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Stagecoach South
Coastliner liveried Scania N230UD/Alexander Dennis Enviro400 in Portsmouth in May 2011
ParentStagecoach
HeadquartersChichester
Service areaSouth East England
Service typeBus services
Routes152 (April 2019)
Depots8
Fleet487 (April 2019)
Annual ridership40 million (April 2019)
ManagerMarc Reddy
Websitewww.stagecoachbus.com/about/south

Stagecoach (South) Limited,[1] trading as Stagecoach South, is a bus operator providing services in South East England as a subsidiary of Stagecoach. It operates services in Hampshire, Surrey, and Sussex with some routes extending into Brighton and Wiltshire. It operates 487 buses from eight depots.

It is branded as four sub-divisions: Stagecoach in Hampshire, Stagecoach in Hants & Surrey, Stagecoach in the South Downs, and Stagecoach in Portsmouth.

A common feature of this division was the large number of branded routes, usually with dedicated names in lieu of numbers. These were largely reverted to numbers in the 2020s.[2]

Stagecoach in Hampshire

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Stagecoach's Alexander Dennis Enviro 300 in Winchester P&R livery in 2007

Stagecoach in Hampshire, formerly known as Hampshire Bus,[3] operates from depots in Andover, Basingstoke and Winchester. It was the first former National Bus Company subsidiary to be purchased by Stagecoach in 1987, the Hampshire Bus name continuing until the early 2000s.[4]

In 2015, Stagecoach unveiled £2.5 million investment in new Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC buses for Winchester park and ride services, featuring a gold and purple livery, inspired by King Alfred the Great.[5]

In 2017, Stagecoach launched six new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC buses for the route 64 to Alton, which also received extra journeys in evenings and Sundays, the unveiling taking place at the Winchester Science Centre.[6]

In December 2019, 32 new Enviro200 MMCs were introduced to Basingstoke, representing a £5.3 million investment.[7]

Stagecoach in Hants & Surrey

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Stagecoach in Hants & Surrey[8] operates from depots in Aldershot and in Peasmarsh, just outside of Guildford. Since 2022 it has also operated from the former Arriva depot in Guildford.[9] It is made up of Alder Valley's remaining operations, taken over by Stagecoach on 26 October 1992.[10] The company operates a number of routes across Hampshire and Surrey, serving Aldershot, Camberley, Farnborough, Godalming, and Guildford.

In 2002, a number 22 Stagecoach bus, operating a journey from Aldershot to the Old Dean estate, was hijacked by two armed men.[11]

On 9 February 2009, the route 1 was upgraded to Goldline status with 14 new Enviro300 vehicles.[12]

Following the Countryliner bus company entering administration, in October 2012 Stagecoach took back route 46 that it lost in the last tendering round the previous month, as well as Surrey County Council school routes on an emergency basis until July 2013.[13]

Stagecoach stepped in to take control of the route 94 between Bracknell and Camberley, after First Beeline proposed to close its bus depot in Bracknell and withdraw most of its services in the area from Saturday 29 August 2015.[14] However, the company later withdrew the service from 12 March 2016 over its loss-making nature.[15]

Stagecoach South opened a new depot at Peasmarsh in October 2015, which oversaw the relocation of several south Surrey bus routes from Aldershot and Haslemere to the new depot.[16][17]

On 31 December 2016, Stagecoach took over Abellio Surrey's former route 515 (running between Guildford and Kingston upon Thames) following the company's departure from Surrey operations, renumbering it as the 715 in homage to the former Green Line Coaches route that ran on the same section. To launch the new route, a heritage AEC Routemaster bus ran duplicate journeys, provided by the London Bus Museum.[18][19] The 715 was later passed to Falcon Coaches from 26 August 2023 following tender changes.[20]

After the takeover of Fleet Buzz, the Hants & Surrey division maintained a presence in Reading until 16 April 2018, when the route 7 was split and Reading Buses took over the northern section to Fleet.[21] As part of the deal, two Stagecoach vehicles were sold to Reading Buses.

Guildford Park & Ride branded Alexander Dennis Enviro200EV in August 2021
University of Surrey liveried Scania N230UD/Alexander Dennis Enviro400 in August 2022

Two brand new services were launched from 29 July 2018 serving Guildford, the University of Surrey and Stoughton. In January 2019, working with the BYD/ADL Partnership, energy storage specialist Zenobe Energy, as well as members of Surrey County Council and Guildford Borough Council, Stagecoach in Hants & Surrey introduced nine electric Alexander Dennis Enviro200EV buses on their Guildford Park & Ride network, representing an investment of over £3 million.[22]

After Arriva announced their withdrawal of bus operations from their Guildford base in November 2021, Stagecoach announced it would take over Arriva's commercial routes from Guildford, Cranleigh and Woking.[23][24] However, shortly after the network expansion, Stagecoach reduced frequencies on its services owing to a driver shortage following the COVID-19 pandemic.[25]

Despite the reduced timetable coming into effect on 2 January 2022, routes continued to suffer cancellations. For example, on Thursday 30 June 2022, the company had to cancel 70 journeys, posting cancellations on their Twitter feed.[26] A further timetable reduction was announced by summer 2022, affecting the high-frequency Guildford town services,[27] and a number of bus services in Woking were passed to Safeguard Coaches.[28]

From 1 May 2022, the route 91, which runs between Woking, Goldsworth Park and Knaphill, was given a boost in frequency to every 10–12 minutes during weekdays, every 12–15 minutes on Saturdays, and every 20 minutes on Sundays.[29] However, this was reverted to every 15 minutes on Monday to Saturdays due to the ongoing driver shortage.[27]

Stagecoach buses ceased terminating at Aldershot Bus Station after 7 May 2023, having been using it since 1997.[30][failed verification] The bus station has been closed as part of a £1.8 million revamp for Aldershot railway station's forecourt.[31][32][33]

From April 2024, Stagecoach took over operations of the dedicated shuttle bus between Woking and RHS Garden Wisley.[34]

Stagecoach in the South Downs

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Stagecoach in the South Downs[35] operates from depots in Chichester, Portsmouth, Worthing, and Bordon and Petersfield. In August 1989, Stagecoach purchased Southdown Motor Services,[36][37] which had previously been owned by the National Bus Company until sold in a management buy out.

From 16 April 2018, West Sussex County Council had arranged for bus routes 54, 91, 92, and 93; all primarily based in Petersfield; to be operated by Stagecoach, replacing the arrangement with the Emsworth & District Motor Services.[38]

In partnership with West Sussex County Council and gaining funding from the Government's Bus Back Better strategy, Stagecoach introduced a new route, numbered 500, from 2 July 2023 between Chichester and Littlehampton via St Richard's Hospital, Barnham and Yapton.[39][40] A week of free travel on the 500 was offered during the week commencing 23 July.[41]

Stagecoach in Portsmouth

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Coastliner liveried Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC in Worthing in August 2018

Stagecoach in Portsmouth operates buses in the Portsmouth city area as well as at Havant, Waterlooville, and Hayling Island.

In September 2023, Stagecoach won contracts for 5 routes in Portsmouth previously run by First Hampshire & Dorset.[42] The company won further bus route contracts from January 2024, namely the D1, D2 and 27; with further enhancements to other bus routes, including the introduction of 24-hour operations on route 23.[43]

The company also operates the Coastliner 700 service from Portsmouth to Brighton.

Fleet Buzz

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Fleet Buzz, initially known as Countywide Travel,[44] was formed in 1995 as a bus and coach company, based on vehicles from Marchwood Motorways and a depot was established in Basingstoke. In 1998 the depot relocated to the site formerly used by Oakley Coaches in Oakley, Hampshire, placing itself at a strategic location on a route the company ran between Basingstoke and Winchester.[45] Countywide Travel also parked buses at Hart District Council's Household Waste Recycling Centre near Hartley Wintney, but, due to safety concerns, vacated the latter premises in 2007.[46]

Countywide Travel took over many of the routes from Tillingbourne Bus Company when it ceased trading in 2001. On 1 October 2007 the coach business was sold to Weavaway Travel and the bus operation moved to Crondall.[47] Around this time, the company was renamed Fleet Buzz as a wordplay for its predominant presence at Fleet, Hampshire.

Fleet Buzz Optare Versa at Reading in July 2014

Mercedes-Benz Varios used to form the backbone of the fleet, but in 2008/09 the company upgraded its fleet with the purchase of four new Optare Solos and four Optare Versas, as well as two Caetano Nimbuses that previously operated with Travel de Courcey and Reading Buses. These buses were painted in a livery of yellow (lower body) and black (upper body).[48] Afterwards, other Stagecoach-branded buses replaced the remainder of the step-entrance fleet.

In December 2011, the business was sold to Stagecoach with 22 buses and 29 staff. It was run as a low-cost unit of Stagecoach South. Alongside the new Optare buses, four Plaxton Pointers and three Alexander ALX200s - one in plain white - were transferred from Selkent. Further withdrawn step-entrance Stagecoach buses were transferred or placed on loan to the division.

When the Countryliner bus company ceased trading on 18 January 2013, Stagecoach passed route 41 to Fleet Buzz, after running the route for a week, from 21 January.[49][50] Major network changes in April 2013 saw the Fleet Buzz routes restructured and further expanded into Basingstoke.

On 31 December 2014, three years after the Stagecoach takeover, the website was updated to announce the end of the Fleet Buzz name with operations fully integrated into Stagecoach South from the date of a major network change on 5 January 2015. The depot at Crondall closed on 23 May 2015, with staff, routes and buses transferred to Basingstoke and Aldershot.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Companies House extract company no 1673542 Stagecoach (South) Limited
  2. ^ "New Sunday buses between Basingstoke and Newbury". Stagecoach South. 26 April 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  3. ^ Companies House extract company no 2230625 Hampshire Bus Company Limited
  4. ^ "Commemorative bus livery is just the ticket to celebrate 40 years of service to Hampshire communities". Stagecoach South. 29 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Stagecoach rolls out £2.5 million new buses with free wifi and charging". Hampshire Chronicle. 28 October 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  6. ^ "64 bus to Winchester gets hourly service on Sundays". Daily Echo. 22 November 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  7. ^ "New bus fleet rolled out across Basingstoke". Stagecoach South. 3 December 2019.
  8. ^ Companies House extract company no 1673542 Stagecoach (South) Limited formerly Hampshire Bus Company Limited
  9. ^ "Surprise tenant for Arriva's Guildford depot". Buses. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Alder Valley: 50 years on". Buses. Key Publishing. January 2022.
  11. ^ "Bus hijacked at gunpoint". Surrey Live. 4 July 2002. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  12. ^ "Surrey launch for Goldline by Stagecoach". TransportXtra. 20 February 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  13. ^ Surrey bus routes taken away from Countryliner Get Surrey 9 October 2012
  14. ^ "Efforts to save Bracknell's bus service". Bracknell News. 21 July 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  15. ^ [1] 94 Withdrawal, Surrey Buses
  16. ^ "New Stagecoach Surrey base". Bus & Coach Buyer. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  17. ^ "New Guildford base for Stagecoach". Route One. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  18. ^ "Routemaster helps launch new 715". BUSES. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  19. ^ "Stagecoach to run route 715". London Bus Museum. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  20. ^ Lyons, Mark (September 2023). "Operator changes for cross-border services". BUSES. p. 18.
  21. ^ "Reading takes over part of Stagecoach route". RouteOne. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  22. ^ "Annual Report" (PDF). Stagecoach South. August 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Stagecoach South to take on some Arriva Guildford depot work". RouteOne. 4 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  24. ^ "Your new Guildford & Woking network". Stagecoach Bus (Promos & Offers). 4 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  25. ^ "Stagecoach cuts bus services in Guildford and Woking and suspends Spectrum service after driver absence". SurreyLive. 2 January 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  26. ^ "Surrey pupils missing school because of cancelled buses". BBC Surrey. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  27. ^ a b "Stagecoach announces reduced timetable in parts of Surrey including Guildford due to staff shortages". SurreyLive. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  28. ^ "New Woking Bus Services from Tuesday 30 August 2022". Safeguard Buses. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023.
  29. ^ "Stagecoach announces more buses on Knaphill to Woking bus service". Stagecoach. 29 April 2022. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022.
  30. ^ "Aldershot Bus Station". NovaLoca. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023.
  31. ^ Bunce, Alan (3 October 2016). "£1.8m revamp for Aldershot station". Thames Valley Tap. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023.
  32. ^ "Bus stop changes in Aldershot town centre". Stagecoach South. 27 March 2023. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023.
  33. ^ "Aldershot loses bus station after 90 years". BUSES. Key Publishing. June 2023. p. 9.
  34. ^ "Shuttle bus to RHS Garden Wisley: Frequently asked questions". RHS Wisley. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024.
  35. ^ Companies House extract company no 140534 Southdown Motor Services Limited
  36. ^ Stagecoach down South Commercial Motor 24 August 1989 page 6
  37. ^ Southdown Motor Services Limited Mergers & Monopolies Commission June 1993 page 5
  38. ^ "Stagecoach to take over the operation of the Petersfield to Chichester and Midhurst bus routes". Sussex Local Magazine. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  39. ^ "New bus route coming to Barnham and Yapton". Stagecoach South. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  40. ^ "Contract awarded for new low carbon 500 bus service for Barnham, Yapton and Fontwell". West Sussex County Council. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  41. ^ "Stagecoach offering free travel on Sussex route". Bus & Coach Buyer. 14 July 2023. Archived from the original on 1 January 2024.
  42. ^ Freddie Webb (18 July 2023). "Future of several Portsmouth bus services secured after council investment". The Portsmouth News. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  43. ^ "Portsmouth: Extra buses and new 24-hour routes set for city". BBC News. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  44. ^ Companies House extract company no 04974459 Fleet Buzz Limited formerly Countywide Travel (Fleet) Limited
  45. ^ "Twenty years of Stagecoach". Basingstoke Gazette. 4 April 2007. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  46. ^ "'Red tape' blamed for coach firm scaling down operations". Basingstoke Gazette. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  47. ^ "Demise of Fleet Buzz criticised". Coach & Bus Week. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  48. ^ Williams, Robert (30 April 2015). "Fleet Buzz". The Bus Zone. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  49. ^ Route 41 timetable Archived 16 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Surrey County Council 21 January 2013
  50. ^ "Route 41 timetable" (PDF). Fleet Buzz. 15 April 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
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