FirstGroup’s UK bus division today launched ‘Better Journeys for Life’, a new brand promise which sets out the group’s aims and plans, which will involve working more closely with all stakeholders including customers, staff and external partners.
The group says that its networks are the life blood of local communities up and down the country, where the company is not just a transport provider but also a major local business and employer. “With the current economic challenges, there has never been a more important time to work with local partners and communities to deliver the services our customers need now and in the future,” said FirstGroup in a statement.
One of the first visible signs will be a new ‘refreshed’ livery which is being rolled out on First bus fleet across the UK (excluding London) in the next few weeks. This is the first stage in the company’s fleet modernization programme which gains momentum in 2012/13.
The new livery will have a standard template, however, there will be flexibility for local teams to customize certain areas of the vehicle’s exterior to prominently show town and city names or route specific identities – fitting in with the group’s desire to provide local services for local communities.
New vehicles coming into the fleet in 2012/13 will feature not only the new livery but a range of internal changes, including redesigned interiors and leather seats.
The new local livery will progressively be rolled out as part of First’s five-year ongoing paint programme. There is some ‘fast track’ painting which will be used to highlight route developments on key bus corridors around the UK. The first buses in the new livery will be seen in places including Yorkshire, Manchester and Southampton over the next few months.
First is also developing a new blueprint for the way the business operates, which will be a key factor underpinning its strategy for sustained long term growth. The ‘Blueprint for Growth Programme’ will contain a number of key workstreams to drive improved efficiency and service quality. Local teams are designing new processes and are busy devising and implementing actions to bring the Blueprint to life.
Giles Fearnley, First UK Bus managing director, said: “Following months of preparation, we have hit the ground running at the start of 2012 and I am delighted to announce a number of exciting new projects that will make a real difference to the way First carries out its business this year and beyond.
“We are all aware that we face a number of difficult challenges to the business but I am determined that First will tackle these challenges head on with bold and innovative business ideas.”
“The new livery, which allows for local identity, is just the first step in our vehicle modernization programme and is a signal that we are changing. Over the next year, hundreds of new vehicles in the new livery will enter service to benefit new or existing customers and allow us to grow the bus network.”
“Our Brand Promise shows we are committed to deliver ‘Better Journeys for Life’ by placing our stakeholders at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that some long term changes are necessary and these will take time to deliver and embed. However we know that by working in close co-operation with all of our stakeholders, and providing the necessary investment, our business will develop and grow.”
FirstGroup are currently recruiting for senior management at its bus operations in the South West. Click here for details.
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11 comments
clifford stead says:
Jan 26, 2012
A hugely disappointing livery for FirstBus and will be greeted by dismay across the country as it is rolled out. Very Very uninspiring, I feel First management have lost the plot with this. Other bus companies such as Go Ahead and Transdev have set the standard on livery and local services, a lost opportunity.
Nick Field says:
Jan 26, 2012
Considering that new blood are at the top of First to me this is a step back in time lacks creative flare and talent why can’t somebody wake up and smell the coffee
First have been behind in most quarters even at my time within the group, the day the man in charge at Berkshire was allowed to go out and go something with the Greenline colours was surley the wake up call to the rest of the group it needed refreshing, and with this offering like the no wonder Stagecoach and the other bigger players are ahead if every body leaps and bounds, perhaps a touch of Ray Stennings handy work would have brought First Group into the 21st century rather than leaving them languishing in the 19th.
Chris says:
Jan 26, 2012
It looks horrible – They should have used a design similar to the livery used on Great Western Trains (possibly a tad simpler – the vinyls may be a bit complex to add).
Michael Nuttal says:
Jan 27, 2012
It will take more than a lick of paint to rescue this dismal company. Tatty rattly buses, seriously worn dirty, grimey interiors, broken heating never rectified, and now cold leather seats yuk.
Roy Mills says:
Jan 27, 2012
First is too big and would be more easily marketed and possibly managed by having much more autonomy given to local managers.
I am old enough to remember BET,whose services and appearance was a world away from the rigidity of the Tilling/BTC operations,and were all the better for it.
Surely,smaller First companies such as Northampton and Midland Red should be individually managed and marketed without necessarily any external reference to FirstGroup.Like I say……it worked with BET.
David (Glasgow) says:
Jan 27, 2012
Poor, poor quality!!! Someone seriously needs to stop this livery rolling out before we are all subjected to such a doom and gloom journey! The buses are bad enough as it is without a dull livery adding to it!! Nice to see where all the profits from continually increasing bus fares are really going!!!
Phil Stevens says:
Jan 27, 2012
Another First Disaster. Why retain what is effectively all over uninspring white with a few coloured bits when so much more could have been done. A simpler version of the First rail livery would have been much better. Whatever the colour the buses will still be filthy inside no matter how many gold stars appear on the outside. The Hybrids in Leeds are heading the same way as the rest of the tat.
Lee says:
Jan 28, 2012
Interesting you mention First northampton. If you look at Northampton alone, then you might think First Bus are in a bit of trouble. Routes evaporated to a skeleton service, barely any of them run on sundays (not so long ago there were none!), musty old vehicles still in use from when they took over the corporation (except on one or two routes) & the cheek of asking people to pay more than Stagecoach for this. OK I have seen some cities where First run a much more modern up-to-date service, but if they did a rebrand here, it wouldn’t make any difference to passengers, but it would cost First even more. Such a short sighted policy they have. I suggest they either speculate to accumulate (routes & bus upgrades), or withdraw from certain places where they can’t compete.
Mr S D Parker says:
Jan 30, 2012
This so called “new livery” does absolutely nothing it is uninspiring to say the very least . So because it does nothing it therefore lives up to what we all expect from First !
Nick Fuzzy says:
Jan 30, 2012
A truly dismal attempt that will neither intice the motorist or the pedestrian into using their buses!!!
I agree that First are way behind other major bus groups in terms of not only liveries but innovation in attracting more passengers onto its buses. They are merely concerned with profit margins and those routes and now even divisional companies are being sold off to please the shareholders. How come Go Ahead and Stagecoach can manage to do both but not First.
I would ask them to use more inspiring colours on its buses, similar to those on its trains!
clifford stead says:
Feb 1, 2012
We all had high hopes that Giles Fearnley, who has a good respected track record in the industry, would deliver a sea change when he joined First! The company was dead in the water with zero respect from all quarters, just look at the mess in York where the council want rid of FTR! Here in Leeds we see new buses on tow everyday of the week!
“Better journeys for life” all sounds a bit New Labour to me. Every new idea First comes up with falls flat, the new livery won`t rescue this failing monolith.Stagecoach will be having a right laugh over this, how do they manage to shoot themselves in the foot time and time again.