School Buses To Operate As Usual

Pembrokeshire County Council has given an assurance that arrangements are in place for education transport to continue as normal when the school term resumes on Monday, 6th June. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This follows speculation surrounding the future of Silcox Motor Coach Company Limited. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Pembroke Dock-based company has some 28 contracts with the Council to provide education transport on behalf of the Authority. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, Rob Lewis, said the Authority had made arrangements with another bus operator to provide education transport services currently supplied by Silcox. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Lewis went on: “Edwards Coaches of Pontypridd will be appointed to provide school transport on the routes formerly held by Silcox. This ensures that the school and Pembrokeshire College bus service will continue to operate.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mike Edwards, managing director of Edwards Coaches said: “All former Silcox ‘home-to-school’ transport routes will be operated by Edwards after the half-term break. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Edwards Coaches is the largest family owned coach-company in the country employing over 500 staff and operating 260 vehicles. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We currently operate the National Express coaches from Haverfordwest that depart daily to Cardiff, Heathrow, Gatwick and London and various other destinations. We also transport over 8,000 students to school or college each day from bus depots all over South Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Edwards’ ‘Red Dragon’ coach is often seen on Tv carrying the Wales rugby team and we also have our own coach holiday company with 80,000 passengers taken on a package holiday each year.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By coincidence the Edwards family left their family home in Lamphey, Pembrokeshire, to find employment in the Rhondda Valley over a hundred years ago. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Details of the affected education transport routes will be posted on the Council’s website: http://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=838,1629,839&id=33628 together with any service specific issues if required. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There are also a further 18 public transport routes, which are commercially operated by Silcox, albeit in some cases with subsidy from the Council. Separate arrangements are being considered for these. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​