Rosso (bus company)

Rosso

Wright Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE in Haslingden in May 2011
Parent Rossendale Borough Council
Founded 1907
Headquarters Haslingden
Service area Greater Manchester
Lancashire
West Yorkshire
Service type Bus services
Fleet 109 (May 2014)
Chief executive Phil Smith
Website www.rossobus.com

Rosso[1] is the trading name of Rossendale Transport Ltd, a bus operator providing services in Greater Manchester, Lancashire and West Yorkshire. It is owned by Rossendale Borough Council.

History

Optare Solo in Bury in June 2008
East Lancs Spryte bodied Dennis Dart SLF in Rawtenstall in September 2008

Rosso can trace its history back to 1907 when both Rawtenstall and Haslingden Corporations (both independently) ran a motor bus within their boroughs. Both undertakings merged in 1968 to form Rossendale Joint Transport Committee and later in 1974 with the local government reorganisation the boroughs were merged, along with Bacup (which was already served by Rossendale buses; Bacup Borough not having its own bus company) and Whitworth to form the present Borough of Rossendale.

To comply with the Transport Act 1985, in 1986 the assets were transferred to a new legal entity.[1]

It expanded over the following 20 years and now operates buses throughout Rossendale, Bury and Rochdale as well as operating into Burnley, Blackburn, Bolton and Todmorden.

In August 2013, the Rossendale Transport bus network was rebranded (with a new livery design of red, orange, yellow and white) as Rosso.[2]

Services

Rosso operates services within the Borough of Rossendale (including the towns of Rawtenstall, Bacup, Whitworth and Haslingden) and into surrounding areas, including Rochdale, Bury, Burnley, Accrington, Blackburn and Todmorden. The network of services is branded as Rosso with vehicles and publicity carrying this name.[3]

Depots

Rosso's main depot and office facilities are in Haslingden that replaced the previous Bacup Road depot in Rawtenstall in September 2008.[4]

The company also operates from a depot on Corporation Road, Rochdale which was established in September 1990 to support new routes introduced in the town following bus deregulation.[5] The site is on the western outskirts of the town centre, located next to the River Roch. Around 40 vehicles are based there.

Fleet

As at May 2014, the fleet consisted of 109 buses.[6]

References

Bibliography

Media related to Rosso at Wikimedia Commons

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