Travel Dundee
Encyclopedia
National Express Dundee is a bus operator based in Dundee
, Scotland
and operates services mainly within Dundee City. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Express Group
.
From 1922 motor buses began to be operated in addition to the trams. The tram system continued to be extended until 1933, but was finally abandoned on 21 October 1956. Buses replaced the trams, and the department changed its name to Dundee Corporation Transport.
Local government reorganisation
meant that the bus operation passed to Tayside Regional Council from 16 May 1975. In spite of the change of name, the council's bus operations were confined to the Dundee area. The livery was changed from green to dark blue, light blue and white.
In preparation for the introduction of bus deregulation
in October 1986, an "arms-length" company was formed in the previous year: Tayside Public Transport Company Ltd, which used the fleetname "Tayside Buses". The livery was changed to blue and cream. In 1991 it was bought out by employees, led by chairman and chief executive Sandy Strachan and in February 1997 the company was sold to the National Express Group
, by then chairman and chief executive Jack Henry. The company became Travel Dundee. The livery changed again, this time to blue, red and white.
Travel Dundee has been a contractor for Scottish Citylink
form many years. However, shortly after the formation of a joint venture between Citylink and Stagecoach
on 28 November 2005, Travel Dundee's services were stopped. They were reinstated at short notice from 9 January 2006 when extra journeys were added to Service M91 from Perth Bus Station direct to Edinburgh. In May 2006, they started operating journeys on the M90 Service (Perth bus station - Kinross - Dunfermline - Edinburgh). Citylink work ended for the third time in September 2008, as part of a review of coaching activities by management of the day.
ategory:Bus operators in
Category:Transport in Dundee
Category:National Express Group companies
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and operates services mainly within Dundee City. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Express Group
National Express Group
National Express Group plc is a British transport group headquartered in Birmingham that operates bus, coach, rail and tram services in the UK, the US and Canada, Spain, Portugal and Morocco and long-distance coach routes across Europe...
.
History
The company has its origins in the Dundee and District Tramways Company, which commenced horse tram operations on 30 August 1877. Steam traction was adopted in 1885. On 1 June 1899 the company was compulsorily acquired by the local municipality to become Dundee City Tramways. The system was electrified between 1900 and 1902.From 1922 motor buses began to be operated in addition to the trams. The tram system continued to be extended until 1933, but was finally abandoned on 21 October 1956. Buses replaced the trams, and the department changed its name to Dundee Corporation Transport.
Local government reorganisation
Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
The Local Government Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland, on May 16, 1975....
meant that the bus operation passed to Tayside Regional Council from 16 May 1975. In spite of the change of name, the council's bus operations were confined to the Dundee area. The livery was changed from green to dark blue, light blue and white.
In preparation for the introduction of bus deregulation
Deregulation
Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or...
in October 1986, an "arms-length" company was formed in the previous year: Tayside Public Transport Company Ltd, which used the fleetname "Tayside Buses". The livery was changed to blue and cream. In 1991 it was bought out by employees, led by chairman and chief executive Sandy Strachan and in February 1997 the company was sold to the National Express Group
National Express Group
National Express Group plc is a British transport group headquartered in Birmingham that operates bus, coach, rail and tram services in the UK, the US and Canada, Spain, Portugal and Morocco and long-distance coach routes across Europe...
, by then chairman and chief executive Jack Henry. The company became Travel Dundee. The livery changed again, this time to blue, red and white.
Travel Dundee has been a contractor for Scottish Citylink
Scottish Citylink
Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd is a long distance express coach operator in Scotland and the Republic of Ireland . The company was formed as a subsidiary of Scottish Transport Group in June 1985...
form many years. However, shortly after the formation of a joint venture between Citylink and Stagecoach
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
on 28 November 2005, Travel Dundee's services were stopped. They were reinstated at short notice from 9 January 2006 when extra journeys were added to Service M91 from Perth Bus Station direct to Edinburgh. In May 2006, they started operating journeys on the M90 Service (Perth bus station - Kinross - Dunfermline - Edinburgh). Citylink work ended for the third time in September 2008, as part of a review of coaching activities by management of the day.
Rebranding
On 11 November 2007, National Express Group announced plans to re-brand their UK bus service companies (including Travel Dundee) under the National Express identity, the new name being National Express Dundee. The first buses in the new branding began to appear on the streets in late October 2008. In June 2011, a large proportion of the fleet were still branded as Travel Dundee.Existing fleet
National Express have a fleet of single- and double-decker buses from various manufacturers. Some of these vehicles have come from other National Express operators.New bus acquisition
In May 2010, National Express Dundee took delivery of 15 Scania Omnilinks, after going 6 years without new buses. The Fleet numbers and Registrations are| Fleetnumbers | Registrations |
|---|---|
| 7019 | SP10 CXA |
| 7020 | SP10 CXB |
| 7021 | SP10 CXC |
| 7022 | SP10 CXD |
| 7023 | SP10 CXE |
| 7024 | SP10 CXF |
| 7025 | SP10 CXG |
| 7026 | SP10 CXH |
| 7027 | SP10 CXJ |
| 7028 | SP10 CXK |
| 7029 | SP10 CWV |
| 7030 | SP10 CWW |
| 7031 | SP10 CWX |
| 7032 | SP10 CWY |
| 7033 | SP10 CWZ |
Travel Greyhound
Travel Greyhound is the coaching subsidiary which offers a range of coaches and buses for hire. Greyhound Luxury Coaches was a trading name for T D Alexander and Sons (Scotland) Limited, who commenced operations in 1960. The business was acquired by Tayside Public Transport on 13 August 1990, and was originally rebranded as Tayside Greyhound.G&N Wishart
G & N Wishart provides rural bus and coach services in the county of Angus, from its base in Friockheim. The operation now trades as Travel Wishart.External links
ategory:Bus operators in
Category:Transport in Dundee
Category:National Express Group companies