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| First South West | |
|---|---|
| Name | First South West |
| Type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Transport |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Bristol |
| Area served | South West England |
| Parent | FirstGroup |
First South West First South West was a regional bus and coach operator serving Bristol, Bath, Taunton, Plymouth, Exeter, Newquay, Truro and other locations across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset. It operated local, interurban and coach services, linking urban centres such as Swindon and Yeovil with coastal towns including Falmouth, Ilfracombe and Weymouth. The company formed part of the operations of FirstGroup in the southwest of England and interfaced with national and regional transport projects involving organisations like Transport for London and Network Rail where integrated ticketing or station interchange arrangements applied.
First South West traces roots to independent operators absorbed during the consolidation of regional bus services in the late 20th century, including acquisitions from companies with histories connected to Western National, Thamesdown Transport, Southern National and municipal operators in Exeter and Plymouth. After the 1980s deregulation of bus services following legislation influenced by debates in Westminster and the policy environment of the Margaret Thatcher era, conglomerates such as FirstGroup expanded through purchases of Stagecoach Group-era routes and former National Bus Company subsidiaries. In the 1990s and 2000s further restructurings saw integration with First's operations in Scotland and Wales, aligning timetables with rail connections at stations managed by Network Rail and responding to transport strategies promoted by regional authorities like Cornwall Council and Devon County Council. Strategic changes included rebranding efforts that referenced historic liveries and community identities tied to towns such as Torquay and Penzance.
Services encompassed urban routes in Bristol and interurban corridors linking Bath to Taunton, and longer-distance coach operations connecting the southwest to national hubs such as London Victoria Coach Station and Birmingham Coach Station. First South West operated park-and-ride services allied to municipal schemes in Truro and Exeter and provided school transport contracts with local authorities including Somerset County Council and Plymouth City Council. The operator participated in multi-operator ticketing schemes alongside companies like Stagecoach South West, National Express and regional independent operators serving Isles of Scilly links via coach-rail feeder services to Penzance harbour. Seasonal services to tourist destinations such as St Ives, Padstow and Newquay adjusted frequencies to coordinate with events like the Royal Cornwall Show and surfing competitions promoted by organisations in Newquay.
Fleet composition evolved from diesel single-deck and double-deck buses to incorporate low-emission vehicles, including Alexander Dennis Enviro400 double-deckers and Wrightbus single-deck models, alongside coaches from manufacturers such as Volvo and Mercedes-Benz. Investments responded to urban emission zones and air quality requirements instituted by councils in Bristol and Bath and North East Somerset, prompting trials of hybrid and electric buses in collaboration with suppliers including BYD and Proterra as well as retrofit programmes referencing technical guidance from Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. Maintenance operations were carried out at depots located in towns such as Barnstaple, Taunton and Plymouth, and vehicle liveries occasionally reflected heritage schemes seen on preserved vehicles at museums like the National Motor Museum.
First South West functioned as a trading unit within FirstGroup, reporting through corporate divisions headquartered in Aberdeen and Glenrothes. Its governance involved interaction with regulatory bodies such as the Competition and Markets Authority for merger assessments and with transport oversight by bodies including Transport for the South West and local councils. Labour relations involved negotiations with unions including Unite the Union and GMB (trade union), particularly over pay, rostering and depot closures. Commercial partnerships were maintained with intermodal operators such as Great Western Railway and coach firms like Megabus for ticketing and timetable coordination.
Operational incidents included collisions and service disruptions investigated by the Roads Policing Unit and reported in regional press such as the Bristol Post and Western Morning News. Disputes over route changes and reductions prompted public consultations and protests involving parish councils and MPs representing constituencies like St Ives (UK Parliament constituency) and Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (UK Parliament constituency). Controversy also arose from disputes over depot rationalisation linked to property sales and planning applications overseen by planning authorities including Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council, and environmental campaigners from groups like Greenpeace and local organisations challenged emissions levels and compliance with low-emission strategies promoted by UK Department for Transport.
First South West engaged in community outreach through sponsorship of local events such as the Exeter Respect Festival and partnerships with charities including Macmillan Cancer Support and Royal British Legion branches in the southwest. Environmental initiatives included participation in local air quality improvement schemes and pilot electric-bus programmes supported by grant funding mechanisms from entities like the Office for Low Emission Vehicles and collaborations with research institutions including University of Exeter and University of Plymouth on sustainable transport studies. Educational outreach featured school travel plans coordinated with councils and transport consortia including TravelWest.
Category:Bus operators in England Category:Transport in South West England