkshire Tiger and the Hinckley operations as Hinckley Bus.[10][11][12][13] Despite the name, Centrebus Holdings has never had any shareholding in Centrebus, and was formed to take over K-Line and Stagecoach Huddersfield, and subsequently the Hinckley operations of Arriva Midlands.

In September 2008, Centrebus purchased the local bus operations of the Woods Coaches, Leicestershire business. In August 2009, the business of Trustybus,[14] with operations in Essex and Hertfordshire, was acquired by Centrebus.[15] In August 2010 Centrebus took over the operations of Judges Mini Coaches, Corby with routes serving Kettering, Milton Keynes, Welford, Wellingborough, Wicken and Yardley Gobion.

In May 2011, Centrebus took over West End Travel of Melton Mowbray[16] and its fleet of buses and services in Melton Mowbray and Rural Rider services. In October 2011 Centrebus purchased Paul James Coaches,[17] Saxby from Veolia Transport with 21 buses.

In July 2011 Centrebus took over the business of Kimes Buses, Folkingham. Kimes was founded in 1945 and sold in January 1997 to its employees.[18] It operated a fleet of 23 vehicles at the time of the takeover. Its green and cream livery and the Kimes name were retained by Centrebus.[19] In August 2013 the depot was closed with operations transferred to Centrebus' Grantham depot.[20][21]

In November 2012, Centrebus closed its Harlow depot with most routes passing to Roadrunner Buses.[22] The remaining routes moved to the Stevenage depot, allowing the business to consolidate its East Hertfordshire operations on a single site.

In June 2017, Centrebus closed its Saxby depot, citing rising costs and declining patronage.[23]

In October 2019, Centrebus closed its Corby depot, citing rising costs and declining patronage.[24]

In May 2021, Stevenage Depot was closed by Centrebus. some routes were transferred to Luton while others were transferred to other operators, with Trustybus taking some routes, Richmonds, A2b travel and Chiltern Automotive (200 shopper routes)of routes.[25]

Depots

Centrebus currently operates from four depots across England:

  • Wenlock Way for the Leicester operations,
  • Tollemache Road for Grantham operations,
  • Hallsteads, Dove Holes for HighPeak operations,
  • Bilton Way for Luton operations/Hertfordshire routes.

Fleet

As of December 2020 the fleet consists of 214, mostly single-deck, vehicles.[26]

Centrebus are rolling out a revised livery across their fleet with orange to the front of the vehicle and blue to the rear, separated by a broad white stripe.[27] Their previous livery is similar to the former (1997) livery of Arriva, featuring an orange body with a round white section at the top of the front and a dark blue skirt.

Routes

Routes operated by Centrebus include the Rutland Flyer and the 747 Uppingham–Leicester.

References
  1. Companies House extract company no 3872099 Archived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Centrebus Limited
  2. Companies House extract company no 4490145 Archived 25 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine LQT Limited
  3. The proposed acquisition by Arriva plc of the business of Sovereign Bus & Coach Company Ltd Competition Commission December 2004
  4. "Lutonian Travel of Luton". Archived from the original on 5 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  5. Expansion for Uno Archived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Oxford & Chiltern Bus Page issue 258 7 March 2008
  6. Reliance of Great Gonerby Archived 26 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine Country Bus
  7. Companies House extract company no 548351 Archived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Eric W Bowers Coaches Limited
  8. Wellglade/Centrebus join up in Buxton Archived 22 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Bus & Coach Professional 24 May 2011
  9. New bus operator hits the road Archived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine trentbarton
  10. Centrebus (Holdings) Limited Archived 22 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Arriva 9 September 2013
  11. Arriva takes joint venture control Archived 22 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Bus & Coach Professional 12 September 2013
  12. Arriva unleases its Yorkshire Tiger Archived 18 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Bus & Coach Professional 9 October 2013
  13. Hinckley Bus Archived 15 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine Arriva
  14. Companies House extract company no 4717739 Archived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Galleon Travel Limited
  15. Centrebus Archived 23 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Harlow Bus Travel Information
  16. Companies House extract company no 3741213 Archived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Romdrive Limited
  17. Companies House extract company no 4314235 Archived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Garrison Street Limited formerly Paul James Coaches Limited
  18. Kimes of Folkingham Archived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Country Bus
  19. Millar, Alan (September 2011). "Centrebus and Go-Ahead grow with latest takeovers". Buses. Ian Allan Publishing (678): 6.
  20. Owner to close Kimes buses in Folkingham Archived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Grantham Journal 12 July 2013
  21. "Kimes closing". Bus & Coach Buyer. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  22. Registrations Received and Service Changes Advised Intalink November 2012
  23. "Bus firm to shut depot as it faces fall in customers". www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 February 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  24. "New operator sought for Northampton bus route after Corby depot closure". www.northamptonchron.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 February 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  25. "Centrebus drops routes in exit from Stevenage". www.keybuses.com. Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  26. {https://lutonbuspage.wordpress.com/fleet-lists/} Archived 10 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine
  27. {https://www.centrebus.info/news/new-livery/}
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