Press release -
Kelpies hit the road
The iconic Kelpies will soon become a regular sight across Falkirk and beyond as part of an eye-catching new design on First Bluebird buses.
The local bus operator has unveiled its exciting new livery at the foot of the towering 30-metre high equine sculptures – the largest public artworks in Scotland.
The design was then given the stamp of approval by Falkirk FC manager Peter Houston, who was given a rare driving lesson under the watchful eye of First Bluebird driver Gary Lawson and the entire first team squad at the Falkirk Stadium.
A total of nine buses will carry the Kelpies through the heart of Falkirk and also feature other well-known town landmarks, the Falkirk Wheel and the traditional town centre Steeple.
The brand new vehicles are the result of £1.3 million investment and are the best and most eco-friendly in First Bluebird’s fleet. Fitted with the latest energy saving technology including a braking power system similar to that used on Formula 1 racing cars, they will operate on Services 3, 4 and 4a, which link all three popular locations.
The route will see them travel to and from Grangemouth; the sculptures' home at Helix Park and the Falkirk Stadium; Falkirk town centre with its award-winning shops, cafes and bars, Camelon and the Falkirk Wheel.
The Kelpies were chosen for the new bus livery in partnership with Falkirk Council to celebrate their popularity with locals and visitors alike and aids Visit Falkirk’s tourism strategy of working with partners such as First to support visitor access to the area’s tourist attractions.
Designer Andy Scott took inspiration from Scotland’s history of working horses which once pulled barges along the nearby Forth and Clyde Canal.
Paul McGowan, Managing Director of First Bluebird, said: “The Kelpies are a fantastic local landmark and are already internationally renowned for their innovation in design – what better image to feature on the most technically advanced buses in the First Bluebird fleet.
“Passengers can enjoy pleasant, more comfortable journeys and keep connected on the move with our free wifi. With these great new designs, anyone looking to travel to the Helix parklands and the Falkirk Stadium, the town centre or the Falkirk Wheel will be in no doubt about which bus will take them there safely and smoothly.”
Peter Houston, manager of Falkirk Football Club, said: “It's great to see the landmarks of Falkirk mirrored on the town's buses. As a community club, we are delighted to be associated with a project which will assist local people and I'm sure our fans will enjoy travelling to the match on these too.
"For the first time in my football career I can safely say I've 'parked the bus', which caused great amusement among our players today. It's not often you get the chance to try life as a bus driver and it was a fantastic experience.”
Andy Scott, who designed the Kelpies, said: “I'm delighted the Kelpies have proven so popular and the number of people that have travelled to see them is fantastic. It's great to see them now take to the road on local buses in Falkirk and hopefully more people will get a sense of their appeal and make the trip as a result."
Falkirk Council’s tourism spokesman, Councillor Adrian Mahoney, said: “It’s great to see these eye-catching buses hit the streets.
“They promote some of the area’s biggest tourist attractions and encourage even more people to visit using public transport.”
Gordon Smith, VisitScotland National Partnerships Manager, said: “The new First Bluebird buses featuring The Kelpies – which have rapidly become such iconic, well-loved Scottish landmarks – are really eye-catching, and I’m sure they will be extremely popular, not only with the local community, but also with visitors to Falkirk.
“The striking livery of the buses will make it easy for visitors to identify which route links up the fantastic attractions of The Falkirk Wheel, The Helix Park, The Kelpies and The Falkirk Stadium. This creative development by First Bluebird, in partnership with VisitFalkirk, is fantastic news and will really support and nurture tourism in the area.”
The single-decker Micro-Hybrid vehicles, one of the world’s most fuel efficient buses, come equipped with leather seats, free wifi for customers and extra room for wheelchairs and passengers with buggies.
Each new vehicle is also fitted with the latest energy saving technology including a braking power system akin to Formula 1 racing cars, re-using energy generated to power other parts of the bus.
They are also lighter than a conventional single deck bus and, together with advanced engine technology, are around 30 per cent more fuel efficient.
The new vehicles will operate on the following services:
• Service 3 which operates from Tamfourhill & the Falkirk Wheel to Grangemouth via Community Hospital and Falkirk.
• Service 4 which operates from Camelon (Ochiltree Terrace) to Grangemouth via the Community Hospital and Falkirk
• Service 4A which operates from Camelon (Ochiltree Terrace) to Grangemouth via Camelon Main Street and Falkirk
The launch of the new buses follows an announcement that First Bluebird is to invest a further £1.1m in five state-of-the-art green vehicles, supported by £196,000 from the Scottish Government’s Green Bus Fund.
The Enviro 400H Flywheel hybrid buses will be manufactured by Falkirk-based manufacturer ADL and deliver significant fuel savings and reduced emissions.
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- corporate communications
Regions
- Scotland
NOTES TO EDITORS
FirstGroup plc is the leading transport operator in the UK and North America with revenues of more than £6.7billion a year. We employ approximately 117,000 employees and transport around 2.5 billion passengers a year. Our vision is to provide solutions for an increasingly congested world… keeping people moving and communities prospering.
First UK Bus
FirstGroup is one of Britain’s largest bus operators with around a fifth of bus services outside London. A fleet of some 6,400 buses carries approximately 1.6 million passengers a day in a huge number of communities including 40 of the UK's largest towns and cities. We operate Greyhound UK providing regular intercity coach services linking South Wales and Bristol Airport, and we also operate some US-style yellow school buses and have a fleet of coaches available for charter. We also operate the Aircoach network in Ireland.
First Scotland East
With a fleet of some 400 buses, First Scotland East/First Bluebird operates a network of routes serving the city of Edinburgh, Central Scotland, East and West Lothian and the Scottish Borders. It employs around 1,000 staff with its head office based at its depot in Larbert. The company also has depots in Balfron, Bannockburn, Galashiels, Livingston and Musselburgh and outstations in Hawick, Peebles, Kelso and North Berwick. For more information visit www.firstgroup.com/scotlandeast.
First Scotland East is part of FirstGroup, the leading transport operator in the UK and North America. www.firstgroup.com
About VisitScotland:
- Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation has three key roles:
- To market Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors
- To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland
- To provide quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to the industry and partners to help the industry meet and strive to exceed customer expectations
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- 2014 is the year Scotland welcomes the world, when it hosts the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and more than 800 Homecoming events throughout the country.For more information on Homecoming Scotland 2014, go to www.visitscotland.com
- The VisitScotland Information Centre network is a unique face-to-face channel engaging with around five million visitors and locals each year. Everyone who uses a VisitScotland Information Centre goes on to spend an additional £5.35, generating over £24 million for Scotland’s economy.
- According to a recent Deloitte study, tourism employs 270,000 people in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the industry contributes £11 billion annually (direct and indirect impact, including day visits) and supports around 10 per cent of employment in Scotland. Almost 16 million tourists take overnight trips to Scotland.
- Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)
- For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
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