First Edinburgh
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| Parent | FirstGroup |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Larbert |
| Service area |
Stirling Falkirk Lothians Edinburgh |
| Service type | Bus services |
| Chief executive | Paul McGowan |
| Website | www |
First Scotland East is collective name for FirstGroup bus operations in the south east and central Scotland, which covers First Scotland East and Midland Bluebird. The company was created by the merger of three companies: Lowland Scottish, Eastern Scottish and Midland Scottish to form a single operation in 1997.
In 2000 the company was split into two licences, First Edinburgh and Midland Bluebird although both licences function as one entity under one name, but in 2012 they reverted to two separate entities.
The main depots are:
During 1998, First decided to reorganise their operations within the area and to merge three subsidiaries: Lowland Scottish, Eastern Scottish and Midland Scottish. By doing so helped simplify the operations, as areas such as West Lothian or Midlothian were covered by at least two out of the three companies. The start of the process came into effect in 1999, with many back-office functions being transferred to Larbert and a new single livery introduced. By 2002 all of the companies' operations were controlled by Larbert.
The company's original name was First Edinburgh, despite this name the operating area was much wider and covered much of the Central, and Borders regions of Scotland and into northern England. The name was renamed First Scotland East in 2008 to better reflect the operating area.
In 1997 First launched Fife First to compete with Stagecoach Fife (who had recently started competing with First in Glasgow) on route 56 between Edinburgh, Dunfermline, Cowdenbeath and Ballingry, using vehicles transferred from Lowland, Midland and Rider York and painted in allover red. A sub-depot was established in Dunfermline with Westfield providing most of the vehicles used. Fife First ceased in July 2000 when the service was axed and the low floor buses used were transferred to the Falkirk area.
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Wikipedia