Southampton Citybus

Southampton Citybus

Parent	First Hampshire & Dorset
Founded	1898
Headquarters	Southampton
Service area	Southampton
Service type	Bus Services

Southampton Citybus was a bus operator which operated local services throughout the city of Southampton, United Kingdom. It was formed in 1898 as Southampton Corporation Transport. In 1986, as a result of deregulation an 'arms-length' limited company was formed in the name of Southampton Citybus and the coat of arms of the City of Southampton was removed, and replaced with the new branding.^[1] The company was owned by the town council until 1954, and the city council until 1993. It was then bought by its employees, in 1997 it was purchased by First Group and is now part of First Hampshire & Dorset.

History

Southampton Citybus was formed in 1898 as Southampton Corporation Transport when the town council took over the Southampton Tramways Company. The company initially operated a fleet of horse-drawn trams and buses, replacing them with electric trams in 1901. A motorbus service was launched in 1901 but proved unsuccessful, and was withdrawn until 1919, when it was reintroduced. The tram network was expanded during the 1920s, but by 1929 it was decided that no new tram services would be introduced.^[1]

A ferry operation across the River Itchen was acquired in 1934, and operated until 1977 when a bridge was opened in its place. Tram services began to be closed in the 1940s, with the last operation abandoned in 1950. The bus network continued largely unchanged until 1986, when the company was reformed as an arms length operation and renamed Southampton Citybus.^[1]

Southampton Citybus was owned by the city council until 1993. It operated a fleet of around 150 vehicles, and a small coaching division named Red Ensign.^[2] Following the Transport Act 1985 and the deregulation of the bus market, it faced aggressive competition from Southern Vectis, the dominant Isle of Wight bus company, which started Solent Blue Line in 1987 as a bid to expand onto the mainland, competing on some of the same major routes as Citybus.^[3]

The council sold the company to its employees in 1993 for around £3 million. Following this Citybus introduced sixteen natural gas powered buses into regular service, the largest such fleet in the UK. Much of the fleet of 160 buses was replaced during this period, and the company was profitable.^[4]

In 1997 the company was purchased by First Group for around £11 million.^[5] After a brief period where the name was kept, the service became First Southampton, and later part of First Hampshire & Dorset.

Some ex-Southampton buses are looked after by Southampton & District Transport Heritage Trust. ^[6]

References

v t e Former bus companies operating in the United Kingdom National Associated Motorways Blazefield Holdings British Bus British Coachways British Electric Traction Fraser Eagle GRT Group National Bus Company Thomas Tilling Scotland v t e Former bus companies operating in Scotland Scottish Bus Group Central Scottish Clydeside Scottish Eastern Scottish Highland Scottish Kelvin Central Buses Kelvin Scottish Lowland Scottish Midland Scottish Munro's of Jedburgh Northern Scottish Western Scottish Other operators Arriva Scotland West A1 Service Dart Buses First Stop Travel Gibson's of Moffat McKindless Oban and District Scottish Motor Traction Strathclyde Buses Western SMT Wales v t e Former bus companies operating in Wales Companies Crosville Motor Services Islwyn Borough Transport Marchwood Motorways National Welsh Omnibus Services Red & White Services Rhondda Transport Company South Wales Transport Western Welsh England v t e Former bus companies operating in England North West England Birkenhead Buses Blackburn Transport Blue Bus and Coach Services Bluebird Bus and Coach Bu-Val Buses Citibus Tours Crosville Motor Services First Chester & The Wirral Glenvale Transport GM Buses GM Buses (2005) Lancashire United Transport Maynes Bus Maytree Travel MTL North Western Road Car Company (1923) North Western Road Car Company (1986) Northern Blue Pennine Blue Red & White Services Ribble Motor Services Speedwellbus Yelloway Motor Services North East England Black Prince Buses Busways Travel Services Godfrey Burley Group Jolly Bus Leon Motors Mexborough and Swinton Traction Company Northern General Transport Company OK Motor Services Samuel Ledgard South Yorkshire Transport United Automobile Services Venture Transport West Riding Automobile Company West Yorkshire Road Car Yorkshire Rider Yorkshire Traction Yorkshire Terrier Midlands A2Z Travel Barton Transport Birmingham City Transport Birmingham Motor Traction Chase Coaches First in Northampton Glossopdale Bus Company Go West Midlands Lionspeed Mid Warwickshire Motors Limited North Birmingham Busways People's Express Premiere Travel Probus Management South Notts Bus Company Travel Merry Hill Travel Your Bus Wesley Coaches Zak's Buses Eastern England Eastern National Omnibus Company MK Metro South West England Badgerline Bristol Omnibus Company Devon General Greyhound Motors Great Western Railway Hants & Dorset Motor Services Shamrock Buses South Gloucestershire Bus & Coach Southern National Sureline Western National South East England Alder Valley Aldershot & District Traction Badger Vectis Boro'line Maidstone Bygone Buses Cavendish Motor Services Centra City Clipper East Kent Road Car Company Invictaway Kent Top Travel Maidstone & District Maidstone Corporation Transport Marchwood Motorways Moss Motor Tours Portsmouth Corporation Transport Shamrock Buses Southampton Citybus Southdown Motor Services Thames Transit Thames Valley Traction Tillingbourne Bus Company Yellow Bus Services Greater London Birch Brothers Boro'line (London) Capital Citybus Capital Logistics Connex East Thames Buses First London Grey-Green London Country Bus Services London Country North East London Country North West London Country South East London Country South West London Electrobus Company London Forest London Pride Sightseeing London Traveller MTL NSL Buses