Island Breezers

Southern Vectis

Scania OmniCity in Cowes in August 2009
Slogan	the island's buses
Parent	Go-Ahead Group
Founded	1929
Headquarters	Newport
Service area	Isle of Wight
Service type	Bus services
Fleet	105
Operator	Go South Coast (part of the Go-Ahead Group)
Chief executive	Andrew Wickham
Website	www.islandbuses.info

Southern Vectis is a bus operator on the Isle of Wight. The company was founded in 1921 as "Dodson and Campbell" and became the "Vectis Bus Company" in 1923. The company was purchased by the Southern Railway before being nationalised in 1969. In 1987, the company was re-privatised. Southern Vectis was accused of unfair trade practices and was investigated by the British Office of Fair Trading. In July 2005, it became a subsidiary of Go-Ahead Group.

In 1921 in Cowes, the company was founded as "Dodson & Campbell". In 1923, the company was renamed the "Vectis Bus Company". The buses were built by the London bus body builder, Christopher Dodson.

In 1929, the company was purchased by Southern Railway and was incorporated as "The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited".

In 1948, Southern Railway was nationalised and then in 1969, Southern Vectis became part of the National Bus Company.

In 1986, with deregulation after the passing of the Transport Act 1985, the business was sold in a management buy out. Five new operators entered the market on the Isle of Wight.

In 1987, Southern Vectis started Badger Vectis in Poole, and Solent Blue Line in Southampton. The new operations used older Southern Vectis buses and second-hand double-deckers. Southern Vectis also moved into other business areas on the isle of Wight. The company bought a self-drive van hire firm. It also bought two Ford Granada taxis, which it ran from the Cowes pontoon and began taxibus services which continued till 1989.