Martin Allen, the minibus operator who formed the Bus and Coach Association and spearheaded changes to Section 19 interpretation, claims a Section 19/22 operator has unlawfully been awarded school contracts for which his company placed bids. Martin, who runs JA Travel in Mansfield, placed bids for all ten Special Educational Needs (SEN) contracts to Foxwood […]
Lincolnshire-based AC Williams Coaches has invested £1.7m in seven new Mercedes-Benz Euro VI Tourismo touring coaches. The company’s Executive Chairman, Glen Pratt, has said it is setting its sights on further expansion. AC Williams operate over 30 vehicles, ranging from executive coaches through to double-deckers and wheelchair accessible vehicles. The operator has earned its reputation […]
trentbarton’s red arrow coach service is to start operating on a 24-hour basis from 2 September. red arrow was launched in 1995, following market research into what would encourage more people to travel between Nottingham and Derby. It was found customers were after speed and luxury, without the hassle of parking in the cities. Over […]
Big Bus Tours launched operations in Dublin last week, the 20th city in its global portfolio. The group has acquired the Dualway Group’s Dublin based hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour operated by Irish City Tours. Founded in 1979 by Tony McConn, the Dualway Group started open top sightseeing in Dublin in 1994, and was one of […]
The Bus and Coach Association’s (BCA) legal team has begun proceedings to force the DfT, DVSA and Traffic Commissioners to take action against community transport operators. The BCA’s Martin Allen was partly responsible for forcing the arm of the Department for Transport to issue new guidance for Section 19/22 operators, with the aim of preventing […]
Go-Ahead owned Oxford Bus Company is trialling a Yutong electric E12 single-decker in service. It is operating on both services 3A and 6 for a two-week trial. The white bus has had Oxford Bus Company branding added to it and is being charged via a diesel generator at the operator’s Cowley depot, in the stead of […]
Warrington independent, Fairbrothers, closed down operations last weekend, and has given up its services to municipally-owned Warrington’s Own Buses. No reason has been given for the ending of 26 years of operation, with owner David Fairbrother making an impassioned statement on Facebook. “It is with a heavy heart to announce that after 26 years of […]
Irizar (UK) is to offer a lifeline to operators of Euro V Integral coaches, making them usable without a fee in the London ULEZ being phased-in from next April. The London Ultra Low Emissions Zone, and Clean Air Zones proposed in towns and cities across the country have had a knock-on effect: they have devalued […]