Islwyn Borough Transport

Islwyn Borough Transport (IBT) was the provider of bus services around Blackwood and surrounding towns in the former borough of Islwyn, United Kingdom. It was formed in April 1974 when the Borough of Islwyn was created, and took over the operations of the West Monmouthshire Omnibus Board which had operated since 1926. In April 1996 control passed to Caerphilly County Borough Council. In January 2010 the business and assets were transferred to Stagecoach in South Wales. It was the smallest of the remaining municipal bus companies in recent years. Its depot and offices were in Penmaen Road, Pontllanfraith.

History

Islwyn Borough Transport was formed on the creation of the Borough of Islwyn in April 1974. The area had previously been part of West Monmouthshire. From 1926 it had been served by the West Monmouthshire Omnibus Board, which had been created by taking over some of the services and vehicles of three local operators. A depot in Blackwood High Street was used from 1926 to 1984, when a new depot in Pontllanfraith was opened. A second change in local government saw Islwyn become part of Caerphilly County Borough in 1996, and control of the company passed to Caerphilly County Borough Council.^[1]

In November 2009 it was announced that the borough council had agreed to sell the company to Stagecoach Group.^[2] The purchase cost was later revealed to be £2.65 million. The move attracted some criticism within the region, as no other potential buyers had been consulted: local bus operator Clayton Jones stated that he would have made a bid had the proposal been openly discussed. It was also noted that the council had lost around £15 million after the collapse of an Icelandic bank during the Late-2000s financial crisis earlier in the year. The council described claims that the two events were linked as a "wild accusation", noting that Stagecoach intended to retain all Islwyn staff members.^[3] The deal was concluded in early January 2010, with Islwyn's operations integrated with those of Stagecoach in South Wales.^[1]

Operations

Bus routes

Prior to its sale in 2010, Islwyn operated 18 local bus routes centred on Caerphilly and Blackwood, taking in Cardiff and Bargoed. School contracts were also operated, but no services were run on Sundays.^[2]

Its routes are now operated by Stagecoach in South Wales.^[1]

Coaches

The logo for IBT's coach brand, Kingfisher Travel.

The company operated coaches from 1988. Independent operator Paul Diaper Tours was taken over in 1991, and the coaching division rebranded to Kingfisher Travel. The operations were sold to Diamond Holidays in 2009.^[1]

References

External links

• Welsh-Transport-Heritage - a look back in time at the history of Islwyn Borough Transport and its predecessors
• The Welsh Heartlands Transport Festival - A website celebrating the history of Caerphilly UDC and Bedwas & Machan UDC motor bus departments which both started in the year 1917

Major bus companies operating in Wales Companies Arriva Buses Wales Bath Bus Company Cardiff Bus Edwards Coaches Express Motors First Cymru GHA Coaches Lloyds Coaches NAT Group Newport Transport Sargeants of Kington Richards Bros Stagecoach in South Wales Tanat Valley Coaches National Megabus National Express TrawsCymru

Former bus companies of the United Kingdom National Associated Motorways Blazefield Holdings British Bus British Coachways British Electric Traction Fraser Eagle GRT Group National Bus Company Thomas Tilling England Former bus companies operating in England North West England Birkenhead Transport Blackburn Transport Blue Bus and Coach Services Bluebird Bus and Coach Bu-Val Buses ChesterBus Citibus Tours Crosville Motor Services Finglands Coachways First Chester & The Wirral Glenvale Transport GM Buses Lancashire United Transport JPT Maynes Bus Maytree Travel MTL North Western Road Car Company (1923) North Western Road Car Company (1986) Pennine Blue Red & White Services Ribble Motor Services Speedwellbus Transdev Northern Blue UK North Yelloway Motor Services North East England Black Prince Buses Busways Travel Services Durham Travel Services 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 Terrier Yorkshire Traction Midlands A2Z Travel Barton Transport Birmingham City Transport Birmingham Motor Traction Chase Coaches First in Northampton Glossopdale Bus Company Go West Midlands Ludlows North Birmingham Busways People's Express Premiere Travel Probus Management South Notts Bus Company Stevensons of Uttoxeter Travel Merry Hill Travel Your Bus Wesley Coaches Zak's Buses Eastern England Eastern National Omnibus Company Far East Travel MK Metro TWH Bus & Coach South West England Badgerline Bristol Omnibus Company Devon General Greyhound Motors Great Western Railway Hants & Dorset Motor Services Shamrock Buses Southern National Sureline Truronian Western Greyhound Western National South East England Alder Valley Aldershot & District Traction Badger Vectis Boro'line Maidstone Bygone Buses Cavendish Motor Services Centra City Clipper Countryliner 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 Velvet Yellow Bus Services Greater London Bexleybus Birch Brothers Boro'line London Capital Citybus Capital Logistics Connex East Thames Buses First London Grey-Green Harris Bus Imperial Buses London Buslines London Country Bus Services London Country North East London Country North West London Country South East London Country South West London Easylink London Electrobus Company London Forest London Pride Sightseeing London Traveller MTL NSL Buses Thorpes Travel London Travel Surrey Westlink Scotland 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 Northern Scottish Western Scottish Other operators Arriva Scotland West A1 Service Dart Buses First Stop Travel Gibson's of Moffat McKindless Munro's of Jedburgh Oban and District Scottish Motor Traction Strathclyde Buses Western SMT Wales Former bus companies operating in Wales Companies Crosville Motor Services Islwyn Borough Transport National Welsh Omnibus Services Padarn Bus Red & White Services Rhondda Transport Company South Wales Transport Western Welsh