Munro's of Jedburgh

Munro's of Jedburgh

Munros bus 102, a MCV Evolution bodied Man MAN 14.220, at the 2009 Metrocentre bus rally.
Slogan the borders bus company
Headquarters Jedburgh
Service area The Scottish Borders between Edinburgh and Newcastle upon Tyne
Service type bus service
Website munrosofjedburgh.co.uk (Archive copy)

Munro's of Jedburgh was a bus operating company based in the Scottish Borders town of Jedburgh. They operated a number of local routes both in the Scottish Borders and in Midlothian.[1]

History

Plaxton Pointer II bodied Dennis Dart SLF in Galashiels in October 2007

The company was founded in the mid 1960s by Jimmy Munro, who expanded his hire-car business to include coach operations. The company then began to operate Works and Schools Contracts in Roxburghshire.[2]

In 1992 the company began its first local route, the contracted Border Courier service, as a joint operation with Austin's of Earlston. Munro's also launched a service linking the Borders General Hospital with Lilliesleaf and Hawick, which ran three days a week. Munro retired in 1998 and, as the family did not want to continue in the business, the company was put up for sale. It was bought by Ewan Farish and Donald Cameron.[2]

The new owners were keen to expand the business and quickly won additional contracts with both schools and local rugby teams. In July 2000, the company took over routes 29/30 (now 51/52) and 65-68 from First Edinburgh. Three more contracts were won over the next two years. Further expansion occurred in August 2002 when First closed its depots in Hawick and Kelso, with Munro's providing new town services.[2]

In 2006 the Scottish Borders Council and the Rural Bus Development Grant subsidised a number of service improvements, including more frequent services from Jedburgh and Kelso to Edinburgh (routes 51/52) and a new service from Galashiels to Berwick-upon-Tweed (route 67). Munro's won the contracts to operate both services, although the 67 was later lost to Perryman's.[3]

Another contract win in 2006 saw the company launch a network of routes around Dalkeith and Musselburgh. These used two Plaxton Primo single-deckers,[4] the only vehicles of their type in Scotland.[2] In June 2009 operation of contracted route 20, linking Kelso to Hawick, was lost to McEwans after five years.[5] A number of journeys on routes 51 and 52 were controversially axed in November 2009.[6]

In October 2010 Munro's was fined £3000 and had the number of vehicles allowed on its operating licence cut by the Scottish Traffic Commissioner.[7] The company's routes in Musselburgh and Dalkeith were withdrawn in April 2011, and later replaced by a new route operated by First.[8]

In January 2013 Munro's had its operating licence revoked following an inquiry into the loaning of vehicle operating discs in October 2011 to another operator, Edinburgh Group Travel, but services continued to operate as the decision was appealed by the company.[9] Although the appeal proved unsuccessful, Munro's applied for and were granted a new licence. However, in June 2013 it was announced that the reformed company had lost nine contract routes during a retendering process, including the routes between Jedburgh/Kelso and Edinburgh and between Jedburgh and Galashiels.[10] Munro's ceased trading at midnight on 3 July 2013, with its routes taken over by other operators on temporary contracts.[11][12]

References

  1. ↑ Midlothian Council: Buses
  2. 1 2 3 4 Munro's of Jedburgh: About us
  3. ↑ New contracts signed for Borders bus services Borders Council, 17 July 2008
  4. ↑ Munro's of Jedburgh Purchase Plaxton Primos Mistral Group News, 5 January 2007
  5. ↑ Borders bus company loses out through EU directive The Southern Reporter, 5 May 2009
  6. ↑ Munro's to axe bus journeys Borders Today, 20 October 2009
  7. ↑ Jedburgh bus company faces vehicle cut BBC News, 7 October 2010
  8. ↑ Campaigners celebrate as village bus route restored The Scotsman, 25 May 2011
  9. ↑ Jed bus firm is stripped of licence The Southern Reporter, 21 January 2013
  10. ↑ Paterson, Kenny Bus jobs boost ... but Munro’s misses out Selkirk Weekend Advertiser, 20 June 2013
  11. ↑ Borders bus firm Munro's of Jedburgh ceases trading BBC News, 4 July 2013
  12. ↑ Munro's of Jedburgh cease trading The Southern Reporter, 4 July 2013
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