- Courtney Coaches
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Courtney Coaches 
A second-hand Optare Solo in Borough Bus livery operating route 6 in Windsor.Founded 1973 Headquarters Bracknell Service area Berkshire Service type Bus Fleet Around 40 vehicles Web site www.courtneycoaches.com Courtney Coaches are a bus operator baseed in Bracknell, Berkshire, England. They operate a network of commercial and contracted local bus services and school buses in and around Bracknell and Maidenhead. They are best known for their use of alternative fuels, having been the first bus company in the United Kingdom to operate a bus run on 100% soya oil.
Contents
History
The company was formed in 1973 as a taxi hire firm in Bracknell by Bill Courtney-Smith, who still manages the company, and moved into coach hire in the 1980s.[1] The first local route to be operated was route 53 (Wexham Park Hospital - Maidenhead - Bracknell), which the company began to operate on in 2000, but this was taken over by First Berkshire & The Thames Valley in 2003.[2] The company expanded dramatically in January 2004 when all seven local routes in Maidenhead were taken over from First Berkshire.[1]
In September 2006 Courtney Coaches had is license revoked by the Traffic Commissioner.[3] An appeal was launched, operations continued and the decision was overturned by the end of 2006.[4] Between 2005 and 2007, a Park & Ride was provided by Courtney between Maidenhead town centre and a temporary site at Stafferton Way. The Stafferton Way site had been used to provide replacement parking during a period in which a town centre car park was shut.[5]
In October 2007 the company introduced a unique ticketing system, ETMSS, which uses mobile computer technology to replace fare charts and reporting software with one computerised system.[6] Other features include the ability to modify fares from anywhere using the Internet, GPS tracking of individual buses and reduced insurance costs as a result of this, and the ability to calculate fares, cash exchanges and refunds.[7] The cost of installation was reportedly paid back within the first 12 months.[6][7]
The routes in Maidenhead were changed significantly in 2008, but this received criticism from residents[8] so many routes were further changed.
Further expansion came in January 2009, when the shuttle service between Didcot Parkway railway station and Milton Park was expanded from one bus to two using a new low-floor double-deck vehicle at a cost of £175,000. Over 400 passes for the service were issued to workers prior to its introduction.[9]
Alternative fuels
In 2002 Courtney Coaches became the first bus company in Britain to operate a bus on 100% soya oil.[10] Abingdon-based company Regenatec converted an Optare Solo minibus to operate on the fuel[11], which gained the company appearances on Working Lunch[12] and in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.[13] The cost of conversion was around £3500.[10] Fuel savings of around 80% were reported[14], and this cost was paid back in eight months.[12] In March 2007 Courtney director Bill Courtney-Smith and Regenatec director Mike Lawton were invited to 10 Downing Street by then-Prime Minister Tony Blair to demonstrate another converted vehicle at an environmental presentation.[14] Bill Courtney-Smith later bought half shares in Regenatec when the company experienced financial trouble in early 2009.[1]
Routes
A Courtney Coaches Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart in Basingstoke Centre Shuttle livery at Basingstoke Leisure Park in May 2009
Courtney Coaches operates the following local routes:[15]
- Basingstoke Centre Shuttle
- M1: Marlow - Cookham - Maidenhead (Demand Responsive Service, Monday & Thursday only)
- M2: Maidenhead - Vanwall Business Park
- M4: Windsor Park & Ride
- 4: Maidenhead - White Waltham
- 4C: Bracknell - Maidenhead
- Beer by Bus Route 4: Maidenhead - Holyport - Woodlands Park - Maidenhead
- 5: Cranbrook Drive - Maidenhead - Farmers Way
- 6: St. Mark's Hospital - Maidenhead - Windsor
- 7: Woodlands Park - Maidenhead
- 7S: Bracknell - Maidenhead - Cookham (Sunday only)
- 8: Boulter's Lock - Maidenhead - Halifax Rd
- 67: Bracknell railway station - Jealott's Hill
- 108: Jennett's Park - Bracknell railway station
- 153: Bracknell railway station - Warfield Tesco (Sunday only)
- 171/172: Bracknell Circular (Evening service)
- 175a: Bracknell railway station - John Nike Ice Rink (Sunday only)
- 175b: Bracknell railway station - The Parks (Sunday only)
- 190: Wokingham - Reading (Sunday only)
- 194: Bracknell railway station - Great Hollands - The Meadows (Sunday only)
- 199: Warfield Park - Sainsbury's - Bracknell (Wednesday & Friday only)
- 239: Henley-on-Thames - Hurley - Maidenhead
- 239C: Bracknell - Hawthorn Hill - Hurley
Fleet
Since local bus service work began the predominant type in the fleet has been the Optare Solo, although other vehicles are also owned. Two notable buses operated are the only Alexander Dennis Enviro300s with East Lancs Esteem bodywork.[16] Two Optare Tempos powered by 100% pure plant oil, the first 12m single-deckers to run on this fuel, are currently on order.[17][18]
Controversy
In November 2009 a Courtney Coaches driver ejected a woman from a bus following a complaint from another passenger because of fears over swine flu.[19]
References
- ^ a b c Courtney Coaches website
- ^ Oxford & Chiltern Bus Page - News - April 2003
- ^ "Fleet News England & Wales". Buses (619): 44. October 2006.
- ^ "Fleet News England & Wales". Buses (622): 50. January 2007.
- ^ Maidenhead & Windsor: New Maidenhead Hines Meadow Multi-Storey Takes Over from Temporary Park and Ride
- ^ a b ETMSS Ltd
- ^ a b "Courtney pioneers ticketing advance". Buses (658): 27. January 2010.
- ^ Maidenhead and Windsor - Bus route 6
- ^ Bus link boosted (From Oxford Mail)
- ^ a b Courtney Coaches - Going Green
- ^ Regenatec: Case Studies - Courtney Coaches
- ^ a b Regenatec: Media - TV - Courtney Coaches
- ^ Britain has low-pollution technology but it needs to be supported - Telegraph
- ^ a b Regenatec - Media - Visit to the Prime Minister
- ^ Courtney Coaches - Services
- ^ "Fleet News England and Wales". Buses (618): 46. September 2006.
- ^ Courtney orders low-carbon Tempos - busandcoach.com :: Bus and Coach Magazine
- ^ Optare - Press Releases
- ^ Cough girl is booted off bus over swine flu - The Sun
External links
Categories:- Bus operators in England
- Transport in Berkshire
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