NEWPORT Transport announced it has taken delivery of the first coaches to launch its new express coach venture in partnership with FlixBus on Monday, August 7.

The new vehicles, manufactured by Volvo, have been branded for FlixBus, as Newport Transport begins its partnership with the long-distance coach travel company.

Newport Transport will operate the Flixbus services from South Wales to London, Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

For Newport Transport, the addition of the Volvo 9700s and the operation of an intercity express service route signal the start of a new era for the long-established operator. Founded in 1901, Newport Transport has never been afraid of change. In 2019, Newport Transport became the first in Wales to procure and operate a fully electric bus on its network.

The new, eye-catching green coaches, now at the company’s depot, have already been described by the newly-recruited drivers as feeling ‘top-end and executive’ and ‘the nicest coach ever driven.’

The coaches will be used on daily routes between Welsh cities from Swansea, Cardiff and Newport as well as Bristol, then to Heathrow, Gatwick Airport and London.

The coaches are PSVAR-compliant, ensuring accessibility for all passengers, with each vehicle equipped with an individual seat USB charger, toilets and temperature controls.

Morgan Stevens, operations director for Newport Transport, said: “The arrival of the new FlixBus coaches marks a moment in the company’s history as a municipal bus operator. This is an exciting new venture, which will bring more growth opportunities for the business and therefore, more opportunities for our staff too.

"We are currently putting a new team of experienced coach drivers in place so that we can deliver a high-quality and professional Flixbus service. The team will work separately from our current private hire coach team providing consistency of service across the business.”

Hayley Russell, team lead of operations at FlixBus UK said: “We’re excited to welcome Newport Transport’s drivers onto the FlixBus network.

“As a company, we are close to the drivers working for our operator partners – we know they are the face of our business, and we want them to feel a part of the FlixBus family. My operations team spends a lot of time in coach stations getting to know our driving team and thanking them for their part in our growth.”

The new express coach routes, due to launch in August, offer new steady employment opportunities at Newport Transport, and the company is actively recruiting drivers.