South Lancs Travel
Encyclopedia
South Lancs Travel is a privately owned bus operator in the districts of Bolton
and Wigan
in Greater Manchester
operating an extensive commercial network along with tendered services on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester. It also serves some areas of the districts of Salford
& Trafford such as The Trafford Centre, Worsley, Walkden & Little Hulton. Its headquarters are in Atherton
and it is the trading name of Green Triangle Buses.
in April 1998, operating from Printshop Lane bertween Atherton and Tyldesley. They started with a single service, the 675 operating between Leigh and Shakerley via Astley and Tyldesley. Within a couple of years, the 675 was withdrawn and repalaced with the 670/680 circular services, which followed the same route as the 675 but continued onto Atherton then back to Leigh. These services have evolved over the years to become a significant network of largely commercially operated services in the Leigh/Tyldesley/Shakerley area. They also introduced journeys on the 652 Leigh - Hindley - Wigan service, with all three services competing against the incumbent operator, Bellairs and Dootson (B&D Coaches).
The network started to expand in 1999, following the opening of the Trafford Centre
. The company introduced two services, the 674 from Leigh (now 126) and the 673 from Atherton (which was short lived, but later revived as the 132). The garage was moved a short distance to a 1.5 acres (6,070.3 m²) Commercial Garage site on Chanters Industrial Estate in 2000, where it remains.
In 1999, Green Triangle acquired the rival Bellairs and Dootson (B&D Coaches) and the operation was rebranded as South Lancs Travel. Since then, the company has steadily grown its network with significant expansion in Wigan both through the acquisition on tender of the GMPTE 'Easylink' services and the acquisition in 2005 of the Appley Bridge outstation of Blue Bus, which included services to Shevington and New Springs. The Appley Bridge outstation was eventually closed in May 2007. A number of short-term tenders have also taken the company into various parts of Bolton, although that has subsided due to other operators starting to operate in the area. SLT continues to operate into Bolton from Leigh with the 592 service and also operates the weekday Bolton - Trafford Centre 300 service (using a rare Alexander Q type Volvo B10M). In 2006 entrepreneur Julian Peddle
bought a 30% stake in the company.
South Lancs Travel have also been involved in head-to-head competition with First Manchester
, most notably in 2002, when, following competitive registrations by First, SLT offered "return tickets for the price of a single fare" - First responded with a £2.00 (later £2.50 then £3.00) weekly ticket for travel within the Leigh area. First also introduced a short-lived competing 652 service, albeit operating from Hindley Green
to Shakerley via Leigh. More recently, First introduced a competing 635 service - SLT retaliated by introducing journeys on the 600 between Wigan and Ashton-in-Makerfield, and offering a £1.00 flat fare. Following the withdrawal of First Manchester services to Shevington, the SLT 600 was withdrawn in May 2008 and SLT is now the sole operator of services to Shevington and Appley Bridge.
In 2009 SLT replaced much of the withdrawn First Manchester 615 service (Leigh - Horwich - Wigan) with an increased frequency 516/7 service. The vast majority of the 50 strong fleet is now low floor, mainly Dart MPDs, Optare Solos and Scania L94UBs. Recent new acquisitions are 4 MAN A22s with Wright Meridian
bodies, used on the 635 service. The B&D Coaches O Licence was finally surrendered in February 2009 when the Green Triangle Licence was expanded to 48 vehicles.
On 30 September 2011, South Lancs Travel was bought in a joint deal with shareholder Julian Peddle and Crewe
-based operator D&G Bus with previous owners Martin Bott and David Stewart remaining with the company as consultants.
Metropolitan Borough of Bolton
The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Bolton, but covers a far larger area which includes Blackrod, Farnworth, Horwich, Kearsley and Westhoughton, and a suburban and rural element from the West Pennine...
and Wigan
Metropolitan Borough of Wigan
The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is named after its largest component town, Wigan and also includes the towns of Leigh, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ince-in-Makerfield, and Hindley. The borough was formed in 1974 and is an...
in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
operating an extensive commercial network along with tendered services on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester. It also serves some areas of the districts of Salford
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
& Trafford such as The Trafford Centre, Worsley, Walkden & Little Hulton. Its headquarters are in Atherton
Atherton, Greater Manchester
Atherton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire. It is east of Wigan, north-northeast of Leigh, and northwest of Manchester...
and it is the trading name of Green Triangle Buses.
History
Green Triangle Buses was established as a limited companyLimited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
in April 1998, operating from Printshop Lane bertween Atherton and Tyldesley. They started with a single service, the 675 operating between Leigh and Shakerley via Astley and Tyldesley. Within a couple of years, the 675 was withdrawn and repalaced with the 670/680 circular services, which followed the same route as the 675 but continued onto Atherton then back to Leigh. These services have evolved over the years to become a significant network of largely commercially operated services in the Leigh/Tyldesley/Shakerley area. They also introduced journeys on the 652 Leigh - Hindley - Wigan service, with all three services competing against the incumbent operator, Bellairs and Dootson (B&D Coaches).
The network started to expand in 1999, following the opening of the Trafford Centre
Trafford Centre
The Trafford Centre is a large indoor shopping centre and leisure complex situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, close to the Trafford Park industrial estate and approximately 5 miles from Manchester city centre. It is the highest valued shopping centre in the...
. The company introduced two services, the 674 from Leigh (now 126) and the 673 from Atherton (which was short lived, but later revived as the 132). The garage was moved a short distance to a 1.5 acres (6,070.3 m²) Commercial Garage site on Chanters Industrial Estate in 2000, where it remains.
In 1999, Green Triangle acquired the rival Bellairs and Dootson (B&D Coaches) and the operation was rebranded as South Lancs Travel. Since then, the company has steadily grown its network with significant expansion in Wigan both through the acquisition on tender of the GMPTE 'Easylink' services and the acquisition in 2005 of the Appley Bridge outstation of Blue Bus, which included services to Shevington and New Springs. The Appley Bridge outstation was eventually closed in May 2007. A number of short-term tenders have also taken the company into various parts of Bolton, although that has subsided due to other operators starting to operate in the area. SLT continues to operate into Bolton from Leigh with the 592 service and also operates the weekday Bolton - Trafford Centre 300 service (using a rare Alexander Q type Volvo B10M). In 2006 entrepreneur Julian Peddle
Julian Peddle
Julian Peddle is an entrepreneur who has worked in the bus industry since the early 1980s, having owned or part-owned numerous bus companies. He spent 11 years as co-owner of Stevensons of Uttoxeter between 1983 and 1994, having previously been its traffic manager...
bought a 30% stake in the company.
South Lancs Travel have also been involved in head-to-head competition with First Manchester
First Manchester
First Manchester is one of the bus companies serving Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It forms part of FirstGroup, a company operating transport services across the British Isles and in North America...
, most notably in 2002, when, following competitive registrations by First, SLT offered "return tickets for the price of a single fare" - First responded with a £2.00 (later £2.50 then £3.00) weekly ticket for travel within the Leigh area. First also introduced a short-lived competing 652 service, albeit operating from Hindley Green
Hindley Green
Hindley Green is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. The village lies to the east of Hindley and is centred on the A577 Atherton Road to its boundary with Leigh.-History:...
to Shakerley via Leigh. More recently, First introduced a competing 635 service - SLT retaliated by introducing journeys on the 600 between Wigan and Ashton-in-Makerfield, and offering a £1.00 flat fare. Following the withdrawal of First Manchester services to Shevington, the SLT 600 was withdrawn in May 2008 and SLT is now the sole operator of services to Shevington and Appley Bridge.
In 2009 SLT replaced much of the withdrawn First Manchester 615 service (Leigh - Horwich - Wigan) with an increased frequency 516/7 service. The vast majority of the 50 strong fleet is now low floor, mainly Dart MPDs, Optare Solos and Scania L94UBs. Recent new acquisitions are 4 MAN A22s with Wright Meridian
Wright Meridian
The Wright Meridian is a bus body built by Wrightbus, built on the MAN A22 chassis. The body is essentially the same as the Eclipse range.The first production vehicle was launched as a demonstrator at the Coach & Bus live 2007, and after trials was purchased by Whitelaws where it entered service as...
bodies, used on the 635 service. The B&D Coaches O Licence was finally surrendered in February 2009 when the Green Triangle Licence was expanded to 48 vehicles.
On 30 September 2011, South Lancs Travel was bought in a joint deal with shareholder Julian Peddle and Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
-based operator D&G Bus with previous owners Martin Bott and David Stewart remaining with the company as consultants.
Services
This is a summary of South Lancs Travel services:| No. | From | To | Via | Notes | Boroughs Served |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 126 | Leigh | Trafford Centre Trafford Centre The Trafford Centre is a large indoor shopping centre and leisure complex situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, close to the Trafford Park industrial estate and approximately 5 miles from Manchester city centre. It is the highest valued shopping centre in the... |
Astley Astley, Greater Manchester Astley is a settlement within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England, variously described as a suburb or a village. Astley lies on flat land to the northwest of the city of Manchester, and is crossed by the Bridgewater Canal and the A580 "East Lancashire Road"... , Boothstown Boothstown Boothstown is a residential village straddling the City of Salford and Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is situated to the west of the City of Salford, bordered to the north by the East Lancashire Road A580 and to the south by the Bridgewater Canal... , Worsley Worsley Worsley is a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies along the course of Worsley Brook, west of Manchester. The M60 motorway bisects the area.... |
Wigan Metropolitan Borough of Wigan The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is named after its largest component town, Wigan and also includes the towns of Leigh, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ince-in-Makerfield, and Hindley. The borough was formed in 1974 and is an... , Salford City of Salford The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over... and Trafford |
|
| 132 | Wigan | The Trafford Centre | Ince, Hindley, Hindley Green, Atherton, Tyldesley, Boothstown, Worsley | Wigan, Salford and Trafford | |
| 300 | Bolton | The Trafford Centre | M61 and M60 motorways | Bolton Metropolitan Borough of Bolton The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Bolton, but covers a far larger area which includes Blackrod, Farnworth, Horwich, Kearsley and Westhoughton, and a suburban and rural element from the West Pennine... and Trafford |
|
| 514 574 |
Bolton | Bolton | Daubhill, Ladybridge, Lostock, Middlebrook, Lostock, Heaton | Circular route. Service 574 runs in opposite direction. | Bolton |
| 515 | Bolton | Ladybridge | Deane Deane, Greater Manchester Deane is an area of Bolton, in Greater Manchester, England. It is about south west of Bolton and northwest of the city of Manchester.Historically a part of Lancashire, the Parish of Deane was once one of four parishes within the hundred of Salford and covered roughly half of the present... |
Circular | Bolton |
| 516 517 |
Leigh | Horwich Horwich Horwich is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Chorley, northwest of Bolton and northwest from the city of Manchester. It lies at the southern edge of the West Pennine Moors with the M61 motorway close to the... |
Atherton, Daisy Hill, Westhoughton Westhoughton Westhoughton is a town and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. It is southwest of Bolton, east of Wigan and northwest of Manchester.... , Middlebrook Middlebrook, Greater Manchester Middlebrook is a locality that spans the boundaries of Horwich and Lostock in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England.... |
Monday-Saturday daytime (516/517) and early evenings (516) plus Friday and Saturday late evening (516). Other 516 journeys run by First Manchester, Strawberry and Stagecoach in Lancashire. Monday-Thursday evening and some Sunday journeys introduced from 11 December 2011 | Wigan and Bolton |
| 581 | Leigh | Bolton | Astley, New Hall Farm, Tyldesley Tyldesley Tyldesley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It occupies an area north of Chat Moss near the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, east-southeast of Wigan and west-northwest of the city of Manchester... , Atherton, Over Hulton |
Route split at Atherton railway station due to road closure until 4 December 2011 | Wigan and Bolton |
| 584 | Leigh | Crankwood | Monday-Saturday evening and Sunday daytime journeys from 11 December 2011 | Wigan | |
| 592 | Bolton | Leigh | Over Hulton, Hag Fold, Atherton, Shakerley Shakerley Shakerley is a suburb of Tyldesley in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.It was anciently a hamlet in the northwest of the township of Tyldesley cum Shakerley, in the ancient parish ofLeigh.... , Tyldesley, Astley |
Route temporarily runs between Atherton railway station and Leigh due to road closure until 4 December 2011 | Wigan and Bolton |
| 603 | Ashton Heath | Newton Hospital | Ashton-in-Makerfield, Garswood Garswood Garswood is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, Merseyside, England, within a civil parish called Seneley Green.-History:Historically within Lancashire, Garswood is from Old English wudu "wood" with an uncertain first element... , Haydock Haydock Haydock is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. It contains all of the Haydock electoral ward and a section of the Blackbrook electoral ward. The village is located roughly mid-way between Liverpool and Manchester, close to the junction of the M6 motorway... , Earlestown Earlestown Earlestown forms the western part of Newton-le-Willows, a town in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 Census the population was recorded as 10,274.-History:... |
From 11 December 2011 | Wigan and St Helens |
| 607 | Wigan | Ashton Heath | Bryn Cross, Ashton-in-Makerfield | From 11 December 2011 | Wigan |
| 613 614 |
Wigan | New Springs | Whelley, Bottling Wood (613) | Circular. 613 runs one journey. Some journeys run by Wigan Buses | Wigan |
| 624 | Wigan | Bottling Wood | Weekdays only. Saturday journeys run by First | Wigan | |
| 633 | Winstanley College | Wigan | Windy Arbour | Weekdays only. First and last journey run to/from Orrell | Wigan |
| 634 | Belle Green | Wigan | Ince Bar | Weekdays only. Saturday journeys run by First | Wigan |
| 635 | Wigan | Shevington Vale | Shevington | Wigan | |
| 640 to 643 | Wigan | Wigan | Standish, Shevington, Kitt Green | Circulars. Services 641 and 643 run in opposite direction with 642/643 running one Saturday morning journey. Some 642/643 journeys run by Wigan Buses | Wigan |
| 654 | Walkden | Leigh | Mosley Common, Tyldesley, Astley | One weekday journey | Wigan and Salford |
| 664 674 |
Wigan | Wigan | Worsley Hall, Kitt Green, Beech Green | Weekday circular route. Service 674 runs in opposite direction. One 664 journey run by Strawberry. Saturday journeys run by First as 665/675. One 665 Saturday journey introduced from 11 December 2011 | Wigan |
| 683 684 |
Leigh | Leigh | Atherton, Shakerley, Tyldesley, Higher Green, Astley | Wigan and Bolton | |
| 685 | Leigh | Royal Bolton Hospital | Atherton, Shakerley, Tyldesley, Mosley Common Mosley Common Mosley Common is a suburb of Tyldesley at the far-eastern edge of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England.It was anciently a hamlet in the east of the township of Tyldesley cum Shakerley, in the ancient parish of Leigh... , Walkden, Little Hulton |
Wigan, Salford and Bolton | |
| X61 | Blackrod | Trafford Centre | Horwich, Wingates, Westhoughton, Over Hulton | Saturday daytime only | Bolton and Trafford |