Go Ahead-Group CEO, David Brown, and leader of BCP council, Cllr Vikki Slade, joined Morebus managing director Andrew Wickham in Bournemouth on Friday 15 for the grand opening of the bus operator’s new bus depot.
Morebus has constructed the depot at the former home of its Excelsior Coaches operation, with a total investment of £2.5m. The site now sports custom-made facilities to house a large number of the bus operator’s local fleet of low-emissions buses.
The fleet allocation includes the Excelsior Coaches fleet, Morebus ADL Enviro200 buses operating the M1 route between Bournemouth and Poole, and its five new double-decker ADL Enviro400 vehicles for route 13 to Wimborne, via Ferndown.
The whole of Morebus’ Unibus service – operated on behalf of Bournemouth University and Arts University Bournemouth – is also now fully run from the new facility. The depot also features a brand new bus wash, as well as some of the latest engineering pit technologies.
“We are thrilled to be opening these wonderful new facilities here in Bournemouth,” said Andrew Wickham. “Since acquiring Excelsior Coaches in October 2016, we have been keen to develop our site here in Southcote Road, so that it provides excellent facilities – not only for our buses and coaches, but also for our team.
“Now we have fully-equipped rest quarters for our drivers and operations staff, including a large rest room with catering facilities, and new shower facilities for those working shifts – as well as this wonderful bus wash, which is ready-and-waiting to ensure our vehicles are squeaky clean when operating our services across Bournemouth and the surrounding area.”
Go-Ahead Group CEO, David Brown, added: “The investment in the rebuilt depot represents our commitment to the local community and to our colleagues as they work to provide customers with clean, frequent, reliable and comfortable journeys. The new low emission vehicles support the environment while giving people more reason to choose the bus.”
