The Shropshire operator has built on its good relationship with Asset Alliance Group to help launch a new park & ride service
Shrewsbury-based Minsterley Motors has taken delivery of a new Volvo B8RLE MCV Evora single-decker bus via a rental deal facilitated by Asset Alliance Group in support of a new contract win. Director at family-owned Minsterley Motors Lee Jones explained: “We’ve worked with Asset Alliance Group for the past couple of years. Usually, we’ve taken vehicles from them on hire purchase, as our assets typically have a long service life and it’s a good way to finance them. However, the option for a two-year bus rental was perfect for a new park & ride service we’re delivering for Shropshire Council.
“We’ve been able to align the rental period with the contract length, which has allowed us to grow our business, without the risk of having excess capacity in a few years’ time.” Featuring Shropshire Council’s newly introduced blue and lavender park & ride livery, the new service commenced on 1 October last year. It operates from Monday to Saturday between the ‘Eco Car Park’ and Ludlow town centre, with fares of £1 to encourage use.
The new bus has an overall capacity of 84 people, with 38 seated. It is fitted with seatbelts, and at-seat USB sockets to
allow customers to charge their electronic devices. It is also fitted with a system providing audible announcements and a visual display to identify the route, upcoming stops and any diversions. Business Development Manager for Bus & Coach at Asset Alliance Group Paul Fairbanks facilitated the deal.
“We’ve worked with Paul and Asset Alliance Group for a few years now,” added Lee. “They are approachable, straight-forward to deal with and have a good knowledge of the bus and coach world, including the practicalities of running a business within it. The option to rent, on top of the wide range of financing options Asset Alliance Group offers, was ideal. It allowed us to take on this opportunity and meant that the council had a brand-new bus for the newly launched service.”
Minsterley Motors’ roots go back to before the Second World War. It has had a link to the Jones family throughout the years since, with Lee’s father John Jones and sister Hayley Middleton both directors. It currently runs more than 30 vehicles, on a 50/50 split between service and private hire work, with a fleet which includes five touring coaches.
