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{{Short description|Bus operator in Cheshire and Merseyside, England}}
] L113CRL bus with ] bodywork, photographed in ], Wirral]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox Bus transit
|name = First Chester & The Wirral
|logo = FirstGroup.svg
|logo_size = 150
|image = First_Leyland_Olympian_01.jpg
|image_size = 280
|image_caption = ] in ] in July 2007
|company_slogan =
|parent = ]
|founded = {{Start date and age|1995|6}}
|ceased = {{End date and age|df=yes|2013|1|13}}
|headquarters = ]
|locale =
|service_area = ]<br>]
|service_type = Bus operator
|hubs = ]<br>]<br>]
|stations =
|depots = 2
|routes =
|fleet = 110 (January 2013)
|ridership =
|fuel_type =
|operator =
|ceo =
|website = }}


'''First Chester & The Wirral''' is a division of ] operator ], running local bus services in and around ] and the ], north west England. The company is a subsidiary of ] plc, the largest bus operator in Britain. '''First Chester & Wirral''' was a British bus operator operating in the ] and ] regions between February 1990 and January 2013. It was a subsidiary of ].


==History==
The operation consists of the Chester and ] depots of the former ], which were purchased (along with the ] depot) by Potteries Motor Traction in February 1990. This explains their geographical separation from the traditional PMT operating area, centred on ], which makes up the remainder of First PMT, and is now known as First Staffordshire & South Cheshire. (This split used for marketing purposes does not match that required for licensing purposes, which places the South Cheshire operating centres in the North Western Traffic Area alongside Chester and the Wirral.)
In February 1990, the ], ] and ] depots of ] were sold by the ] to ] with 150 buses.<ref> ''Commercial Motor'' 8 February 1990 page 29</ref>


It was included in the sale of Potteries Motor Traction to ], which in June 1995 became part of ]. The company was later split, with the original Potteries Motor Traction becoming First Staffordshire & South Cheshire and the north Cheshire and Wirral operations, First Chester & The Wirral.
==The fleet==
The most common type of bus in the fleet is the ] low floor single decker (a mixture of ] and ] types) with ] bodywork. A total of thirty-eight are operated as of January 2007. The nine newest examples, with Wright Solar bodywork, are normally used on the 1 service between Chester and ] via Ellesmere Port, ] and the ]. The other twenty-nine carry Wright Axcess-Ultralow bodywork (on the L113 chassis) or Axcess-Floline (on the L94 chassis). Those based at Rock Ferry depot are generally used on the 41 and 42 (] to Mill Park via Birkenhead), 71 and 72 (] to Liverpool via Birkenhead) services.


On 19 June 2007, the ] ] was purchased from ] and integrated into the Chester depot.<ref> First Chester & Wirral 19 June 2007</ref><ref> {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20140803121624/http://www.firstgroup.com/latest_news/?id=000040 |date=3 August 2014 }} FirstGroup 19 June 2007</ref><ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812175615/http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=1414&categoryid=0 |date=12 August 2014 }} ''Bus & Coach Professional'' 20 June 2007</ref>
As of January 2007, the fleet also includes:
* five ] with ] bodywork, which are mostly used on the 41/42, and one similar but smaller Dennis Dart MPD, used on some ] subsidised services (and sometimes on commercial services)
* eleven step-entrance ]s, some with Marshall and some with Plaxton bodywork, of which the Rock Ferry-based examples most often work the 38 (] to ])
* thirteen ]s, mainly used on the 38, 71 and 72
* seven ] double deckers, mainly used on school contracts and as spare vehicles
* five DAF/] Deltas, used on 38 and occasionally 41/42 services
* three ]s, of which two are in a special livery for the free Chester City Rail Link service which they operate
* eight ]s used on services around Chester
* five ]s


First Chester & The Wirral remained part of ] until 2010, when the company was reorganised, with the ] operation reporting to ] and the Chester & Wirral operations to ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.transportxtra.com/magazines/new_transit/news/?id=23520|title=First splits Potteries bus operation between two other subsidiaries|publisher=Transport Xtra|access-date=2 February 2011}}</ref>
⚫ == External Links ==
*
*


On 12 November 2012, First Chester & Wirral was sold to ] with 110 vehicles and 290 staff.<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111225535/http://www.chesterfirst.co.uk/news/117553/-4-5million-bus-buyout-for-stagecoach-in-region.aspx |date=11 November 2013 }} ''Chester First'' 12 November 2012</ref><ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140428012529/http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=7294&categoryid=0 |date=28 April 2014 }} ''Bus & Coach Professional'' 12 November 2012</ref> The sale was concluded on 13 January 2013<ref>{{cite web|title=Chester and Wirral|url=http://www.stagecoachbus.com/chester-wirral.aspx|publisher=Stagecoach Bus|access-date=8 January 2013}}</ref> and is now operated as Stagecoach in Chester & Wirral.<ref>{{cite web|title=Keeping You In The Loop|url=http://www.stagecoachbus.com/uploads/stagecoachwirralkeepingyouintheloopissue1.pdf|publisher=Stagecoach Bus|access-date=12 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109211606/http://www.stagecoachbus.com/uploads/stagecoachwirralkeepingyouintheloopissue1.pdf|archive-date=9 January 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== See also ==
*]


==References==
{{Bus companies in North West England}}
{{Reflist}}


⚫ ==External links==
]
{{Portal|Cheshire}}
*{{Commons category-inline}}
*

{{FirstGroup}}
{{Defunct British Bus Companies}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:First Chester and The Wirral}}
]
] ]
] ]
]
]

Latest revision as of 11:50, 27 August 2024

Bus operator in Cheshire and Merseyside, England

First Chester & The Wirral
Leyland Olympian in Chester in July 2007
ParentFirstGroup
FoundedJune 1995; 29 years ago (1995-06)
Ceased operation13 January 2013; 11 years ago (2013-01-13)
HeadquartersOldham
Service areaCheshire
Merseyside
Service typeBus operator
HubsChester
Birkenhead
Wrexham
Depots2
Fleet110 (January 2013)
WebsiteFirst Chester & The Wirral

First Chester & Wirral was a British bus operator operating in the Cheshire and Merseyside regions between February 1990 and January 2013. It was a subsidiary of FirstGroup.

History

In February 1990, the Chester, Ellesmere Port and Rock Ferry depots of Crosville Motor Services were sold by the Drawlane Group to Potteries Motor Traction with 150 buses.

It was included in the sale of Potteries Motor Traction to Badgerline, which in June 1995 became part of FirstBus. The company was later split, with the original Potteries Motor Traction becoming First Staffordshire & South Cheshire and the north Cheshire and Wirral operations, First Chester & The Wirral.

On 19 June 2007, the ChesterBus municipal bus company was purchased from Chester City Council and integrated into the Chester depot.

First Chester & The Wirral remained part of First Potteries until 2010, when the company was reorganised, with the Staffordshire operation reporting to First Midlands and the Chester & Wirral operations to First Manchester.

On 12 November 2012, First Chester & Wirral was sold to Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire with 110 vehicles and 290 staff. The sale was concluded on 13 January 2013 and is now operated as Stagecoach in Chester & Wirral.

References

  1. PMT snaps up last of Crosville Commercial Motor 8 February 1990 page 29
  2. FirstGroup agree purchase of Chester City Transport First Chester & Wirral 19 June 2007
  3. FirstGroup agree purchase of Chester City Transport Archived 3 August 2014 at archive.today FirstGroup 19 June 2007
  4. First trumps Arriva with Chester Bus purchase Archived 12 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine Bus & Coach Professional 20 June 2007
  5. "First splits Potteries bus operation between two other subsidiaries". Transport Xtra. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  6. £4.5 million bus buyout for Stagecoach in region Archived 11 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine Chester First 12 November 2012
  7. More First businesses sold to Stagecoach Archived 28 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine Bus & Coach Professional 12 November 2012
  8. "Chester and Wirral". Stagecoach Bus. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  9. "Keeping You In The Loop" (PDF). Stagecoach Bus. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2013.

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