Crosville Motor Services Ltd is to end its two local bus and four school contracts in the Weston-super-Mare area on 21 April. It will cease trading on the same day.
North Somerset Council has been given statutory two months’ notice of the decision by the company, which was set up in 2011 in the town.
Crosville, which has a 24-vehicle O-Licence, runs routes 100 and 106 in Weston. It will also be ending its contracted shopper services to Asda in Taunton and Tesco in Burnham-on-Sea.
First has registered the 100 Sand Bay-town centre route, but does not plan to take over any others.
The firm, a subsidiary of JJP Holdings South West, is in talks with the 10 full-time staff; 11 part-time staff and eight casual workers affected by the decision. It is hoped that some may be able to transfer to JJP Holdings.
The parent firm has a number of subsidiary companies, one of which holds a contract for staff shuttles to the Hinkley Point nuclear power station. This is unaffected by the decision.
Crosville MD John Wye says: “We have taken the decision with a great deal of regret and it is simply because the market is too challenging with passenger numbers falling and competition fierce. The council will no doubt seek replacement suppliers.
“We have attempted to adapt and change. We have stripped loss-making areas of the business to try to keep going, but we now feel there is no other option but to close this side of the business in an organised way.”
The closure is said to be for totally commercial reasons, and entirely unconnected with a forthcoming public inquiry.
Crosville plans to donate all revenue taken on the last day to a local charity; it will also operate vintage buses.
