Investment First

In recent years, First has invested significantly in Bristol, Bath and the West:

  • Bath's fleet received a huge upgrade of over 100 new vehicles in 2005, representing an investment by First of £13.5 million. Eight brand-new buses for the Lansdown Park and Ride went into service in September 2006.
  • Bristol's state-of-the-art £4 million Bus Station in Marlborough Street was opened in 2006 and offers customers a clean and comfortable environment.
  • £2 million was invested in 20 new vehicles on Services 8/9 and 73 in Bristol in May 2006.
  • First is working in partnership with Bristol City Council to introduce "Showcase" routes to the city. These combine brand-new low floor modern buses with improved journey information and better infrastructure. The first "Showcase" route was introduced on Service 76/77 in 2003 and resulted in a 12% increase in customers. Following this success, Service 75/75A was upgraded to Showcase status in 2005 with an investment of £3.5 million for 20 new buses. The second route from Old Market to Kingswood and Hanham was launched in December 2007 and brought a £7 million investment in 42 new buses across the city.
  • A £42 million scheme that will introduce a further 10 Showcase routes in and around Bristol is well underway, with the first corridor between Weston and Bristol opened in March 2011. The Greater Bristol Bus Network is being developed by Bristol City, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset councils in close partnership with First.

First is currently working closely with Bristol City Council to introduce Real Time Information across the city. Digital screens attached to bus stops and shelters display the actual arrival time of the next bus, and are already installed along many routes in the city