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Southern Vectis〔(Companies House extract company no 241973 ) The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited〕 is the dominant bus operator on the Isle of Wight. Formed in 1921 and later owned by the Southern Railway, it was nationalised in 1948 and became part of the National Bus Company in 1969. Privatised in 1987, it became a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group in July 2005. In the 1980s it engaged in some aggressive tactics to try and stifle its competitors. This attracted the attention of the Office of Fair Trading. ==History== The origins of Southern Vectis began with a company called Dodson & Campbell, founded in 1921. In 1923, this was renamed the Vectis Bus Company, based in Cowes and with a distinctive livery of saxe blue and red, and 'VECTIS' fleet name. It had an association with London bus body builder Christopher Dodson, therefore, all Vectis buses of the period had Dodson built bodies. In 1929 the business was bought by Southern Railway, and incorporated as The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited.〔 In 1948, the Southern Railway was nationalised, and as a result, so was Southern Vectis. This led to Southern Vectis becoming part of the National Bus Company in 1969. In 1986 as a consequence of the Transport Act 1985 the business was sold in a management buy out.〔(Companies House extract company no 2005917 ) Southern Vectis Limited formerly Southern Vectis plc〕〔(Who we are ) Southern Vectis〕 Deregulation meant that other companies could register and run bus routes against previously nationalised bus companies. This was significant for Southern Vectis in two ways: the company which had a virtual monopoly on Isle of Wight transport was exposed to competition from no less than five operators, and Southern Vectis itself expanded in 1987 forming Badger Vectis in Poole, and Solent Blue Line in Southampton using older Southern Vectis buses and second-hand double-deckers, to compete with the dominant Southampton Citybus on their most profitable routes.〔(we are bluestar ) Bluestar〕 From the start of deregulation, Southern Vectis was one of the most aggressive of the new bus operators, illustrated by the company's restored monopoly of Isle of Wight services and the fact that Solent Blue Line, (now Bluestar), retains a strong presence within Southampton and Hampshire alongside what remains of City Bus in First Hampshire & Dorset. The newly privatised Southern Vectis expanded its business into other areas on the island too, the company bought a self-drive van hire firm and also 2 Ford Granada taxis, which it ran from Cowes Pontoon. The taxis both served as a new venture for the company, and a way to take on one of its then new competitors, Gange Taxis & Minicoaches, on their home turf. Taxibus services were also pioneered by Southern Vectis on the island, where taxi firms were appointed to run rural routes which would otherwise not be served. However, Southern Vectis had relinquished its involvement in taxis all together by 1989.〔 The company made national news in 2003 with the launch of a pink punishment school bus nicknamed 'The Pink Peril' designed to take badly-behaved students to and from school. The vehicle was the oldest in the fleet, an Iveco minibus fleet number 283. The scheme initially proved a success but was later scrapped. In July 2005 Southern Vectis was sold to the Go-Ahead Group.〔(Recommended Cash Offer for Southern Vectis plc ) Go-Ahead Group 11 July 2005〕 This sale included both Southern Vectis and Hampshire subsidiary Solent Blue Line. Southern Vectis along with mainland companies Bluestar and Wilts & Dorset, is part of Go South Coast. One of the first changes under the new ownership was an amended network in April 2006, using Newport as its hub, with most other routes linking to it. Although resulting in the loss of some existing routes, like the ''Island Explorer'', the change proved largely successful; within 18 months passenger numbers had increased by 45%, with a 14% growth in fare-paying customers. This was one of the largest increases in the UK and has continued since.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Isle of Wight County Press - "Island feels strain of rise in bus use" )〕 In October 2009, Southern Vectis launched a website promoting its own car scrappage scheme, offering Island residents who agreed to scrap their cars a season ticket of up to 12 months. Southern Vectis announced five vehicles had been scrapped within the first fortnight and it had received around 6,000 enquiries.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Scrappage scheme a success )〕 So far, the scheme has seen 75 vehicles scrapped including a horsebox, with a claimed carbon saving of 145 tonnes per annum.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Eco Island - Get wheels in motion )〕 In 1994, Southern Vectis became a shareholder in the Polish bus company Kaliskie Line Autobus, with 18.38% of the company's shares. In September 2010, this holding was sold to the majority shareholder, the City of Kalisz.〔(Kalisz: city bought shares in Kalisz bus lines ) ''Bankier.pl'' 14 September 2010〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Southern Vectis」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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