View source for First Glasgow

{{Short description|Bus operator in Greater Glasgow, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{for|the political party|Glasgow First}}
{{Infobox bus company
 | name           = First Greater Glasgow
 | logo           = FirstBus 2024.svg
 | logo_size      = 150
 | image          = LG71DNF First Glasgow 64120 ADL Enviro200EV BYD D9UR (52511453657).jpg
 | image_caption  = A First Glasgow [[Alexander Dennis Enviro200EV]] in [[Glasgow city centre]] in September 2022
 | company_slogan =
 | parent         = [[FirstGroup]]
 | founded        = May 1996
 | headquarters   = [[Glasgow]]
 | locale         = [[Greater Glasgow]]
 | service_type   = Bus services
 | alliance       =
 | routes         = 83
 | destinations   =
 | stops          =
 | service_area = {{Plainlist|
* [[Glasgow]]
* [[Blantyre, South Lanarkshire|Blantyre]]
* [[Scotstoun]]
* [[Overtown, North Lanarkshire|Overtown]]
* [[Dumbarton]]
 }}
 | stations       =
 | lounge         =
 | fleet          =600+ (January 2023)<ref name="About">{{cite web |url=https://www.firstbus.co.uk/greater-glasgow/about-us |title=About us |website=FirstBus Greater Glasgow |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref>
 | ridership      =
 | fuel_type      = Diesel, Electric
 | operator       =
 | ceo            =
 | website        = [https://www.firstbus.co.uk/greater-glasgow firstbus.co.uk/greater-glasgow]
}}

'''First Glasgow''' is the largest bus company serving the [[Greater Glasgow]] area in [[Scotland]]. It is a subsidiary of [[FirstGroup]]. The company operates within the area covered by the [[Strathclyde Partnership for Transport]], a public body responsible for helping to co-ordinate public transport services in the Greater Glasgow area.

==History==
[[File:Volvo Ailsa B55.jpg|thumb|left|A First Glasgow [[Volvo Ailsa B55]] in [[Bridgeton, Glasgow|Bridgeton]] in 2005]]
First Glasgow was created through [[FirstGroup]]'s buyout of [[Strathclyde Buses]] (created from the former [[Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive]] bus fleet, formerly the municipal Glasgow Corporation Transport), which had itself recently bought out the former [[Kelvin Central Buses]] (an amalgamation of [[Kelvin Scottish]] and [[Central Scottish]], owned by the state-owned [[Scottish Bus Group]]).<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/takeover-nets-bus-workers-pounds-35000-1346448.html Takeover nets bus workers £35,000] ''[[The Independent]]'' 10 May 1996</ref><ref>[https://www.proquest.com/docview/332499993 Bus takeover is finally cleared]  ''[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]]'' 1 August 1998</ref><ref>{{usurped|1=[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120119163744/http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1997/395firstbus.htm FirstBus Plc and SB Holdings Limited: A freport on the merger situation]}} Competition Commission</ref>

First Glasgow has two operator's licences:<ref name="About" />
*First Glasgow (No. 1) Limited<ref>[http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/SC097299 Companies House extract company no SC097299] First Glasgow No 1 Limited formerly Strathclyde Buses Limited</ref> &ndash; the former Strathclyde Buses licence
*First Glasgow (No. 2) Limited<ref>[http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/SC127012 Companies House extract company no SC127012] First Glasgow No 2 Limited formerly Kelvin Central Buses Limited</ref> &ndash; the former Kelvin Central Buses licence

Buses carry legal signwriting for First Glasgow Limited, despite this having been a dormant company since at least 2008.<ref>[http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/SC129033 Companies House extract company no SC129033] First Glasgow Limited</ref>

==Services==
[[File:First Glasgow airport bus 2019.jpg|thumb|right|An [[500 Glasgow Airport Express|Airport Express]] [[Alexander Dennis Enviro400 City]] in 2019]]
First Glasgow mainly run services in Greater Glasgow and [[Lanarkshire]] areas of Strathclyde. However, some services also run outside of these areas. It was one of the first bus operators to introduce an "overground", a colour-coded set of bus routes with route branding on the bus exteriors and timetables. As of 2006, route branding has been removed from buses but remained on timetables until mid 2008.

First Glasgow reintroduced route branding in the form of SimpliCITY in May 2013 as a way to improve bus services in Glasgow, after a period of taking consultation from residents of Glasgow about the planned route changes. Buses were installed with free Wi-Fi and were branded with SimpliCITY logos, while routes were simplified in order to make more frequent journeys in and out of the city centre.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/10225/first-glasgow-confirms-changes-to-its-simplicity-proposals/|title=First Glasgow confirms changes to its simplicity proposals}}</ref> 

== Fleet ==
As of January 2023, First Glasgow operates a fleet of over 600 buses on over 80 routes,<ref name="About" /> a majority of these buses being built by either [[Alexander Dennis]] or [[Wrightbus]].

A [[Low-emission zone|Low Emission Zone (LEZ)]] covering Glasgow city centre was introduced on 31 December 2018; the first phase of this applying solely to local service buses.<ref>[https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=23649 Glasgow City Centre Rings in the New Year with Scotland's First Low Emission Zone] Glasgow City Council, 1 January 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2019.</ref> In October and November 2018, to comply with the new emission standards, First Glasgow placed into service a first batch of [[Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC]]s onto route 75,<ref>[https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/in-pictures-first-glasgow-launch-new-eco-fleet-with-worlds-largest-model-bus-display-in-george-square/ In pictures: First Glasgow launch new eco fleet with world's largest model bus display in George Square] The Sunday Post, 9 October 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2019.</ref> followed by an order for a further 53 Enviro400 MMCs, 10 [[Enviro400 City|Enviro400 Cities]] for the [[500 Glasgow Airport Express|Glasgow Airport Express]] service,<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.--> |date=30 April 2019|title=Take-off for Glasgow Airport fleet renewal |url=https://cbwmagazine.com/take-off-for-glasgow-airport-fleet-renewal/ |work=[[Coach & Bus Week]] |location=Peterborough |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> and 12 [[Enviro200 MMC]]s for delivery in 2019,<ref>[https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/72666/low-emission-bus-fleet-glasgow/ First Glasgow launches new fleet of eco-friendly buses ahead of city-wide low emissions zone] Intelligent Transport, 16 October 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2019.</ref><ref>[https://cbwmagazine.com/first-glasgow-confirms-plans-to-invest-in-75-new-adl-buses-in-2019/ First Glasgow confirms plans to invest in 75 new ADL buses in 2019] Coach & Bus Week, 4 December 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2019.</ref> partly funded by [[Transport Scotland]]'s Scottish Green Bus Fund.<ref>[https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/over-1-million-to-help-green-buses/ Over £1 million to help green buses] Transport Scotland, 31 December 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2019.</ref>

[[Battery electric bus]]es first entered service with First Glasgow in the form of two [[BYD Auto|BYD]] [[Alexander Dennis Enviro200EV]] [[single-deck bus]]es in January 2020, purchased with funding from [[ScottishPower#Energy Networks|SP Energy Networks]] for service on [[M3 Milton–City Centre|route M3]].<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.--> |date=14 January 2020|title=First Glasgow unveils new electric buses for the City |url=https://cbwmagazine.com/first-glasgow-unveils-new-electric-buses-for-the-city/ |work=Coach & Bus Week |location=Peterborough |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Mehmet |first=Sam |date=13 January 2020 |title=First Bus rolls out first commercial e-buses in Glasgow since 1960s |url=https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/94633/first-glasgow-rolls-out-first-commercial-e-buses-in-glasgow-since-1960s/ |work=Intelligent Transport |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Cameron |first=Lucinda |date=10 January 2020 |title=Electric buses launched on commercial route in Glasgow for first time in over 50 years |url=https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/electric-buses-launched-commercial-route-17543476 |work=Glasgow Live |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> 22 more Enviro200EVs were later delivered to Caldeonia depot in November 2021, which were used as shuttle buses for the [[2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference]] being held in the city,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://cbwmagazine.com/first-glasgow-prepares-for-cop26-with-order-of-22-byd-adl-enviro200evs/ |title=First Glasgow prepares for COP26 with order of 22 BYD ADL Enviro200EVs |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |location=Peterborough |date=9 March 2021 |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://cbwmagazine.com/first-to-operate-cop26-delegate-shuttles/ |title=First to operate COP26 delegate shuttles |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |location=Peterborough |date=12 October 2021 |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> followed by a repeat order for 50 more in September 2022.<ref>{{cite web|last=Deakin |first=Tim |url=https://www.route-one.net/news/byd-adl-and-yutong-in-first-bus-scotland-74-ev-order/ |title=BYD ADL and Yutong in First Bus Scotland 74 EV order |work=routeone |date=22 September 2022 |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> Orders were also made for 91 [[Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV]] [[double-decker bus]]es alongside 35 more Enviro200EVs in March 2021, the first of which began to enter service from December 2021,<ref>{{cite news |last=Trimble |first=James |title=First Bus order 126 brand new vehicles from Camelon coach builder |date=31 March 2021 |url=https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/business/first-bus-order-126-brand-new-vehicles-from-camelon-coach-builder-3184987 |work=Falkirk Herald |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> and 50 Enviro200EVs began to be delivered to Scotstoun depot from June 2023.<ref name="ScotstounEVs">{{cite web|url=https://www.route-one.net/bus/first-glasgow-begins-further-growth-of-citys-electric-fleet/ |title=First Glasgow begins further growth of city's electric fleet |work=routeone |date=4 July 2023 |access-date=4 July 2023}}</ref>

First Glasgow aims to be an entirely zero-emission company by 2035, with over 30% of the fleet's buses being electric, and the vast majority of the remaining diesel buses being LEZ compliant. The company's Caledonia depot is the largest electric vehicle charging station in the United Kingdom, currently capable of charging 150 electric buses at once, with infrastructure work currently underway to expand this to a total of 350 charging points.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.route-one.net/news/first-glasgow-to-grow-ev-charging-at-caledonia-to-350-vehicles/ |title=First Glasgow to grow EV charging at Caledonia to 350 vehicles 74 EV order |work=routeone |date=22 September 2022 |accessdate=7 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.firstbus.co.uk/greater-glasgow/plan-journey/zero-emission-mission |title=Zero Emission Mission |website=FirstBus Greater Glasgow |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref> 27 dual-head charging units are also situated at Scotstoun depot.<ref name="ScotstounEVs" />

Thirty Enviro200EVs were temporarily withdrawn by First Glasgow in January 2025 in order to resolve "structural failures", with diesel and electric buses being loaned in from across the FirstGroup to replace the fleet.<ref>{{cite news |last1=White |first1=Ava |title=First Bus takes dozens of 'failure' buses off the road |url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/scottish-news/24840383.first-bus-takes-dozens-buses-off-roads-scotland/ |access-date=8 January 2025 |work=[[Glasgow Times]] |date=7 January 2025}}</ref> The majority of these were repaired and had reentered service by March 2025, although a number of the loaned buses stayed in the fleet. 

==Depots==
[[File:SO68HFT First Glasgow 34373 ADL Enviro400MMC.jpg|thumb|[[Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC]] at [[Buchanan bus station]] in September 2022]]
First Glasgow currently operates out of five depots:

* [[Glasgow]] (Caledonia, [[Gorbals]])<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-06-04|title=Bus depot bid to be UK's largest electric vehicle charging hub|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-57352972|access-date=2021-06-06}}</ref>
* [[Dumbarton]] (Birch Road)
* [[Glasgow]] (South Street, [[Scotstoun]])
* [[Hamilton, South Lanarkshire|Hamilton]] (Glasgow Road, [[Blantyre, South Lanarkshire|Blantyre]])
* [[Overtown, North Lanarkshire|Overtown]] (Castlehill Road)

In May 2013, the [[Cumbernauld]] depot closed with staff, buses and services transferred to Larkfield, Parkhead and Blantyre depots.

The Larkfield depot in Glasgow's [[Govanhill]]<ref>[https://www.donaldstirling.me.uk/FirstBuses/First-Larkfield-Depot/ First Larkfield Depot], 'For all the photos nobody else was daft enough to take', 28 February 2010</ref> closed on 18 October 2014,<ref name=depotsite>[https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/15826168.amp/ Plans for homes on former Larkfield bus depot site in Govanhill {{sic|off|cially|nolink=y}} submitted], Evening Times, 13 January 2018</ref> with all staff, buses and services moving to a new purpose-built facility on the site of the former Gushetfaulds railfreight terminal on nearby Cathcart Road.<ref>{{cite web|title=First's new £20m Glasgow depot|url=http://www.busandcoachbuyer.com/firsts-new-20m-glasgow-depot/|publisher=Bus and Coach Buyer|access-date=13 February 2014|date=2014-02-07}}</ref> The new depot and head office, known as Caledonia Depot, opened on 14 October 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/glasgow/travel_news/news_initiatives/?item=22191&conf=0|title = We've moved|date = 2014-10-14|access-date = 2014-10-16|publisher = First Glasgow }}</ref> It was officially opened by [[First Minister of Scotland]] [[Nicola Sturgeon]] on 12 December that year.<ref>[http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/news/012231/ First Minister Opens UK's Biggest Bus Depot in Glasgow]{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} First Group 12 December 2014</ref><ref>[https://www.janusarchitecture.co.uk/news/caledonia-depot-opening First Minister Nicola Sturgeon Opens New Caledonia Bus Depot] Janus Architecture, 12 December 2014</ref>

In January 2016, the [[Parkhead]] depot closed after 93 years of operation, and services and drivers transferred to the new Caledonia Depot on Cathcart Road.<ref>[https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/13799759.first-glasgow-to-shut-parkhead-depot-after-93-years/ First Glasgow to shut Parkhead depot after 93 years], Evening Times, 2 October 2015</ref><ref>[https://reglasgow.com/all-aboard-for-major-housing-development-at-parkhead-bus-depot-site/ All Aboard For Major Housing Development At Parkhead Bus Depot Site], reGlasgow, 30 August 2019</ref>

==Fares==
First Glasgow operates an "exact fare" payment policy which was also used by predecessors [[SPTE|Trans Clyde]] and [[Strathclyde Buses]]. In 2022, First Glasgow introduced a contactless card payment system known as Tap On Tap Off<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.firstbus.co.uk/greater-glasgow/tickets/tap-tap | title=Tap on, Tap off &#124; First Bus }}</ref> which is compatible with [[Apple Pay]], [[Google Pay (payment method)|Google Pay]] and [[Samsung Pay]] as well as contactless payment cards. Customers can also buy various tickets such as 5 single journeys, 10 single journeys, day, weekly, monthly through First's official app.<ref>[https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/29887/contactless-payments-all-first-glasgow-buses/ Contactless payments come to all First Glasgow buses], Intelligent Transport, 7 November 2017</ref>

First Glasgow is also a partner in ''Glasgow Tripper'', an unlimited day pass which can also be used on [[McGill's Bus Services|McGill's]], [[Stagecoach West Scotland|Stagecoach]] within the Glasgow area, [[Glasgow Citybus]] and Whitelaw's.<ref>[https://glasgowtripper.co.uk/news/27-glasgow-tripper-media-release/ Glasgow Tripper Media Release], Glasgow Tripper, 5 November 2017</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline}}
*[https://www.firstbus.co.uk/greater-glasgow Company website]

{{Transport in Glasgow}}
{{Bus operators in Scotland}}
{{FirstGroup}}

[[Category:Bus operators in Scotland]]
[[Category:FirstGroup companies]]
[[Category:Transport in East Renfrewshire]]
[[Category:Transport in Glasgow]]
[[Category:1998 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1998]]