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UK Based operator Stagecoach will take over the Guernsey's scheduled bus routes and school services following a tender process.
Across the British Isles they already cover more than 100 towns and cities.
The new contract will begin straight after the existing contract with Tower Transit - which owns CTPlus - expires at the end of March next year, lasting for five years. It also comes with an option to extend for a further two years.
Although CTPlus is leaving the island, after 13 years of gracing Guernsey roads, bus users should notice little turbulence in the trade over, with the branding of “buses.gg” continuing on, said Deputy Adrian Gabriel, the Vice-President of the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure.
Pictured: Deputy Adrian Gabriel.
“We’re delighted to appoint Stagecoach as our new bus service provider," he said. "They are a well-known and established company with vast experience from their multiple contracts held across the UK.
“As part of the tender process they have already identified some areas for improvement in our network, especially around school bus provision, so we look forward to working with them to see how we can continue to improve our bus service and increase bus use."
Peter Knight, the Managing Director of Stagecoach South West, said: “This is a really exciting addition to both Stagecoach and South West. We're looking forward to meeting new members of the team and customers in Guernsey as we begin to mobilise this operation over the coming months.”
Katie Wagstaff, the Operations Director for the company has been in Guernsey this week.
“We’re excited to work with the states and bring our wealth of knowledge from across the company nationally, but also have that localised approach," she said.
"Guernsey is unique, and we want to continue the great bus service that’s currently in place.”
Pictured: Katie Wagstaff and Tony Vincent from Stagecoach South West.
Tony Vincent, Engineering Director for Stagecoach Southwest, is confident the companies work in the South West regions of England could provide some much needed working experience of roads and infrastructure similar to that of Guernsey.
“We run the Southwest side of things, which, having spent the day on the busses and going around the island, are very similar to Devon really," he said. "I’m really looking forward to getting involved and getting engaged with it.
“For me it’s important to understand what challenges we face, what we can improve upon, and then work with the local team and the local staff to see how we can help.”
That commitment to staff retention wasn’t from Mr Vincent alone, Ms Wagstaff too seeks to add to the pool of staff, and not swap out parts.
“Our intention is to keep the current employees, and to make sure we enhance their experience. Retention is of huge importance to us, we understand there are challenges around recruitment, so we want to make sure people feel looked after.”
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