£3.5m investment for Borders acquisition

West Coast Motors’ acquisition of First Borders operations has triggered an investment of £3,500,000. The money is being spent on 30 new vehicles, customer real time information and ticketing systems. The new vehicles include ADL and Optare single deckers and ADL double deckers, some of which have already entered service. Borders Buses Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of West Coast Motors, acquired First Scotland East’s operations in the Scottish Borders on 26 March 2017. The acquisition involved the transfer of 116 employees based at Galashiels depot together with Hawick, Peebles and Kelso outstations. All services operated by First Borders are being continued on a like for like basis by Borders Buses.

Borders Buses vehicles will be painted red and cream, like its parent company West Coast Motors. During the transition from First Border to Borders Buses, a range of vehicles are operating the routes including buses hired from First Scotland East and unbranded new vehicles. Bus tickets, excluding the First 4 Weekly offer, will remain the same for the immediate future.