Merediths Coaches chases growth under First Bus with new depot.

The operating hub improves access to the major Chester market while also expanding into Liverpool and the Wirral.

Merediths Coaches, a First Bus affiliate, is expanding into private hire, contract services, and home-to-school transport after opening a new depot for 15 vehicles in Tarvin in Cheshire.

Merediths has been a member of the Lakeside Group since 2020. Lakeside was acquired by FirstGroup in 2024. Merediths has a fleet of 25 coaches and another depot in its original home of Malpas, some 18 miles to the south.

The location near Tarvin, eight miles from Chester, will boost Merediths’ ability “to serve customers across Cheshire and the wider north-west region,” according to First Bus. The company already provides private hiring and home-to-school services throughout the county.

The addition of a more northerly facility reflects an increasing share of Merediths’ activity in the Chester area “and will enable the business to operate more efficiently while supporting further growth.” It also opens up new areas, as mentioned by First Bus, including Liverpool and Wirral, as well as Greater Manchester.

According to the O-Licence Check service, the authorisation capturing the Merediths activity currently covers 25 vehicles. Tarvin has 15 permits, whereas Malpas has 25.

First Bus highlights how Merediths benefits from the group’s size, investment, and operational knowledge. Since the Lakeside acquisition, FirstGroup has purchased multiple coach operators. Hills Coaches of Wolverhampton and Eagle Coaches of Bristol are among those that have committed to 2026.

Lakeside Group Managing Director Neal Hall comments on the new Tarvin depot: “Merediths has served customers in Cheshire and the surrounding counties for many decades, so opening a new base closer to Chester is a natural step as the business grows.”

Andrew Jarvis, First Bus’s Managing Director for Business and Coach, adding that Merediths Coaches is “a well-respected operator with deep roots in the local community.”

This investment demonstrates our belief in the company and our commitment to supporting its continued expansion while upholding the high standards for which it is known.”

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