Connect Buses
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Connect Buses is the brand name used to cover all aspects of the Rotala Group bus operations. It operates in a number of mainly urban places in the United Kingdom, with the regional brand names reflecting the places served.
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[edit] Central Connect
Central Connect is a bus operator in the West Midlands. It is made up of the merger of Zak's, North Birmingham Busways and Birmingham Motor Traction. A deal was also signed in January 2008 for the completion of the purchase of Ludlows, Halesowen.
On March 3 2008, Central Connect purchased the Go West Midlands operations from Go-Ahead. [1] This has increased the buses owned by Central Connect by over 140, meaning that Central Connect now operates over 300 vehicles and becomes the second biggest operator in the West Midlands area after National Express West Midlands.
[edit] Bus services operated by Central Connect, Diamond and Ludlows
Codes used: CCN - Central Connect, DIA - Diamond, LUD - Ludlows of Halesowen and ** - Service between theses points is also run by National Express West Midlands using the same route number.
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[edit] Surrey Connect
Surrey Connect was formed in 2005, when Rotala purchased the Addlestone, Surrey operations of Centra. The operated a number of tendered routes for Surrey County Council, the main ones being the 400 (Staines - Shepperton), 426/446 (Staines - Woking) and 472 (Woking - Byfleet). They also operated a number of other less frequent and schools routes. In June 2007, the operations were partly sold to Wiltax, who were (and still are) based next door. Routes were transferred to Wiltax, along with three buses; the others were transferred to other parts of Connect Buses. The exceptions were that routes 426/446 were taken over by Travel London (West), now Travel Surrey, which also acquired the fleet of buses branded for the service. Routes 236 (East Grinstead - Westerham) and 540 (Woldingham - East Surrey Hospital) are still run with Surrey Connect branding, but from the Heathrow Depot of the Flights Hallmark part of Rotala. [2] [3]
[edit] Wessex Connect
Wessex Connect was founded in Bristol by Rotala, through its subsidiary company Flights Hallmark to provide Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council with an alternative to the near monopoly currently held in the city by First Group.
In a deal which was finalised in March 2007 Wessex Connect took over two of the City's park and ride schemes. The Long Ashton operation was won from Bristol City Council while car park firm NCP gave Wessex Connect the contract for the Avonmouth scheme.
Approximately 68 buses run by South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach Company were taken over in late 2007 and most will be replaced by newer environmentally friendly easy access vehicles. Routes, which are currently contracted from Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council to South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach Company will transfer to Wessex Connect. The change of ownership will take place gradually as each contract is due to be renewed with the relevant local council.
The third line of attack was developed in collaboration with The University of the West of England, 'Ulink', a new high quality low cost bus service for students and staff.
[edit] Bus services operated by Wessex Connect
- Park and Ride
A4 Portway - (Service 902)
Long Ashton (Service 903)
- Council supported bus services
503 Totterdown - Windmill Hill - Bedminster - Broadmead
510 Bedminster Down - Bedminster - Hotwells
511 Stockwood - Knowle - Bedminster
517 Emersons Green - Downend - Frenchay - Parkway Station - Filton - Southmead - Westbury - Shirehampton - Avonmouth
518 Emersons Green - Downend - Frenchay - Parkway Station - Filton - Southmead - Westbury - Shirehampton (Dursley Road)
558 Knowle - St Anne's - Broomhill - Brislington Village
559 Knowle - St Anne's - Broomhill - Brislington Tesco
584 Kingswood to Sea Mills
585 The Centre to Sea Mills
586 The Centre to Hotwells
587 Kingswood to Hotwells
626 Bristol Centre to Wotton under Edge
627 Yate - Charfield - Wotton under Edge
686 Wotton under Edge - Chipping Sodbury - Kingswood, Bristol
689 Centre, Bristol - Staple Hill - Mangotsfield - Pucklechurch - Westerleigh - Yate
- Ulink
U1: Frenchay - Victoria Street, Temple Meads and Bower Ashton
U2: Frenchay - Victoria Street
U3: Frenchay – Glenside, St Matthias and Victoria Street
U4: Frenchay - Victoria Street (non-stop service)
[edit] See also
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[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Connect Buses Website
- Rotala Group Website
- Flights Hallmark Website
- Wessex Connect Website
- Bristol City Council - Park and Ride
- Bristol UWE - Bus Services
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