David Garnett, co-founder of Southport-based bus operator ABC Travel, passed away at home on the morning of Saturday 1 December, aged 73, after a short battle with Leukaemia.
David had an illustrious career in transport, which began when he joined Ribble Motor Services as a Student Traffic Apprentice. It was there that he was appointed as District Traffic Superintendent of the operator’s Ormskirk depot.
Later in 1974, he went on to join Bishop Auckland-based OK Motor Services as Traffic Manager, and with the exception of a two-year spell as General Manager of Ayrshire bus co-operative A1 Service in the early 1980s, stayed for 15 years.
In 1989, David co-founded ABC Travel, along with his wife Marjorie Garnett, before selling the business in 1999 to CMT Buses.
David and his wife then went on to found Lockerbie-based White Star Motors, which was sold to Stagecoach in 2003.
David is survived by his wife and business partner, Marjorie and his son Andrew. The funeral will take place at Carlisle Crematorium on Friday 21 December at 1140hrs.
The family has asked for donations to be made to the Charlie Bear for Cancer Care fund, a charity that raises funds for the Northern Centre for Cancer Care at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in David’s memory.
