Cooke & Arkwright
News
Strategic move
29/10/09
Veolia Transport Cymru has opened a transport depot at Llandow Trading Estate in the Vale of Glamorgan to house its fleet of buses and coaches that service contract routes throughout the area around Cardiff and the Vale. Llandow is increasingly being viewed as a strategically important location in light of the recent decision by the Vale of Glamorgan council to approve the planning application for a military training academy in St Athan, which could train 25,000 students a year and create 5,000 jobs.
Veolia Transport will be operating a fleet of 25 vehicles from its Llandow base which was chosen for its geographical position and proximity to Cardiff Airport, for which Veolia operates a number of services. Approximately 30 staff are employed at the site, with a variety of both full and part time employees providing transportation primarily within the Vale and surrounding areas.
The company offers bus services, works and contract services, coach charter and private hire from Llandow and other South Wales locations. Richard Hall, Operations Director at Veolia said, “Our acquisition of the Llandow site serves to strengthen our commitment and position in the local market place. The premises have undergone some refurbishment and investment since we took over the lease of the site, principally in the workshop areas.”
Jeremy Symons of Cooke & Arkwright, joint agents with HRT who acted on behalf of the landlord, Robert Thomas Investments on the deal said, “Llandow Trading Estate is situated on a key access route to St Athan, which means that firms based here will be well placed to take advantage of the business the college is expected to generate. I understand that companies responsible for running the college have already started advertising for jobs at the site.”
A spokesperson for the directors and shareholder of Llandow Trading Estate Ltd commented, “Now that planning permission has been granted for the military academy we can begin to envisage the exciting new developments that it will bring. We very much welcome enquiries for space from other forward looking organisations that plan to provide goods and services to the college.”
Veolia Transport is a worldwide company that entered the UK market in 2005, when it made its first acquisition in South Wales purchasing BEBB Travel of Llantwit Fardre. The company now operates around the UK from 17 different locations, employing over 1,600 people with a fleet of more than 600 vehicles. Veolia Transport Cymru is the amalgamation of several bus and coach businesses that have been acquired by Veolia Transport over the last few years, including BEBB Travel, Pullman Coaches and Shamrock Travel.
Pictured l to r: Richard Hall, Veolia; Jeremy Symons, Cooke & Arkwright; James Mordecai, HRT