Centrebus

Infobox Bus transit
name = Centrebus

logo_size = 250


image_size = 250px
image_caption = Two Centrebus Optare Solos in 2008
parent = Centrebus Group
company_slogan =
founded =
headquarters = 37 Wenlock Way, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE4 9HU
locale = North West, East Midlands, East of England
service_area = Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire
Through subsidiary Bowers Coaches; Derbyshire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire.
service_type = Bus
hubs = Leicester, Grantham, Dunstable, Stevenage
stations =
operator = Centrebus Group
lounge =
fleet =
ridership =
Business Model = To rapidly expand into local geographies competing with the incumbent.
MD = Peter Harvey
Directors = Julian Peddle, Mark O'Mahony, Peter Harvey, Des Shelley
website = [http://www.centrebus.co.uk www.centrebus.co.uk]

Centrebus is a privately owned company that operate a number of services around Leicester and Leicestershire, Grantham, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, mainly in areas where Arriva has scaled down its bus operations. Centrebus also competes with Arriva on some routes in Leicester, Luton & Stevenage. It also operates services in the High Peak Borough in Northern Derbyshire and surrounding areas through subsidiary Bowers Coaches.

Centrebus Group is the holding company for the main Centrebus divsion and the Bowers Coaches subsidiary.

Mark O'Mahony ex-Arriva, heads up the groups bus operations and is one of the original founders. Peter Harvey the MD also ex-Arriva is the other co-founder. Julian Peddle and Des Shelley joined the board during the expansion of Centrebus and it is expected that the groups growth plans will continue with this strong team at the helm. Many Centrebus managers came from Arriva's UK and European bus operations.

The company participates in the Plusbus scheme where train and bus tickets can be baught together at a saving.

At the beginning of 2008, Centrebus sold its St Albans operations to Uno.

In May 2008, the Centrebus shareholders, headed by director Julian Peddle, formed Centrebus Holdings, which Arriva has a 40% stake in. It should be noted that Centrebus Holdings does not own Centrebus, and was formed to take over K-Line and Stagecoach Huddersfield.

Centrebus is one of the fastest expanding private bus operators in the United Kingdom, having gained a presence in Derbyshire, Cheshire and West Yorkshire, within 18 monthsspecify.

Centrebus runs services in Grantham, Leicester and North Derbyshire

In 2007 Centrebus acquired Bowers Coaches, a local bus and coach operator in the High Peak borough of Derbyshire, this is one of the first acquisitions outside of the core Centrebus operating area around the South of the East Midlands. Bowers was established in 1952 and was family run up until the Centrebus takeover. Bowers operate services in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Derbyshire, mainly consisting of shorter local services. There is also an established coach division of the business, however this has recently been scaled down in favour of buses. At present there are no plans by Centrebus to rebrand this company as it is a well established and respected brand in its operating area.

In September 2008, Centrebus took over all of Woods Coaches bus routes run within Leicester and Leicestershire. Woods also sold all of their Mercedes minibuses, Optare Solos and Dennis Darts to Centrebus.

Gallery

External links

* [http://www.centrebus.co.uk/ Centrebus website]
* [http://www.centrebus.com/ Centrebus Bedfordshire website]
* [http://www.bowersbuses.com/ Bowers Coaches website]