First Bus subsidiary Merediths Coaches is pursuing growth in private hire, contract services and home-to-school transport after establishing a new depot for 15 vehicles near to Tarvin in Cheshire.
Merediths has been part of the Lakeside Group since 2020. Lakeside was purchased by FirstGroup in 2024. Merediths operates a fleet of 25 coaches, with another depot in its historic home of Malpas, around 18 miles to the south.
The site near Tarvin is eight miles from Chester and will strengthen Merediths’ ability “to serve customers across Cheshire and the wider north-west region,” First Bus says. The business already delivers private hire and home-to-school operations across the county.
Addition of a more northerly depot reflects a growing proportion of Merediths’ work being around Chester “and will enable the business to operate more efficiently while supporting further growth.” It also opens up new areas, with Liverpool and Wirral noted by First Bus, along with Greater Manchester.
The O-Licence Check service shows that the authorisation capturing the Merediths operation is presently 25 vehicles in total. At depot level, the Tarvin site is permitted 15 and Malpas 25.
First Bus notes how Merediths benefits from the group’s scale, investment and operational expertise. FirstGroup has made multiple coach operator purchases since the Lakeside deal. In 2026, those have so far included Hills Coaches of Wolverhampton, and Eagle Coaches of Bristol.
Speaking about the new Tarvin depot, Lakeside Group Managing Director Neal Hall says: “Merediths has served customers across Cheshire and the surrounding counties for many decades, so opening a new base closer to Chester is a natural step as the business continues to grow.
“Much of our work already takes place in and around the city, and this new location will allow us to operate more efficiently while giving us greater flexibility to serve customers across Cheshire and the wider region.”
First Bus Managing Director for Business and Coach Andrew Jarvis adds that Merediths Coaches “is a well-respected operator with deep roots in the local community. This investment reflects our confidence in the business and our commitment to supporting its continued growth while maintaining the high standards the company is known for.”
