History
See also: Dundee Corporation TramwaysThe company has its origins in the Dundee and District Tramways Company, which commenced horse tram operations on 30 August 1877. Steam traction was adopted in 1885. On 1 June 1899 the company was compulsorily acquired by the local municipality to become Dundee City Tramways. The system was electrified between 1900 and 1902.
From 1922 motor buses began to be operated in addition to the trams. The tram system continued to be extended until 1933, but was finally abandoned on 21 October 1956. Buses replaced the trams, and the department changed its name to Dundee Corporation Transport.
Local government reorganisation meant that the bus operation passed to Tayside Regional Council from 16 May 1975. In spite of the change of name, the council's bus operations were confined to the Dundee area. The livery was changed from green to dark blue, light blue and white.
In preparation for the introduction of bus deregulation in October 1986, an "arms-length" company was formed in the previous year: Tayside Public Transport Company Ltd, which used the fleetname "Tayside Buses". The livery was changed to blue and cream. In 1991 it was bought out by employees, led by chairman and chief executive Sandy Strachan and in February 1997 the company was sold to the National Express Group, by then chairman and chief executive Jack Henry. The company became Travel Dundee. The livery changed again, this time to blue, red and white.
Travel Dundee has been a contractor for Scottish Citylink form many years. However, shortly after the formation of a joint venture between Citylink and Stagecoach on 28 November 2005, Travel Dundee's services were stopped. They were reinstated at short notice from 9 January 2006 when extra journeys were added to Service M91 from Perth Bus Station direct to Edinburgh. In May 2006, they started operating journeys on the M90 Service (Perth bus station - Kinross - Dunfermline - Edinburgh). Citylink work ended for the third time in September 2008, as part of a review of coaching activities by management of the day.
Read more about this topic: National Express Dundee
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