Operation will be ‘quite different’ in both in look and feel to Lothian Buses’ rival services, says First Scotland MD Andrew Jarvis
Further to CBW announcing in issue 1393 that First West Lothian may be entering the Edinburgh tour market, as it was advertising for drivers for this new venture, the company has now released a ‘sneaky peek’ at the new livery soon to join the streets of Edinburgh.
In a press release, FirstBus said: “On 1 July 2019, First Bus embarks on an exciting new chapter to deliver an experience that will create unforgettable memories and leave a lasting impression on the city.
“A bold, new, brand identity has been created specifically for this and will be unveiled next month in the capital (you won’t be able to miss it).”
Andrew Jarvis, Managing Director of FirstBus in Scotland, said: “It is exciting times for everyone at First as we launch this new venture. This has been a huge challenge for everyone involved, but our proposition is one that will stand out from the crowd and will have an immediate impact in the market.”
Meanwhile, the Edinburgh Evening News published an article on 24 May in regards to the news that an additional open-top tour is set to join the market.
That article suggests a wider battle is the background of the new tour, due to Lothian launching Lothiancountry routes in First’s traditional territory of West Lothian.
The new Green Arrow routes using eight new Plaxton Interurban Leopard-bodied Volvo B8Rs are also due to enter service next month in the West Lothian area.
Andrew Jarvis told the Edinburgh Evening News about the new tour: “Both in overall look and feel ours will be quite different – and quite a different set of price points as well.
“The growth in the tourism market in Edinburgh hasn’t gone unnoticed so we’ve decided to launch a new operation; we will just be concentrating on one route that takes in all the main tourist attractions.”
The article suggests that FirstBus had acquired 14 buses for the all-year-round operation.
Andrew Jarvis continued: “They’ve nearly all been retro-fitted with updated Euro IV engines to keep emissions as low as we can for a start-up business, but the vast majority can be upgraded to full Euro VI compliance for the Low Emission Zone.”
You can read more Bus News here: cbwmagazine.com/category/news/buses
