Rotala PLC buy out South Lancs Travel

On the 2nd March Rotala PLC Completed the Deal to buy South Lancs Travel for £900,000, They also paid £368,000 to Green Triangle Buses Bankers to settle the Outstanding Overdraft

M222 SLT on route 683

South Lancs Travel run out of a Depot in Atherton in Greater Manchester and run both Commercial and Tendered Services in Wigan, Leigh, Bolton, The Trafford Centre and St Helens with a Fleet Strength of 43.

M99 SLT in the Depot

Just before the Deal Alexander Dennis Enviro 200s SL64 JGF, SL64 JGO, SL64 JGU and SL64 JGV Left the Fleet for D&G of Crewe who where South Lancs Travel's Parent Company. In their Place came Scania Omnicitys YN04 GMU, YN04 GMV and YN04 GMX. This is not the first time these Omnicitys have saw Service with South Lancs Travel.

M44 SLT on route 715

Later in the year South Lancs Travel will be Re-Branded Diamond Bus North West and will be repainted into Diamond Bus Livery.

Buses from both Diamond Bus in Birmingham and Preston Bus have been Cascaded to South Lancs Travel for Fleet Replacements, This includes:

Diamond Bus:
Optare Solo SF54 ORK
Optare Solo YJ54 BUO
Optare Solo YJ56 AUH
Optate Solo YJ56 AUG
Wright Streetlite BV63 OEW

Preston Bus:
Scania Esteem PO56 JDX
Optare Solo YJ11 EKW

With the new Fleet additions This has left some of South Lancs Travels older Fleet being Withdrawn, Already gone for Scrap is Wright Axcess Flolines T374 JWA and W397 PRC, Also gone for Scrap is Dennis Dart's W55 SLT and EK51 XXO, The latter was withdrawn in Strawberry Days.