Leicester Citybus, trading asFirst Leicester, is a bus operator providing services in Leicester. FirstGroup own 94% of the company with Trentbarton owning the other 6%.
History
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%.
Fleet
As of December 2019 the fleet is made up of around 90 buses. mostly Wright Streetlites and Wright Streetdecks new to Leicester in late 2015/early 2016. Some older Volvo B7RLE bodied Wright Eclipse and Volvo B7TL bodied Geminis remain in the fleet but are due to be disposed of as a result of the Leicester Clean Air Zone due to come into force in late 2020.
Liveries
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. During 2015/2016 First Midlands the parent group of First Leicester introduced a fuchsia fronted version of the latest corporate livery across their fleet. During 2019 service 18 received 4 newer buses in a purple livery branded as 'theBraunstoneBus' with services 88/88A/88E branded as 'Saffron' referring to Saffron Lane which they serve in a yellow and crimson livery.
Depot
In 2007 a new depot was opened on Abbey Lane which is also the headquarters of First Midlands replacing the former depot on Abbey Park Road which was once home to Leicester's tram network A fire at the Abbey Park Road depot in August 1999 destroyed three vehicles and parts of the former tram sheds.
