| Edwards Coaches | |
| Parent: | Mike Edwards |
| Founded: | 1925 |
| Headquarters: | Llantwit Fardre |
| Service Area: | South Wales, Bristol |
| Service Type: | Bus & Coach services |
| Fleet: | 225 (October 2014) |
| Website: | www.edwardscoaches.co.uk |
Edwards Coaches[1] is a family-owned coach company based in Llantrisant, near Pontypridd in South Wales.
In 1925 Edwards Coaches was founded by George Edwards.[2] Over recent years, the company has expanded by acquiring several smaller local firms. Today, their fleet consists mainly of single decker coaches used for holiday tours and private hire but they also have a number of double-decker buses primarily for school contracts and park and ride services. Edwards Coaches carry around 7,100 students to school every day and around 80,000 customers on holidays each year. A small fleet of service buses is maintained to operate a group of local bus services.[3]
On 7 January 2011, Swansea based coach holiday operator Diamond Coach Holidays went into administration.[4] In the week after Diamond collapsed, Edwards took over £1m in holiday bookings (many of these from ex Diamond customers). On 25 January 2011, after talks with administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers, Edwards Coaches agreed to buy the firm becoming the largest coach holiday operator in Wales[5] In 2016, as Silcox Coaches of Pembroke Dock were going out of business, Edwards took over their school contracts and some of their bus services.[6] The local bus services however did not last long and have since been retendered.
During the 2021 Go North West strike, Edwards Coaches was one of a number of bus operators who provided vehicles and drivers to operate services on behalf of Go North West along with Selwyns Travel and Midland Classic.[7]
Edwards Coaches are a National Express contractor and as of June 2019 operate services on routes:[8]
100 - Bristol Bus Station- Digbeth Coach Station [Digbeth] Via Gloucester Transport Hub and Cheltenham on selected journeys,
100- Bath Bus Station [Bath]- Digbeth Coach Station.[Digbeth] Via Bristol Bus Station & Cheltenham Spa
401-Swindon Bus Station[Swindon]–London Victoria Coach Station[London]- Queens Drive, Coate Water and Heathrow Central Bus Station.
401-Trowbridge- London Victoria Coach Station via Melksham- Devizes - Wroughton-Swindon Bus Station- Queens Drive [Swindon]- Coate Water[Swindon]- Heathrow Central Bus Station and Earls Court
403-Bath Bus Station [Bath]- London Victoria Coach Station via London Road-Box- Rudloe - Corsham - Chippenham Cepen Park[Sainsburys] and Chippenham the Bridge. Via Heathrow Central Bus Station and Reading Mereoak Park and Ride on selected journeys- Earls Court is also served.
502- Bideford- London Victoria [London] via Yelland- Fremington- Bickington[North Devon]- Barnstaple- South Molton-Tiverton- Wellington[Somerset]- Taunton- North Petherton-Bridgwater- Bristol Bus and Coach Station - Heathrow Central Bus Station and Earls Court [London]
503- Penzance - London Victoria Coach Station[London] via Crowlas- Camborne Cornwall- Newquay- Launceston- Okehampton- Exeter[City Centre]- Exeter [Honiton Road]- Taunton Deane Services and London Earls Court [London]
503- London Victoria Coach Station[London]- Penzance via Heathrow Central Bus Station- Taunton Deane Services- Exeter [Honiton Road]- Exeter [City Centre] Okehampton-Launceston-Newquay-Camborne[Cornwall]& Crowles
From May 2017, Edwards commenced operating more National Express services previously operated by South Gloucestershire Bus & Coach from a new depot in Avonmouth.[9] [10] [11]
As at October 2014, the fleet consisted of 225 buses and coaches.[12]