First Stop Travel
Encyclopedia
First Stop Travel was a Scottish
bus
company, which operated primarily in Renfrewshire
and southwest Glasgow
. Its depot was located in Muriel Street, Barrhead
. It was closed in 2008 after the Traffic Commissioner revoked its license.
in the Govan
area of Glasgow by operating cheaper minibuses instead of Strathclyde's then full-size buses. Strathclyde countered the threat with minibuses of their own, known as 'Your Wee Happy Bus'. This was the first round of the 'Paisley bus wars' with many competing companies challenging for routes, threatening to bankrupt the larger companies, including Clydeside
(now Arriva Scotland West
). The bus wars failed to stop the progress of the company, which was competing on a number of key routes with Strathclyde. After First Group purchased Strathclyde's Buses, Govan Minibus Company lost its operating licence when it was revoked by VOSA. The company changed direction away from mini-buses and was re-opened as 'First Stop Travel', usually shorted to F.S.T.
The company still had a large patronage on the former Govan Minibus Company routes and exploited this by running many services in competition with First Glasgow and Arriva
. Gibson Direct, another Paisley company, accepted a number of SPT
contracts in 2004, and was unable to continue its competition with Arriva on the busy 21 route linking Paisley
, Renfrew
, Braehead
and Govan
and thus the buses and route passed to FST. This was FST first route in Renfrew, especially unusual since their depot had been based in the town for some years. This also saw an influx of modern buses and a move to proper albeit small buses rather than minibuses. This service has returned to Gibsons in 2006. First's service cuts in 2005 saw FST become the only operator on the key "Paisley
-Penilee
-Govan
corridor", a route that was well-patronised and run using double deckers with First, as well as the Nitshill-Govan service.
In August 2005, due to reported ill-health of the founder, the Port Glasgow
company Slaemuir Coaches acquired the operation. Subsequently following redirection of the business by Slaemuir, the company has been sold on to the Walker Family who run a variety of small bus operations including Gullivers Travel, Erskine Travel and L.B.C. The buses of both Gullivers, First Stop Travel and LBC have now been branded First Stop. As a result, First Stop took over a number of new routes, although these were licenced and operated by vehicles belonging to LBC, Erskine Travel and Gullivers Travel. The buses were painted in an all yellow livery, and the operations moved to premisis in Barrhead
with the other Walker companies, having left the previous depot in Renfrew
.
There was also a significant expansion of services in 2007 with many used vehicles purchased. This saw First Stop compete on many main corridors with local independent operators as well as major companies like Arriva and First. The company operated a service into Glasgow City Centre over the busy 38 corridor with full-size buses. Further into 2007 further expansion took place with the addition of the 9 Paisley - Hawkhead, 19 Paisley - Bridge of Weir and 301 Johnstone - Kilmacolm.
On July 14, 2008, The Traffic Commissioner revoked the company's operating licence, fined owner John Walker £42,000 and banned him from holding an operating license for 10 years.
When the company was closed down it had around 60 vehicles and employed 87 staff.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
company, which operated primarily in 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...
and southwest 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...
. Its depot was located in Muriel Street, Barrhead
Barrhead
Barrhead is a town in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, southwest of Glasgow on the edge of the Gleniffer Braes. As of the 2001 census its population was 19,813....
. It was closed in 2008 after the Traffic Commissioner revoked its license.
History
Initially founded as the 'Govan Minibus Company' after bus deregulation, it provided strong competition to Strathclyde BusesStrathclyde Buses
Strathclyde Buses was a bus operating company in Glasgow and west-central Scotland. It commenced operations in October 1986. Prior to 1986, the council-owned buses had belonged to Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive , and therefore were owned by Strathclyde Regional Council...
in the Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
area of Glasgow by operating cheaper minibuses instead of Strathclyde's then full-size buses. Strathclyde countered the threat with minibuses of their own, known as 'Your Wee Happy Bus'. This was the first round of the 'Paisley bus wars' with many competing companies challenging for routes, threatening to bankrupt the larger companies, including Clydeside
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...
(now 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:...
). The bus wars failed to stop the progress of the company, which was competing on a number of key routes with Strathclyde. After First Group purchased Strathclyde's Buses, Govan Minibus Company lost its operating licence when it was revoked by VOSA. The company changed direction away from mini-buses and was re-opened as 'First Stop Travel', usually shorted to F.S.T.
The company still had a large patronage on the former Govan Minibus Company routes and exploited this by running many services in competition with First Glasgow and 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...
. Gibson Direct, another Paisley company, accepted a number of 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...
contracts in 2004, and was unable to continue its competition with Arriva on the busy 21 route linking Paisley
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...
, Renfrew
Renfrew
-Local government:The town of Renfrew gave its name to a number of local government areas used at various times:*Renfrew a town to the west of Glasgow*Renfrewshire, the present unitary local council area in which Renfrew is situatated....
, Braehead
Braehead
Braehead is a commercial development located at the former site of Braehead Power Station in Renfrew on the south bank of the River Clyde in Renfrewshire. It is particularly notable for its large shopping centre, arena and leisure facilities....
and Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
and thus the buses and route passed to FST. This was FST first route in Renfrew, especially unusual since their depot had been based in the town for some years. This also saw an influx of modern buses and a move to proper albeit small buses rather than minibuses. This service has returned to Gibsons in 2006. First's service cuts in 2005 saw FST become the only operator on the key "Paisley
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...
-Penilee
Penilee
Penilee is a small housing scheme and suburb on the southwestern edge of Glasgow, Scotland. The area is bounded to its east by the Glasgow suburbs of Cardonald and Hillington, and to the west by the Renfrewshire border and the farms of North and South Arkleston...
-Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
corridor", a route that was well-patronised and run using double deckers with First, as well as the Nitshill-Govan service.
In August 2005, due to reported ill-health of the founder, the Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow is the second largest town in the Inverclyde council area of Scotland. The population according to the 1991 census for Port Glasgow was 19426 persons and in the 2001 census was 16617 persons...
company Slaemuir Coaches acquired the operation. Subsequently following redirection of the business by Slaemuir, the company has been sold on to the Walker Family who run a variety of small bus operations including Gullivers Travel, Erskine Travel and L.B.C. The buses of both Gullivers, First Stop Travel and LBC have now been branded First Stop. As a result, First Stop took over a number of new routes, although these were licenced and operated by vehicles belonging to LBC, Erskine Travel and Gullivers Travel. The buses were painted in an all yellow livery, and the operations moved to premisis in Barrhead
Barrhead
Barrhead is a town in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, southwest of Glasgow on the edge of the Gleniffer Braes. As of the 2001 census its population was 19,813....
with the other Walker companies, having left the previous depot in Renfrew
Renfrew
-Local government:The town of Renfrew gave its name to a number of local government areas used at various times:*Renfrew a town to the west of Glasgow*Renfrewshire, the present unitary local council area in which Renfrew is situatated....
.
There was also a significant expansion of services in 2007 with many used vehicles purchased. This saw First Stop compete on many main corridors with local independent operators as well as major companies like Arriva and First. The company operated a service into Glasgow City Centre over the busy 38 corridor with full-size buses. Further into 2007 further expansion took place with the addition of the 9 Paisley - Hawkhead, 19 Paisley - Bridge of Weir and 301 Johnstone - Kilmacolm.
On July 14, 2008, The Traffic Commissioner revoked the company's operating licence, fined owner John Walker £42,000 and banned him from holding an operating license for 10 years.
Bus routes
| Route | From | To | Via | Company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paisley | Barrhead Auchenback | Potterhill, Barrhead | Barrhead Bus Company |
| 2 | Barrhead Centre | Blackbyres Circular | Barrhead Bus Company | |
| 4 | Paisley | Neilston | Barrhead | Barrhead Bus Company |
| 7X | Neilston | Braehead Xscape | Barrhead, Silverburn, Hillington Estate | FirstStop |
| 9 | Paisley | Hawkhead | FirstStop | |
| 19 | Paisley | Bridge of Weir | Inchinnan Ind Estate | FirstStop |
| 22 | Erskine Sempill | Paisley | Inchinnan, Renfrew | Erskine Bus Company |
| 38 | Glasgow | Paisley | Ibrox, Cardonald, Ralston | Dickson's Of Erskine |
| 66 | Gallowhill | Dykebar | Paisley, Todholm | FirstStop |
| 117 | Paisley | Govan | Southern General Hospital | FirstStop |
| 149 | South Nitshill | Govan | Pollok, Cardonald College, Bellahouston | First Stop |
| 217 | Paisley | Govan | Ralston, Penilee | FirstStop |
| 279 | Ibrox | Southern General Hospital | Govan, Linthouse | FirstStop |
| 289 | Drumoyone Circular | FirstStop | ||
| 301 | Johnstone Station | Kilmacolm | Quarriers Village | FirstStop |
Fleet
The fleet varied from Iveco minibuses to full size single deck Dennis Lances, most vehicles were dating from the mid- to late 1990s. The average estimated age of the fleet was 7 to 10 years. After the recent purchase of 10 Dennis Darts the fleet had a big mix of Iveco, Mercedes, Optare and Dennis vehicles. The licence allowed for over 30 vehicles to be run by First Stop Travel with more being licenced for use by associated companies.When the company was closed down it had around 60 vehicles and employed 87 staff.