Stagecoach has gained an initial five-year contract to operate 20 core bus services and 24 home-to-school routes on Guernsey. It will succeed Tower Transit subsidiary CT Plus and take up the work after the existing contract ends on 31 March 2025 via its Stagecoach South West business.
A two-year optional extension is included in the award, which comes after a competitive tendering process held by the States of Guernsey. Stagecoach scored highly in that for both service quality and value for money, the States says.
An orderly transition is expected and Stagecoach will welcome 73 staff employed by the current provider. The Buses.gg branding will remain and the States advises that no change will be made to the external appearance of vehicles after the transfer.
Vice-President of the Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure Deputy Adrian Gabriel says: “We are delighted to appoint Stagecoach as our new bus service provider. It is a well-known and established company with vast experience from its multiple contracts held across the UK.
“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank CT Plus for providing the bus service since it took over in 2012. During this time, we have seen a significant increase in the number of bus passengers, introduced new ticketing systems, continually reviewed and updated routes, and seen the introduction of a new bus app.
“We would also like to thank in particular the staff and drivers for their effort in maintaining key services for islanders during the COVID pandemic.”
Stagecoach South West Managing Director Peter Knight adds of the Guernsey award: “This is a really exciting addition to both Stagecoach and South West. We look forward to meeting new members of the team and customers in Guernsey as we begin to mobile this operation over the coming months.
“This important and high-profile contract provides us with the opportunity to bring safe, high-quality bus services to the island over the coming years – keeping those communities connected to the people and places that matter most.”
Tower Transit took over CT Plus bus operations on Guernsey during 2022 when parent Kelsian Group purchased those Channel Islands undertakings of the now-closed HCT Group. Around 1.5 million passenger journeys per year are made on the Guernsey network.
