Transdev Blazefield#Transdev York

In September 1987, West Yorkshire Road Car Company was sold to AJS Group in a management buy-out from the National Bus Company, with the participation of former East Yorkshire Motor Services managing director, Alan Stephenson.{{cite web |date=3 September 1987 |title=West Yorks goes private |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/3rd-september-1987/24/west-yorks-goes-private |website=Commercial Motor |page=24}} In April 1988, AJS acquired London Country North East from the National Bus Company, the last of 72 subsidiaries to be privatised.{{cite web |date=7 April 1988 |title=NBC sale is completed with London Country NE |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/7th-april-1988/16/nbc-sale-is-completed-with-london-country-ne |website=Commercial Motor |page=16}}{{cite magazine |last=Morris |first=Stephen |date=September 1996 |title=NBC since NBC: a history of the former NBC subsidiaries |magazine=Buses Focus |page=46}} Prior to the sale, the company was split in two, with County Bus & Coach and Sovereign Bus & Coach.{{Efn|County Bus & Coach was not included in the later sale to Blazefield Group.}}

In August 1989, operations in Bradford and Leeds were transferred to Yorkshire Rider. The remaining operations of the former West Yorkshire Road Car Company were subsequently split into smaller companies: Keighley & District, Harrogate & District and York City & District.{{cite web |date=27 July 1989 |title=WYRC in takeover deal |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/27th-july-1989/16/wyrc-in-takeover-deal |website=Commercial Motor |page=16}}{{Efn|Local bus operations within York later became part of First York.}} In July 1990, operation of local bus services in York were also transferred to Yorkshire Rider.{{cite web |date=26 July 1990 |title=Rider takes control |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/26th-july-1990/19/rider-takes-control |website=Commercial Motor |page=19}}

AJS also acquired Cambridge Coach Services, which operated coach services from Cambridge, day tours, short breaks and charters.{{cite book |last=Neale |first=Jim |title=Cambridge Coach Services from the Driver's Seat |date=2013 |publisher=Burbus Publications |isbn=978-0-9575996-0-4 |location=Burwell |page=15}} The company began operations on 20 May 1990,{{cite book |last=Neale |first=Jim |title=Cambridge Coach Services from the Driver's Seat |date=2013 |publisher=Burbus Publications |isbn=978-0-9575996-0-4 |location=Burwell |page=20}} following the sale of Premier Travel Services bus operations to Cambus Holdings.{{cite book |last=Neale |first=Jim |title=Cambridge Coach Services from the Driver's Seat |date=2013 |publisher=Burbus Publications |isbn=978-0-9575996-0-4 |location=Burwell |page=32}}

In August 1991 AJS was sold in a management buyout to a new company, Blazefield Holdings, owned by former directors, Giles Fearnley and Stuart Wilde – a deal valued at £2.2 million. The sale included seven of the company's eight remaining bus firms at the time, as well as 300 vehicles and 12 depots. The sale did not include Cambridge Coach services, although that company continued to be operated by Blazefield Holdings while a buyer was sought between August and November 1991.{{cite web |date=8 August 1991 |title=AJS sells remaining bus firms |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/8th-august-1991/16/ajs-sells-remaining-bus-firms |website=Commercial Motor |page=16}} Initially, there were seven operating subsidiaries: Keighley & District, Harrogate & District, Harrogate Independent Travel, Sovereign Bus & Coach, Sovereign Harrow and Welwyn Hatfield Line.

Following sale to the Blazefield Group, expansion soon followed, with the purchase of Cambridge Coach Services in November 1991, along with 14 vehicles and Lucketts of Watford trading as Luckybus (not to be confused with Lucketts Travel on the South Coast). Ingfield of Settle was purchased in April 1992, and was merged with Keighley-based Northern Rose to form Ingfield–Northern Rose.

In 1986, Harrogate Independent Travel had been set up by a number of West Yorkshire Road Car Company drivers, in a bid to challenge their former employer. The company was subsequently purchased by AJS Group in April 1989,{{cite web |date=20 April 1989 |title=AJS swallows Challenger |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/20th-april-1989/18/ajs-swallows-challenger |website=Commercial Motor |page=18}} before being merged with Harrogate & District in 1993. Harrogate & District further expanded in October 1996, following the acquisition of the Ripon bus operations of United Automobile Services from Cowie Group.{{cite book |last=Jenkinson |first=Keith A. |title=Small is Beautiful: The Story of the AJS Group and Blazefield Holdings |publisher=Autobus Review |year=1999 |isbn=0907834426 |location=Bradford}}

In 1994, Blazefield purchased Borehamwood Travel Services, along with 43 vehicles – 22 of which were AEC Routemasters. The company was later renamed London Sovereign. In the same year, Ingfield–Northern Rose purchased Whaites Coaches of Settle. By this time, the group owned around 380 vehicles.

In 1998, Huntingdon & District was created with the operations of Premier Buses, owned by Julian Peddle. It was sold to Cavalier of Sutton Bridge in 2004.

In April 2001, Stagecoach sold their operations in Blackburn, Bolton and Clitheroe to the Blazefield Group, which rebranded them as Burnley & Pendle and Lancashire United. The sale was valued at £13 million.{{cite web |date=26 April 2001 |title=Stagecoach sells some North-West operations for £13 million |url=https://m.stagecoachgroup.com/media/news-releases/archive/2001-04-26.aspx |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=Stagecoach}} In August 2002, the depot in Bolton was sold to Blue Bus and Coach Services.{{cite web |date=26 June 2002 |title=Blue Bus set to take over United routes |url=https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/5961288.blue-bus-set-to-take-over-united-routes/ |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=The Bolton News }}

Over the next three years, Blazefield gradually withdrew from its operations in the south of England.{{cite web |date=9 July 2004 |title=Blazefield sells up in the South |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=466&categoryid=0 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916205119/http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=466&categoryid=0 |archive-date=16 September 2012 |access-date=24 February 2013 |work=Bus & Coach Professional}} In 2002, London Sovereign was sold to Transdev S.A., with Huntingdon & District sold to Cavalier Travel the following year. In 2004, operations in St Albans were sold to Centrebus. In early 2005, the Competition Commission cleared Blazefield's deal to sell what was left of London Sovereign to Arriva Shires & Essex.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20050303004848/http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/inquiries/completed/2005/arriva/prov_find_report.pdf The proposed acquisition by Arriva plc of the business of Sovereign Bus & Coach Company Ltd]}} Competition Commission December 2004

In January 2006, French-based operator Transdev acquired the Blazefield Group, along with 305 vehicles.

In August 2006, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council announced that after 125 years of municipal ownership, Blackburn Transport had been sold to Transdev Blazefield. The sale was finalised in January 2007.{{cite web |date=21 August 2006 |title=Chester for sale and Blackburn for Blazefield |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812175010/http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=939&categoryid=0 |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=939&categoryid=0 |archive-date=12 August 2014 |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=Bus & Coach Professional}}{{cite web |last=Bartlett |first=David |date=16 August 2006 |title=Burnley buys up Blackburn buses |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/881010.burnley-buys-blackburn-buses/ |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=Lancashire Telegraph }} Eight months later, Accrington Transport and Northern Blue were acquired, along with the transfer of staff and 65 vehicles.{{cite web |last=Watkinson |first=David |date=6 August 2007 |title=Bus firms in takeover |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/1598862.bus-firms-takeover/ |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=Lancashire Telegraph }}{{cite web |date=9 August 2007 |title=Blazefield buys again in Lancashire |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813175657/http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=1509&categoryid=0 |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=1509&categoryid=0 |archive-date=13 August 2012 |access-date=25 April 2022 |website=Bus & Coach Professional}}

In August 2008, Top Line Travel and Veolia Transport were purchased.{{cite web |date=4 June 2008 |title=Blazefield expands with York deal |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=1958&categoryid=0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030154516/http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=1958&categoryid=0 |archive-date=30 October 2013 |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=Bus & Coach Professional}} The company further expanded in February 2012, following the purchase of York Pullman's local bus operations. The sale included the transfer of 31 staff and 17 vehicles.{{cite web |last=Liptrot |first=Katie |date=4 February 2012 |title=York bus firm sells vehicles to rival |url=https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9513056.york-pullman-sells-vehicles-to-veolia-transdev/ |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=York Press }}{{cite web |date=7 February 2012 |title=Transdev buys York Pullman’s bus ops |url=https://cbwmagazine.com/transdev-buys-york-pullmans-bus-ops/ |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=Coach & Bus Week }}

Following the granting of approval on 20 December 2017, Rossendale Transport Limited was sold by Rossendale Borough Council on 12 January 2018.{{cite web |last=Green |first=Charlotte |date=15 December 2017 |title=Council-owned Rosso bus to be sold to private operator |url=https://www.rossendalefreepress.co.uk/news/council-owned-rosso-bus-sold-14042295 |access-date=24 April 2022 |website=Rossendale Free Press }}{{cite web |last=Marshall |first=Brad |date=15 December 2017 |title=Proposed takeover of Bury bus services announced |url=https://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/15775898.proposed-takeover-of-bury-bus-services-announced/ |access-date=24 April 2022 |website=Bury Times }}{{cite web |last=Dougall |first=Emily |date=3 January 2018 |title=Rosso sale to Transdev confirmed |url=https://cbwmagazine.com/rosso-sale-transdev-confirmed/ |access-date=24 April 2022 |website=Coach & Bus Week }} The sale saw the company's 240 staff and 102 vehicles join Transdev Blazefield – a move which saw the investment of £3 million in a new fleet of high-specification vehicles for routes in and around Bury, Rochdale and Rossendale.{{cite web |date=21 December 2017 |title=£3 million investment promised in Rossendale for bus users as Rossendale Borough Council approves the sale of Rosso to Transdev |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224213915/http://www.rossobus.com/feature-article.shtml?articleid=7925 |url=http://www.rossobus.com/feature-article.shtml?articleid=7925 |archive-date=24 December 2017 |access-date=24 April 2022 |website=Rosso}}{{cite web |last=Athey |first=Neil |date=17 January 2018 |title=£3 million of investment ready to 'make East Lancs buses better' |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/15845527.3million-investment-ready-make-east-lancs-buses-better/ |access-date=24 April 2022 |website=Lancashire Telegraph }}{{cite web |last=Dougall |first=Emily |date=6 November 2018 |title=Transdev invests £3m in 20 new Versas for Rosso |url=https://cbwmagazine.com/transdev-invests-3m-in-20-new-versas-for-rosso/ |access-date=24 April 2022 |website=Coach & Bus Week }}

In August 2020, Transdev took over operation of Leeds Bradford Airport's bus route network from previous operator Yorkshire Tiger, branding the network as Flyer, alongside acquiring their depot in Idle.Transdev Flyer takes off to Leeds Bradford Airport Coach & Bus Week issue 1439 8 September 2020 page 8Tiger Quits Bradford Buses issue 787 October 2020 page 30

In April 2021, Transdev agreed terms with Arriva to purchase the Yorkshire Tiger operation in West Yorkshire. The sale was completed in July 2021, following which the operation was rebranded Team Pennine, with a two-tone pink livery introduced.{{cite web |last=Shand |first=Alistair |date=20 July 2021 |title=Summer deal expected as bus operator Transdev buys Yorkshire Tiger |url=https://www.keighleynews.co.uk/news/19245511.summer-deal-expected-bus-operator-transdev-buys-yorkshire-tiger/ |access-date=14 July 2021 |website=Keighley News}}{{cite web |last=Deakin |first=Tim |date=26 July 2021 |title=Team Pennine plans outlined by Transdev as brand launches |url=https://www.route-one.net/news/team-pennine-plans-outlined-by-transdev-as-brand-launches/ |access-date=27 April 2022 |website=Routeone }}{{cite web |last=Jackson |first=Peter |date=27 July 2021 |title=Team Pennine takes to the road |url=https://cbwmagazine.com/team-pennine-takes-to-the-road/ |access-date=27 April 2022 |website=Coach & Bus Week }}

In 2024, Transdev announced the purchase of long standing bus operator Reliance Motor Services. The sale included 7 routes and 11 vehicles.

As of October 2024, Transdev Blazefield has eight operating subsidiaries:

• The Blackburn Bus Company
• The Burnley Bus Company
• Flyer
• The Harrogate Bus Company
• The Keighley Bus Company
• Rosso
• Team Pennine
• Yorkshire Coastliner

The company also operates key routes such as:

• The 36 {{Small|(Leeds to Harrogate and Ripon)}}
• Red Express (X41) {{Small|(Accrington to Manchester)}}
• The Witch Way (X43) {{Small|(Burnley to Manchester)}}
• Coastliner (840 and 843) {{Small|(Leeds, Tadcaster, York and Malton to Whitby or Scarborough)}}

The company operates a total of 515 vehicles from ten depots across Yorkshire and the North West of England. The frontline fleet includes buses manufactured by Alexander Dennis (Enviro200, Enviro200 MMC and Enviro400 MMC), Mellor (Strata), Mercedes-Benz (eCitaro), Optare (Solo SR, Tempo and Versa), Plaxton (President), Volvo (7900e) and Wrightbus (Eclipse Gemini, Eclipse Urban).

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{commons-inline}}
• [https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02605399 Transdev Blazefield Limited] on Companies House
• [https://www.transdevbus.co.uk/ Transdev Blazefield] website

{{Transdev Blazefield}}{{Transdev|state=collapsed}}

Category:Bus operators in Lancashire

Category:Bus operators in North Yorkshire

Category:Bus operators in West Yorkshire

Category:Companies based in Harrogate

Category:Transdev

Category:Transport companies established in 1991

Category:Transport in Yorkshire

Category:1991 establishments in England