Southern Vectis

Southern Vectis

The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited is the dominant bus operator on the Isle of Wight. It was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 and is a part of the company's Go South Coast division. The firm employs 299 staff, with 105 single-deck, double-deck and open-top buses and coaches. All operations use a central depot in Newport and a number of much smaller outstations located around the Island.

April 2006 saw a simplified network and timetable, a rebranding of the company and a new livery of two shades of green. Subsidised fares were introduced in line with Government reforms to encourage more people to use the buses. In May 2006, Southern Vectis reported a 16% rise in passengers from May 2005.

The company runs 13 regular routes covering most of the island. School services are in place on designated routes run on a contract from the Isle of Wight Council,. Timetables are updated twice a year, sometimes more often, with a winter and summer timetable. The summer timetable includes open-top tours to cater for tourists.