Nottingham City Transport (NCT) is commemorating its 125th anniversary under public ownership with a themed bus.
Dressed in the red, white and green of the Nottinghamshire flag, the bus design contains 20 references to Nottingham which “celebrate everything that makes Nottingham great”.
It joins a long history of vehicles at NCT which includes electric trams, trolleybuses, petrol and diesel buses, and now what is believed to be the world’s largest fleet of bio-gas buses.
NCT’s story began when Nottingham City Council took control of the Nottingham and District Tramways Company, which operated horse-drawn trams and buses in the city, in 1897.
“We are very proud at NCT to have served the people of Greater Nottingham since 1878,” says NCT Managing Director David Astill. “At the current time there is much political debate as to whether there may be a greater role for local authority owned bus operation in the years ahead, and so it is right that we should use this opportunity to celebrate our continued municipal ownership which started 125 years ago this month.”
Cllr Audra Wynter, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport and Park, adds: “We are extremely proud that 125 years on, we still have our publicly-owned bus company in Nottingham – one which is constantly improving its services, is recognised nationally as one of the best bus operators in the country and is helping us towards our carbon neutral targets with cleaner, greener buses and giving people a great alternative to the car. This is thanks to the strength and foresight of the council’s leader during the 1980s bus reforms to keep Nottingham City Transport publicly owned.
“NCT is as much a part of the fabric of the city as Goose Fair, the Council House lions and many of the other local icons featured on the special bus celebrating 125 years of public ownership. We look forward to helping it to continue leading the way in the years ahead.”
