Salisbury Reds (bus company)

Last updated

Salisbury Reds

SalisburyRedsLogo.svg
HJ63JKN.jpg
Alexander Dennis Enviro400 in 2019
Parent Go-Ahead Group
Founded2010
Headquarters Poole
Locale Wiltshire
Service typeBus services
Destinations
  • Salisbury
  • Southampton
  • Swindon
  • Devizes
  • Andover
  • Shaftesbury
Operator Go South Coast
Chief executiveAndrew Wickham
Website www.salisburyreds.co.uk

Salisbury Reds is a bus operator in Salisbury, as well as the surrounding Wiltshire area. It is part of the Go South Coast sector of the Go-Ahead Group. Much of the company's operations formerly came under the Wilts & Dorset brand, though this was phased out from 2012.

Contents

History

Salisbury Reds operates bus services in the Salisbury and Amesbury areas formerly operated under the Wilts & Dorset name. It was introduced in 2010, initially on Wilts & Dorset routes in the city of Salisbury. The brand was then extended to cover all routes in Wiltshire. [1]

Four years later, in January 2014, the bus stations at Salisbury and Amesbury were closed to the public and the stops moved to roads outside the stations, with the then Salisbury Reds' operations director Ed Wills saying "We would rather preserve jobs and services than spend a fortune upgrading facilities that are being used by only a small number of our customers". [2] [3]

The company celebrated the centenary of Wilts & Dorset in 2015 by repainting some of its buses into its pre-war and post-war liveries. [4] The operation had a livery redesign in February 2019. [5] This was alongside an order for three new electric buses to be placed on two Salisbury park and ride routes (PR9 and PR15). These buses arrived in February 2020. [6] [7]

In 2024, Salisbury Reds and Wiltshire County Council made a successful bid for 23 new electric buses, as part of the UK government's 'ZEBRA' scheme. This represents an investment of £11.4 million. As part of this, the Salisbury bus depot will be modernised to support these vehicles. This will be completed by February 2026. [8]

Services

Salisbury Reds

Salisbury Reds is the main operating company. It runs roughly 50 public routes, spanning Andover in the east, Shaftesbury in the west and Swindon in the north. It also operates school services. [9]

Salisbury Park and Ride

Park and Ride bus, operating 'PR15' in 2015 Salisbury Reds HF65 AYC.jpg
Park and Ride bus, operating 'PR15' in 2015

The Salisbury Park and Ride service began operation in March 2001 to one park and ride site, Beehive, to the north of Salisbury city centre. [10] A second site was opened at Wilton in 2005, [10] and two more followed, taking the total to four. [11] A fifth site was later opened at Petersfinger, to the south-east of the city. [12]

Initially, the routes used Optare Excels in a light green and white livery. In 2005, these were replaced by new Volvo B7RLEs, also in green and white; for a short period in late 2004, the service was operated using 'more' branded B7RLEs.

In February 2011, Wilts & Dorset lost the contract to operate the Salisbury Park and Ride network to independent operator Hatts Travel. [13] In August 2014, due to the collapse of the Hatts group, the park & ride contract was handed back to Salisbury Reds to run for Wiltshire Council. [14]

Activ8

Activ8 is a joint half-hourly service between Salisbury and Andover via Tidworth, operated in partnership with Stagecoach South and supported by Wiltshire and Hampshire County Councils. The brand was launched in February 2007. Salisbury Reds primarily use specially branded Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMCs on the route, [15] having previously used Alexander Dennis Enviro400s, Scania OmniCitys and Optare Spectras.[ citation needed ]

ADL Enviro400 MMC in Stonehenge Tour livery in Salisbury in October 2016 Go South Coast HF66 CFD.jpg
ADL Enviro400 MMC in Stonehenge Tour livery in Salisbury in October 2016

The Stonehenge Tour

The Stonehenge Tour was rebranded in 2008, linking Salisbury railway station, the city centre, and Stonehenge. A recorded commentary describes the views along the length of the route. The tour was operated by Wilts & Dorset Optare Spectras, but is now run using a combination of Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC and Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC vehicles, which have been specially painted in a New Stonehenge Tour Livery. [16]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.salisburyreds.co.uk/about-salisbury-reds
  2. ↑ "Salisbury and Amesbury bus stations to close". BBC News. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  3. ↑ "Salisbury bus station closes after 75 years". BBC News. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  4. ↑ "100 years on the buses celebrated by Salisbury Reds". The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 17 January 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  5. ↑ Dunn, Madaline (26 February 2019). "New look for Salisbury Reds' bus fleet". CBW. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  6. ↑ "New electric buses for city's park and rides take to the roads". Salisbury Journal. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  7. ↑ Manthey, Nora (9 February 2020). "Wiltshire welcomes "electric reds" – e-buses by BYD ADL". www.electrive.com. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  8. ↑ "Almost two dozen new electric buses to join the Salisbury Reds fleet". Salisbury Journal. 24 March 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  9. ↑ https://www.salisburyreds.co.uk/services
  10. 1 2 BBC – Wiltshire – Work starts on Salisbury's second Park and Ride
  11. ↑ Park and ride | Wiltshire Council
  12. ↑ Petersfinger park and ride | Wiltshire Council
  13. ↑ "Wilts & Dorset loses park and ride contract". Salisbury Journal. 28 February 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  14. ↑ Salisbury Reds to operate new Park & Ride services for Salisbury "Salisbury Reds", 31 July 2014
  15. ↑ Team, routeone (8 June 2020). "Three new buses launched on Salisbury Reds activ8 route". routeone. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  16. ↑ "Salisbury Reds launches new Stonehenge Tour service". CBW. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
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