Stagecoach Midlands has moved its Leamington Spa operation into a new purpose-built depot at Trident Park in nearby Warwick.
Opened by West Midland Traffic Commissioner Nick Denton on 28 April, it started operations the next day.
The new site has been provided through a partnership involving Warwick District Council, house-builder AC Lloyd, Waterloo Housing and Stagecoach Midlands.
It replaces the Leamington Spa depot in Station Approach, opened in June 1990. The site will be developed into affordable housing.
The £5m new depot has a two-storey accommodation block. An enclosed engineering bay has six pits fed by high-level lubricant/fluid supply lines plus emission testing equipment. Vehicle lifts and brake testing facilities are provided.
The depot has an allocation of 79 vehicles with a PVR of 67, and also maintains 13 double-deckers, including five open-top Tridents, based at the Stratford-upon-Avon depot, now been downgraded to an outstation with only light running maintenance.
The new depot is home to 140 drivers and 30 engineering and administration staff.
The depot has been built to the latest Stagecoach specification that focuses on environmental initiatives.
Rainwater is harvested for use in the bus wash, which re-circulates 90% of the water used.
Electric charging points for employees’ cars, plus energy efficient-lighting and heating has been installed. Sustainable materials were used in the construction.
