The Buses of Somerset

The Buses of Somerset

Parent First South West
Founded 2014
Headquarters Taunton
Service area Somerset
Service type Bus services
Depots 2
Chief executive Alex Carter
Website busesofsomerset.co.uk

The Buses of Somerset[1] is the trading name used by bus operator First South West for services operated in Somerset from depots in the towns of Taunton and Bridgwater. The services were formerly managed as part of First Somerset & Avon. The new brand identity and livery is the first major departure from the FirstGroup corporate identity and livery which was previously applied almost universally across the group's bus operations. The business instead now uses a two tone green and cream livery with bespoke branding, website and social media profiles.[2][3]

The company operates smaller vehicles branded The Buses of Taunton on its Taunton town services.

History

The Buses of Taunton liveried Plaxton Pointer 2 bodied Dennis Dart SLF in Taunton in April 2014

While the "Buses of Somerset" name is new, the livery bears a resemblance to the colours used by its historical predecessors Western National, and more recently Southern National, which operated buses in Somerset prior to its acquisition by FirstGroup in 1999.

Southern National was formed in 1983 as the Somerset and Dorset operations of Western National (then part of the National Bus Company). It was privatised in 1988,[4] acquired by FirstGroup in 1999 and rebranded as First Southern National. In 2003 the Somerset operations of First Southern National were merged into First Somerset & Avon.

Depots

The Buses of Somerset currently operates from two depots in Taunton and Bridgwater, also from an outstation in Minehead.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ First Devon & Cornwall Limited formerly First Western National Limited formerly Western National Limited Companies House extract company no 01669417
  2. ↑ First introduces The Buses of Somerset Euro Transport 30 January 2014
  3. ↑ First drops corporate look in Somerset Bus & Coach Professional 5 February 2014
  4. ↑ Buses Magazine, Issue 648, March 2009, Ian Allan Publishing
  5. ↑ "First South West" (PDF). UK Buses. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
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