First Bus has invested £3.5 million in Lakeside Coaches over two years

First Bus has invested £3.5 million in Shropshire-based Lakeside Coaches and A.T. Brown Coaches since acquiring the business two years ago, delivering new vehicles and improved facilities for customers and employees.

The investment includes £3 million in 14 new buses and coaches, alongside £500,000 in a new four-bay workshop and engineering office at Lakeside's Ellesmere site.

During its first year of ownership, First Bus honoured Lakeside's existing investment plans, including the construction of the new engineering facility and the introduction of seven MAN, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo buses and coaches, representing a £1.4 million fleet investment.

A further £1.6 million has been invested in seven new Mercedes-Benz and Temsa minibuses, midicoaches and coaches during the second year. These include three 53-seat Mercedes-Benz Tourismo executive coaches, delivered in October.

The new vehicles are helping to deliver more comfortable journeys for passengers, with a smoother travelling experience and improved reliability. They also offer the potential for greater fuel efficiency and lower emissions compared with older models, while providing drivers with modern, well-equipped working environments.

The new workshop and engineering office provide improved facilities for Lakeside's engineering team, supporting more efficient vehicle maintenance and helping to keep the fleet in excellent operational condition.

Neal Hall, Managing Director of Lakeside Coaches, said: "It's been a really positive two years for Lakeside. When we joined First Bus, it was important that we could continue with the plans we'd already made for the business, and First Bus supported those commitments from the outset.

"We're now seeing the benefits of that support across the business, from the quality of our fleet to the facilities available to our team. It's fantastic to see Lakeside continuing to develop while maintaining the standards and customer relationships we've worked hard to build."

Gareth Davies, Managing Director – Coaching at First Bus, said: "Having been part of Lakeside before it joined First Bus, I know the strength of the business, its people and the reputation it has built with customers over the years.

"It's been particularly rewarding to see how the business has developed over the past two years, with the backing to build on its success and continue investing in its future.

"This is exactly what we want to achieve across our coach businesses. We're bringing together established, successful operators, retaining the local expertise and relationships that make them special, and providing the resources and support to help them thrive."

Lakeside Coaches joined First Bus in October 2024, bringing its established regional operations and expertise into the group's growing portfolio of coach businesses. The acquisition forms part of First Bus's wider strategy to develop its UK coach operations, combining the local knowledge and reputation of established operators with the resources of a national transport business.