Bus Company On The Road To Further Success

Travel de Courcey is one of the UK’s largest independent-owned bus and coach companies and was established in 1972.

The business operates nationally and provides shuttle buses for visitors attending concerts, exhibitions and shows at the NEC, takes passengers on behalf of National Express to Birmingham, London, Manchester and Bradford coach stations and Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted airports, and is the largest provider of dedicated school transport in Coventry as well as providing buses to the University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire and Arena Park shopping centre in Coventry.

The business employs 300 staff and operates 24 hours a day 364 days a year at its depot off Rowley Road in Baginton, Coventry.

The Challenge

Travel de Courcey had outgrown its Coventry base and spent 18 months looking at potential alternative locations in the city – and might have to have moved to another area. Chief executive Adrian De Courcey concluded it would be better to develop its current site because its location is ideal for the majority of its contracts.

He wanted to invest £3 million in a state-of-the-art 18,000 sq ft building which would include an engineering facility incorporating eight bays to repair the company’s 106 vehicles, wireless vehicle platforms and LED lighting along with offices for staff with the entire operation being powered by biomass wood chip.

But there was a problem – part of the depot had a 99-year lease and the other part had a 12-year lease and Adrian needed Coventry City Council to extend their lease to resolve their long-term future before he committed to the investment.

The Solution

Adrian contacted Jeremy Moore and Bill Blincoe at the CWLEP Growth Hub and they quickly contacted Coventry MP Geoffrey Robinson, who spoke to Coventry City Council Deputy Chief Executive (Place) Martin Yardley which led to a meeting with Coventry City Council.

The Result Phil Costigan from Band Hand Button led the negotiations on Travel de Courcey’s behalf and a 150-year lease has now been signed.

Travel de Courcey’s previous 1980s-style workshop building has been demolished and it has taken 12 months to create their new high-tech home while continuing their day-today operations.

Additional electric charging points have been installed as part of the new facilities as the growing business continues to evolve to be at the forefront of an ever-changing industry.

The business has multiple income streams and this summer, as well as ferrying visitors to and from the Godiva Festival, will be running the same service for the Coombe Weekender at Coombe Abbey in Coventry this summer.

Adrian de Courcey from Travel de Courcey said “Jeremy, Bill and Craig Humphrey at the Growth Hub have been incredibly supportive and this project wouldn’t have happened without their commitment to our vision and their support in helping us to meet with key stakeholders including Coventry City Council.”

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