First Leicester

First Leicester

First Leicester buses in Leicester in October 2006
Parent	FirstGroup 94% Trentbarton 6%
Headquarters	Leicester
Service area	Leicester
Service type	Bus services
Depots	1
Fleet	100 (March 2013)
Website	www.firstgroup.com/leicester

Leicester Citybus,trading as First Leicester, is a bus operator providing services in Leicester. FirstGroup own 94% of the company with Trentbarton owning the other 6%.

In December 1874 the Leicester Tramways Company commenced operating. In July 1901 it was taken over by Leicester Corporation Transport with 39 tramcars and 30 horse-drawn buses and began to be electrified. In July 1924 the first motor buses entered service gradually replacing the trams with the last running in November 1949.

In 1972 Leicester Corporation Transit began operating services in partnership with Midland Red to South Wigston and Wigston Magna and in 1976 to Oadby. In August 1979 the business of Gibson Brothers, Barlestone was purchased which included two services from Market Bosworth to Leicester, one via Barlestone the other via Peckleton.

In 1983 Leicester Corporation Transport was rebranded as Leicester CityBus. To comply with the Transport Act 1985, in 1986 the assets of Leicester CityBus were transferred to a separate legal entity.

In November 1993 Leicester City Council sold its 94% shareholding in Leicester CityBus to GRT Group. After GRT Group merged with Badgerline to form FirstBus in April 1995, the operation was rebranded as First Leicester. FirstGroup own 94% of the shares, with Wellglade Group's Trentbarton the remaining 6%.

As of March 2013 the fleet consisted of 100 buses.

Leicester City Transport buses were painted in crimson relieved by cream, this was reversed in the 1960s. When rebranded Leicester CityBus, a red, white and grey livery was introduced.

Upon the takeover in November 1993 by GRT Group, the fleet began to wear a version of the GRT corporate livery, with the base and relief colours associated with Leicester City municipal buses, but in the corporate GRT arrangement, with Leicester citybus fleetnames and a spire motif. This was replaced by FirstGroup corporate livery.