Strawberry (bus operator)
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox Bus transit
| name = Strawberry
| logo = Strawberry Buses logo.png
| logo_size =
| image = Strawberry Bus Dart MPD EK51 XXF.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption = Plaxton Pointer 2 bodied Dennis Dart MPD in St Helens
| company_slogan = "The berry nice bus company"
| parent =
| founded = 2009
| headquarters =
| operating centre=
| service_area = Greater Manchester, Merseyside
| service_type = Bus service
| alliance =
| routes =
| destinations = St Helens, Ormskirk
| stops =
| hubs =
| stations =
| lounge =
| ridership =
| fuel_type =
| operator =
| ceo =
| website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20120301083515/http://www.strawberrybus.co.uk/ Strawberry Bus - Web Archive]
[http://www.sltbus.com/ South Lancs Travel website]
}}
File:Strawberry bus, St Helens - DSC00141.JPG bodied Volvo B6 in Merseyside.]]
Strawberry was a bus operator founded in 2009. It was initially based in St Helens, Merseyside.
History
The company attracted attention by offering free rides for passengers with red hair for a period.
{{cite news
|title=Redheads ride for free on the berry good buses
|url=http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/4780574.Redheads_ride_for_free_on_the_berry_good_buses/|accessdate=11 April 2011|newspaper=St Helens Star|date=7 December 2009}}
{{cite web|title=Strawberry Bus Company offers free travel to redheads
|url=http://news.coachbroker.co.uk/strawberry-bus-company-offers-free-travel-to-redheads-157200/|accessdate=11 February 2011|work=Coachbroker.co.uk}} By March 2010 it operated two routes, with a third planned.{{cite web|title=Sweet success for Strawberry buses|url=http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=3696&categoryid=0
|date=2 March 2010| work=Busandcoach.com|accessdate=11 February 2011}} In February 2011 it was operating nine routes in addition to works and school services.{{cite web | url=http://www.strawberrybus.co.uk/timetable.html | work=Strawberry | title=Timetables| accessdate=11 February 2011}} Three months later it acquired another route, linking St Helens to Ormskirk.{{cite news |url=http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/community_news/9051458.Strawberry_grows_its_own_bus_services/ |title=Strawberry grows its own bus services |work=St Helens Star |date=27 May 2011}}
In January 2012, Strawberry merged with South Lancs Travel and moved its operations to the larger operator's depot in Atherton. South Lancs Travel had itself been acquired by D&G Bus, which held shares in Strawberry, shortly before the merge. Strawberry's founder Oliver Howarth became joint operations director of the enlarged company.{{cite news |url=http://www.sthelensreporter.co.uk/news/local/strawberry_buses_spreads_its_patch_1_4130686 |title=Strawberry buses spreads its patch |work=The Reporter (St Helens) |date=17 January 2012}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120301083515/http://www.strawberrybus.co.uk/ Strawberry Bus - Web Archive]
- [http://www.sltbus.com/ South Lancs Travel website]
{{Bus companies in North West England}}
Category:Former bus operators in Greater Manchester