Dart Buses
Encyclopedia
Dart Buses were an independent bus operator in the Paisley
and Renfrewshire
area in the 1990s. The company is attributed with starting a bus war with the main operator of the area, Clydeside Scottish. Bus wars were common following bus deregulation
, and the Paisley area was no stranger to fierce competition; however Dart Buses predominantly operated along routes of large operators and were more successful and subsequently grew much larger than other independents. The company collapsed in 2001.
s, around which the fleet was based. The company started to expand, and in particular grew a strong presence in the Gryffe area around Johnstone
, Bridge of Weir
, and Kilmacolm
operating the lucrative motorway express buses to Glasgow
in competition with Clydeside Scottish
. Fierce competition ensued, including heavily discounted fares and network tickets from Clydeside. Clydeside also introduced its own low cost minibus service F&L around Paisley, in order to secure a larger share of the market from Dart.
In the late 1990s Clydeside was purchased by the Cowie Group, who rebranded the operation Arriva Scotland West
. Arriva
and Dart, both realising competition was uneconomic and couldn't last, reached an agreement and Arriva bought a 25% stake in Dart. This resulted in Dart and Arriva scaling back competition, Dart focusing on the Gryffe area services and motorway express buses, whilst Arriva pulled out of the area and concentrated on local Paisley business, that in turn Dart had stopped operating in. Arriva also ceased operations of its F&L business.
Dart concentrated on fleet improvements and bought progressively newer vehicles and expanded its local buses providing links that Arriva didn't operate to places like Pollok. It also expanded its express buses to other towns such as Kilbarchan
as well as competing for Strathclyde PTE (SPT) tenders to operate local buses in Glasgow and East Kilbride
. A number of SPT contracts were won, mostly from First Glasgow
, and several new buses were bought for these routes. A small number of school contracts were also taken on.
In a surprise move Stagecoach West Scotland
bought Arriva's stake in the business in 2001 and Dart began operating some of Stagecoach's routes in Glasgow and Pollok
. It was suggested that Stagecoach didn't want to compete with First Glasgow, the dominant operator in the area.
However, the company suddenly collapsed overnight in October 2001. There were no warnings to the imminent collapse, other than the vehicles had been filling up using pumps outside of its depot.
In the aftermath, most services were non-operational that day although some local operators did step in to help. In a surprise move, First Glasgow registered all of Dart's express buses, before Arriva or Stagecoach, and SPT
tendered the other routes on an emergency basis that operators were unwilling to operate but were vital services. Most of the tenders were won by local companies, most notably Riverside Transport, who also took on several of the Gryffe local Services.
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
and Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
area in the 1990s. The company is attributed with starting a bus war with the main operator of the area, Clydeside Scottish. Bus wars were common following bus deregulation
Bus deregulation
Bus deregulation in Great Britain came into force on 26 October 1986, as part of the Transport Act 1985.The 'Buses' White Paper was the basis of the Transport Act 1985, which provided for the deregulation of local bus services in the whole of the United Kingdom except for Northern Ireland and...
, and the Paisley area was no stranger to fierce competition; however Dart Buses predominantly operated along routes of large operators and were more successful and subsequently grew much larger than other independents. The company collapsed in 2001.
History
The company started operating second-hand minibuses on local routes around Paisley, however these minibuses were soon displaced by larger single deck Leyland NationalLeyland National
The Leyland National is a British single-deck bus built in large quantities between 1972 and 1985. It was developed as a joint project between two UK nationalised industries - the National Bus Company and British Leyland. Buses were constructed at a specially built factory at the Lillyhall...
s, around which the fleet was based. The company started to expand, and in particular grew a strong presence in the Gryffe area around Johnstone
Johnstone
Johnstone is a town in the council area of Renfrewshire and larger historic county of the same name in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.The town lies three miles west of neighbouring Paisley and twelve miles west of the centre of the city of Glasgow...
, Bridge of Weir
Bridge of Weir
Bridge of Weir is a village in within the Renfrewshire council area and wider historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, and Kilmacolm
Kilmacolm
Kilmacolm is a village and civil parish in the Inverclyde council area and the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on the northern slope of the Gryffe Valley south-east of Greenock and around west of the city of Glasgow...
operating the lucrative motorway express buses to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
in competition with Clydeside Scottish
Clydeside Scottish
Clydeside Scottish Omnibuses Ltd, in Scotland, was a bus operating subsidiary of the Scottish Transport Group formed in June 1985 from Western SMT Company Ltd...
. Fierce competition ensued, including heavily discounted fares and network tickets from Clydeside. Clydeside also introduced its own low cost minibus service F&L around Paisley, in order to secure a larger share of the market from Dart.
In the late 1990s Clydeside was purchased by the Cowie Group, who rebranded the operation Arriva Scotland West
Arriva Scotland West
Arriva Scotland West Ltd is a bus operating subsidiary of Arriva based in Inchinnan, near Paisley, Scotland, trading simply as Arriva. It is currently the group's sole operation in Scotland.-Operation:...
. Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
and Dart, both realising competition was uneconomic and couldn't last, reached an agreement and Arriva bought a 25% stake in Dart. This resulted in Dart and Arriva scaling back competition, Dart focusing on the Gryffe area services and motorway express buses, whilst Arriva pulled out of the area and concentrated on local Paisley business, that in turn Dart had stopped operating in. Arriva also ceased operations of its F&L business.
Dart concentrated on fleet improvements and bought progressively newer vehicles and expanded its local buses providing links that Arriva didn't operate to places like Pollok. It also expanded its express buses to other towns such as Kilbarchan
Kilbarchan
Kilbarchan is a village and civil parish in central Renfrewshire, in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The village's name means "cell of St. Barchan". It is known for its former weaving industry.- History :...
as well as competing for Strathclyde PTE (SPT) tenders to operate local buses in Glasgow and East Kilbride
East Kilbride
East Kilbride is a large suburban town in the South Lanarkshire council area, in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland. Designated as Scotland's first new town in 1947, it forms part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation...
. A number of SPT contracts were won, mostly from First Glasgow
First Glasgow
First Glasgow is the largest bus company serving the Greater Glasgow area in, Scotland. It forms part of FirstGroup, a company operating transport services across the British Isles and in North America...
, and several new buses were bought for these routes. A small number of school contracts were also taken on.
In a surprise move Stagecoach West Scotland
Stagecoach West Scotland
Stagecoach West Scotland is an operating region of Stagecoach UK Bus, comprising Western Buses Ltd and Stagecoach Glasgow Ltd, based in Ayr, Scotland.-Operation:...
bought Arriva's stake in the business in 2001 and Dart began operating some of Stagecoach's routes in Glasgow and Pollok
Pollok
Pollok is a large district on the south-western side of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It was built to house families from the overcrowded inner city...
. It was suggested that Stagecoach didn't want to compete with First Glasgow, the dominant operator in the area.
However, the company suddenly collapsed overnight in October 2001. There were no warnings to the imminent collapse, other than the vehicles had been filling up using pumps outside of its depot.
In the aftermath, most services were non-operational that day although some local operators did step in to help. In a surprise move, First Glasgow registered all of Dart's express buses, before Arriva or Stagecoach, and SPT
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport, and especially the public transport system, in the Strathclyde area of western Scotland...
tendered the other routes on an emergency basis that operators were unwilling to operate but were vital services. Most of the tenders were won by local companies, most notably Riverside Transport, who also took on several of the Gryffe local Services.