Xelabus Limited[2]is an independent bus and coach operator, based inEastleigh,Hampshire.It primarily operates public bus services within theSouthamptonarea. All their operations come under their parent,Xelagroup Ltd.[3][4]
 | |
 ADL Enviro400 MMCinWinchesterin December 2022 | |
| Parent | Xelagroup Ltd |
|---|---|
| Founded | November 2010; 14 years ago |
| Headquarters | Eastleigh |
| Service area | Hampshire |
| Service type | Bus services Contract hire |
| Fleet | 75 (November 2022)[1] |
| Website | xelabus.info |
History
edit
Xelabus was founded in November 2010 by Gareth Blair, after finishing a CPC course with theChartered Institute of Logistics and TransportinBristol.The name is a portmanteau of his son's name spelt backwards with the word bus.[5]Vehicles are painted in a green livery similar to that of the formerHants & Dorsetcompany that used to run in the region until 1983 when it was dissolved.[6] A free service in Eastleigh to Chandlers Ford was the first route to be introduced which grew to seven bus routes that mainly served the localAsdaandTescosupermarkets in the region.[7][8]Since then, nine more routes have commenced including an Open Top Bus "Sea the city" in Portsmouth in 2011.[9]Some services have been more successful than others, with one service toSouthamptoncompeting withBluestarbeing withdrawn in less than 12 months.[6]In September 2012, Xelabus began a two-year contract to operate services toTotton College.[10]
On 12 May 2014, Xelabus took over route 67WinchestertoPetersfieldviaWest MeonfromVelvetunder contract toHampshire County Council.[11]In June the same year, it took over theBarton Peveril Collegeroutes from Velvet.[12]Between January and August 2015, Xelabus acquired the routes and school services of Velvet and Brijan Tours when both of them went into administration.[5][13][14]
On 4 November 2019, Xelabus introduced contactless payments across their vehicles.[15] For a short time during the 2020 Coronavirus outbreak, all Xelabus service were suspended in March for three months until June where over time it started to return to a normal frequency.[16][17]A month later, the company was awarded the contract to run the X21 to the Chilworth Science Park by theUniversity of Southampton.The route is the only one contracted by the university to not use theuni-linkbranding and it runs between Southampton andChilworthvia Southampton Airport parkway, using anADL Enviro200 MMCequipped with WiFi facilities and leather seating.[18]
Xelabus saw two purchases of local coach companies within 2022,Seaview ServicesofSandownin May, and Yellow Coaches ofBournemouthin August. These were purchased under the Xelagroup parent company.[19][20]The latter of the two was awarded an emergency tender by theBCP councilafter its purchase to cover for routes 18, 33 and 36;[21]this emergency tender ended on 14 February 2023 with Yellow Coaches subsequently withdrawing public operations in Bournemouth.[22][23]These routes previously were contracted toYellow Buses,and were covered byWilts & Dorsetfor two weeks as the former fell into administration.[24][25]
In August 2022, five public services within Hampshire were cut from the network due to rising costs and low patronage. One of these routes was covered by another operator, Southampton Mini Link, for two months before it ceased operations.[26][27]
In July 2023, 3 public services were cut from the network with the termination of the contracts to the routes. Routes X4 and X4A were taken over by Bluestar, with the X21 university route being taken over byUnilink.[28][29]In October 2024, services X11 and X12 were cut from the network at the end of the services' contract period with the company's shift towards contracted work. These were taken by Bluestar and renumbered as 21 and 22.[30]
Coach operations
editCoach and on hire operations recently began in May 2022 under the brand nameXelacoach.[31]Also within the same month,Seaview Serviceswas purchased and incorporated into the company. This has grown the bus fleet by around eight and given them access to operations on theIsle of Wight.[19]With the collapse ofYellow Busesin Bournemouth, the Yellow Coaches subsidiary was purchased by the company on 5 August 2022, joining their private hire and school shuttle operations.[20]
Services
editXelabus operates private services for local schools and colleges as well as one public service in Southampton, subsidised by the Southampton City Council.[32][33]
- Bitterne Hoppa's: Bitterne to Midanbury/Sholing/Thornhill.
Fleet
edit
Xelabus initially operated a fleet of seven vehicles which had grown to around 40 vehicles in October 2019.[7][15]
In 2017, Xelabus ordered several 8.9m ADL Enviro 200s from Mistral Bus and Coach sales, an investment of over £0.5 million.[34]A year later, they took delivery of three Wright GeminiVolvo B5LHsfor the Itchen College contracted routes in April 2018.[35]
In 2022, another order was placed for two second handMercedes-Benz Tourismosfor the coach operations of the company.[19]Also that year, Xelabus took delivery of a pair ofAlexander Dennis Enviro400 MMCdouble-deck buses.[36]
Depot fire
editA fire broke out in the depot during the evening of 13 March 2011. Several vehicles were damaged with three being destroyed in the fire. Firefighters arrived at the scene and were able to prevent the fire from spreading to a nearby two-storey building. Hampshire police investigators believed it may have been a deliberate attack.[37][38]
References
edit- ^"Xelabus"(PDF).11 November 2022. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 11 November 2022.Retrieved11 November2022.
- ^Companies House extract company no 7338043Xelabus Limited
- ^"XELA GROUP LTD filing history – Find and update company information – GOV.UK".find-and-update pany-information.service.gov.uk.Retrieved14 August2022.
- ^Team, routeone (5 August 2022)."Xela Group completes Yellow Coaches purchase".routeone.Retrieved14 August2022.
- ^abIssue 1583.Bus and Coach Buyer. 18 December 2020. pp. 18–22.
- ^abZealous foe XelaRoute Oneissue 1333 13 April 2018 pages 16-25
- ^abFree bus service launched for EastleighSouthern Daily Echo17 November 2010
- ^The Xelabus ExperienceBusesissue 757 April 2018 pages 30-34
- ^More Xelabus RoutesXelabus Website 6 June 2011
- ^Xelabus & Totton College PartnershipXelabus 28 April 2012
- ^Bus service 67 – Frequently Asked QuestionsVelvet
- ^Barton Peveril College buses: Upcoming changesVelvet 13 May 2014
- ^Xelabus celebrates fifth anniversary with route acquisitionCoach & Bus Weekissue 1198 21 July 2015 page 11
- ^Xelabus acquires Brijan Tours’ servicesBus & Coach Professional23 July 2015
- ^ab"Eastleigh bus company turns contactless".
- ^Slominski, Stephen (28 March 2020)."Local bus services to be suspended or reduced".Eastleigh News.Retrieved26 July2020.
- ^"Xelabus".9 June 2020. Archived fromthe originalon 9 June 2020.Retrieved26 July2020.
- ^Escape, The."Driving responsible journeys | Science Park Bus".Science Park.Retrieved1 December2020.
- ^abcTeam, routeone (4 May 2022)."Isle of Wight operator Seaview Services sold to Xelabus".routeone.Retrieved15 June2022.
- ^ab"School bus services saved as Hampshire bus operator buys Yellow Coaches".Bournemouth Echo.Retrieved14 August2022.
- ^"Morebus overlooked by council for emergency tender to run Yellow Buses routes".Bournemouth Echo.Retrieved6 January2023.
- ^"Company which took over Yellow Buses' school and council routes is pulling out".Bournemouth Echo.Retrieved6 January2023.
- ^"Morebus to take over former Yellow Buses routes after Xelagroup pulled out".Bournemouth Echo.Retrieved15 February2023.
- ^"Yellow Coaches awarded council contract to run three Yellow Buses routes".Bournemouth Echo.Retrieved14 August2022.
- ^"New Bournemouth beach buses launching as firm misses out on Yellow Buses routes".Bournemouth Echo.Retrieved14 August2022.
- ^"Boss unveils plan to take over key bus routes due to be axed".Daily Echo.Retrieved11 November2022.
- ^"Council announces plans to replace vital bus services".Daily Echo.Retrieved11 November2022.
- ^Sinclair, Ashleigh (27 June 2023)."Xelabus service to move to Bluestar".CBW.Retrieved16 August2023.
- ^"Xelabus - X21 changing to U8".16 August 2023. Archived fromthe originalon 16 August 2023.Retrieved16 August2023.
- ^"New operator announced for two bus routes from the city centre".Daily Echo.2 October 2024.Retrieved20 October2024.
- ^"XELACOACH LIMITED overview – Find and update company information – GOV.UK".find-and-update pany-information.service.gov.uk.Retrieved15 June2022.
- ^"Bus Funding".Southampton City Council.Retrieved14 August2023.
- ^"Bus Times".Xelacoach Ltd.Retrieved10 November2024.
- ^"Mistral Bus and Coach Supplies Eight Brand New 8.9m Enviro 200 Buses to Xelabus".Mistral Bus and Coach.28 November 2016.Retrieved28 April2021.
- ^"Bus company to launch new green double deckers in Southampton".Daily Echo.Retrieved26 July2020.
- ^"Xelabus takes high-specification Enviro400 pair".RouteOne.27 September 2022.Retrieved28 September2022.
- ^"Family bus firm hit in 'arson' attack".Daily Echo.Retrieved1 December2020.
- ^Slominski, Stephen."Xela Buses in serious fire at Valley Park".Eastleigh News.Retrieved1 December2020.
External links
edit
Media related toXelabusat Wikimedia Commons