WebberBus ceases trading

[whole diary]

[TheLastMinute]

WebberBus, the second largest bus operator in Somerset, has ceased operating as of today. Rumor on twitter that their bankers got a winding up order form the courts this morning.

Somerset County Council are working to replace services operated by WebberBus, including school transport, with other operators.

Important bus service information
12 May 2016 by Mark Ford in Latest information, Uncategorized

Please be aware that we have been informed that one of the main bus companies in Somerset has ceased to operate today (Thursday 12 May), affecting a number of services.

We have responded immediately to this difficult situation and our staff are working hard to arrange for other operators to pick up these services where possible.

We are confident that all services taking students to schools and colleges will be covered by replacement services from tomorrow morning.

There should also be cover for the public routes where there are no other reasonable alternatives. On routes already covered by other operators, they will be doing their best to fill the gaps.

Below is a list of the affected Webberbus services, and replacements where they have been arranged. We will keep this page updated as replacement services are added or changed.

We apologise for the disruption that this has caused.

Public Service Routes   

10	Minehead – Porlock	First are providing a replacement service.
12/15	Wellington – Taunton – Bridgwater	Use First services 21/21A/22/22A, extra capacity will be provided where necessary
16/24	Minehead – Bridgwater	Please see First service 15 for Minehead/Carhampton/Williton/Watchet/Nether Stowey to Bridgwater College. First service 14 and X14 operates between Bridgwater and Cannington.
18	Minehead – Taunton	Use First service 28, extra capacity will be provided where necessary
19	Bridgwater – Street	First will replace journeys previously operated by WebberBus
26	Wells – Weston-super-Mare	Use First service 126, additional capacity will be provided for Easton to Wells Blue School journeys
27	Creech – Taunton	Use First service 29
34	Yeovil – Bridgwater	Hatch Green service 16 is available
37 / 375	Bridgwater – Street – Wells	First will reinstate service 375 and provide additional capacity where necessary
38	Taunton – Street – Wells	Use First service 55
62/66	Weston/Axbridge – Bridgwater College	First will provide these services
67	Wells – Burnham-on-Sea	First will provide replacement service
75	Weston – Burnham – Bridgwater	Use First routes 20/21/21A, additional capacity provided where necessary
76	Weston – Burnham	Use First service 20
101	Minehead Town Service	First will provide this service
623	Wellington – Bridgwater College	First will provide replacement service
--	Bridgwater Town Services	First will provide replacement services
--	Taunton Town Services	Use existing First Taunton Town services

School Routes

Route Number	School	Replacement operator or route number
C559D	Haygrove	Bakers Dolphin
C510A	Robert Blake Science College	First
C511J	Robert Blake Science College	Bakers Dolphin
C567D	Chilton Trinity	Coombs
C524A	Chilton Trinity	Crosville
C504A	Bridgwater College Academy and Kingsmoor	First
C015B	Catcott Primary	Fairview
C535G	Haygrove	Bakers Dolphin
WB26	The Blue School	First
WB16 (pm only)	Danesfield	A number of solutions have been put in place for individual pupils – parents are being informed.  The morning services are all unaffected.

[TaplowGreen]

Sounds like the wheels have fallen off.......

[TheLastMinute]

Obviously really bad news for the drivers and staff of WebberBus. Best wishes to every affected and hopefully Buses of Somerset will step in and offer jobs to a lot of those affected, much as First Kernow did with Western Greyhound last year.

However the plus other side, I understand from another forum that most of Webberbus' commercial services were simply duplications of existing First & Buses of Somerset routes which should be replaced fairly easily and everything else will be taken care of by the council.

[trainer]

Only last Saturday I was driving around Somerset and noticed the obvious aggressive competition of the two companies running lightly loaded vehicles around the rural roads a few minutes apart from each other (not even well spaced to give a decent service over the day).  Webbers tended to be in front, ...but it seems they haven't come first.

[LiskeardRich]

From contacts in the know, lloyds called in a 1.4m debt, wasn't satisfied so they got a winding up petition today.
Webber bus were trying to drive out First, except First had the more sustainable operation.
Webberbus were using nearly new, expensive leased vehicles, and undercutting First prices. First were generally using old near end of life vehicles.

First have taken a number of Webberbus vehicles on short term lease from the lease company to allow them to operate some additional services. At least 4 webberbus Streetlites  were present this evening in First Bridgewater depot.
Also reported First have taken on a number of Webberbus drivers to allow them to operate additional services tomorrow.

[JayMac]

I believe I predicted this demise on this forum in the last year or so.

Webberbus expanded too quickly into scheduled bus services and were too aggressive in their route choices. Deciding to go head to head on Taunton town services was the last mistake.

Webberbus should have built up the business more cautiously, going for routes that First had already walked away from.

Losing the Somerset County Council tendered Taunton Park&Ride contract was also a big blow to Webberbus.

Had Webberbus grown more organically, rather than agressively, they could probably have survived long enough to become an attractive company for merger or take-over.

I do think there's room in the market for two large operators to survive in Somerset. But not by trying to compete directly on routes.

[JayMac]

By all accounts Buses of Somerset and the wider First Bus have pulled out all the stops overnight to cover as much of the Webberbus commercial operation (where they weren't directly competing) as possible.

First branded buses have been drafted in from across the West and are appearing on Webberbus numbered routes with Webberbus drivers this morning.

I've not heard how Somerset County Council got on arranging cover for school/college contracts.

[grahame]

Comment - https://www.facebook.com/groups/option247/permalink/268108630206377/

The collapse of Webberbus of Bridgwater (Somerset) - announced yesterday - appears to highlight the dangers of bus competition ...

[grahame]

From the Western Daily Press

WebberBus has folded at short notice, leaving a huge hole in the county's public transport network.

The family-run bus company, based in Bridgwater, ceased to operate this morning "due to financial difficulties".

It is believed that the company was more than ^1m in debt. Dozens of staff, including drivers, workshop and admin workers face an uncertain future as efforts are made by FirstBus and Buses of Somerset to fill the gaps.

Many drivers did not know the company had folded as they completed yesterday's journeys.

Surely there's a better way to organise bus services?

[chuffed]

I cannot help thinking that this should be a warning shot across the bows for Crosville, especially as they have so much riding on a Hinkley Point go-ahead from EDF. I gather they have already invested in a huge number of vehicles in the expectation that Hinkley C will happen.

[simonw]

Yes, but the demise of Webber Bus must help them

[TheLastMinute]

Oh dear. Another snap in the face for the former employees and customers of WebberBus.

Collapse of Webberbus being investigated by police after 'allegation of financial irregularity'
By Laura Linham, Central Somerset Gazette
Posted: May 31, 2016

A CRIMINAL investigation has been launched by Somerset police over 'financial irregularities' involving the collapse of Somerset's second biggest bus operator.

The probe centres on Webberbus, which collapsed at short notice in May this year, citing 'financial difficulties'. The company, which had been operating for more than 50 years, was believed to have been almost ^1.5m in debt.

A police spokesman said it was "very early days" in the investigation and no arrests had been made.

"An allegation of financial irregularity involving a transport company has been reported to our economic crime team, who are looking into the matter," he confirmed.

The irregularities are believed to centre on the amount of money the company was claiming for concessionary fare passenger numbers, although council chiefs are remaining tight-lipped about the focus of the investigation.

Councillor David Fothergill, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: "We cannot give any detail, but I can say that following Webberbus ceasing to operate we have referred a case to the Police. I can also confirm that no member of county council staff has been investigated or implicated in this case.

"We cannot comment any further but will help with the investigation as required."

After Webberbus collapsed, 120 staff including drivers, workshop and admin workers lost their jobs, and other bus companies were drafted in to help plug the gaps in the transport network.

The company held contracts to run transport for six schools, four colleges and more than a dozen public routes including services in Bridgwater, Street, Glastonbury, Wells, Cheddar, Minehead and Taunton. It also operated a coach hire business.

Business recovery firm Begbies Traynor has been appointed to manage the affairs.

Partner Neil Vinnicombe: "We are working with the directors to maximise the recovery for creditors and assist employees through the redundancy process."

First has taken up all the routes where it was not providing buses, many of which it had previously abandoned due to low patronage, and has been honouring all Webberbus tickets until their expiry dates.

Calls and emails to Webberbus were not returned.

TLM

[Chris from Nailsea]

By Laura Linham, Central Somerset Gazette
...
Calls and emails to Webberbus were not returned.

What I find remarkable is that any journalist apparently found it necessary to record that astonishing snippet in their report. 

[ellendune]

By Laura Linham, Central Somerset Gazette
...
Calls and emails to Webberbus were not returned.

What I find remarkable is that any journalist apparently found it necessary to record that astonishing snippet in their report. 

I don't find it remarkable at all.  It is quite an important statement.  It means they were given a right of reply and did not take it. 

[LiskeardRich]

I wouldn't expect a response if they've closed and being care of the administrator. Probably nobody left manning the Webber bus office,