Edwards Coaches

Setra S 415 HD in October 2008

Service 400 (Beddau to Cardiff via Tonteg and A470)

In 1925 Edwards Coaches was founded by George Edwards.[2] Over recent years, the company has expanded by acquiring several smaller local firms. Today, their fleet consists mainly of single decker coaches used for holiday tours and private hire but they also have a number of double-decker buses primarily for school contracts and park and ride services. Edwards Coaches carry around 7,100 students to school every day and around 80,000 customers on holidays each year. A small fleet of service buses is maintained to operate a group of local bus services.[3]

On 7 January 2011, Swansea based coach holiday operator Diamond Coach Holidays went into administration.[4] In the week after Diamond collapsed, Edwards took over £1m in holiday bookings (many of these from ex Diamond customers). On 25 January 2011, after talks with administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers, Edwards Coaches agreed to buy the firm becoming the largest coach holiday operator in Wales[5] In 2016, as Silcox Coaches of Pembroke Dock were going out of business, Edwards took over their school contracts and some of their bus services.[6] The local bus services however did not last long and have since been retendered.

During the 2021 Go North West strike, Edwards Coaches was one of a number of bus operators who provided vehicles and drivers to operate services on behalf of Go North West along with Selwyns Travel and Midland Classic.[7]

Edwards Coaches are a National Express contractor and as of June 2019 operate services on routes:[8]

• 040 Bristol – London
• 041 Bristol – Bath – Chippenham – London (Fri/Sun only, via Heathrow on return journey)
• 200 Bristol – Reading – Heathrow – Gatwick
• 201 Swansea – Cardiff – Newport – Bristol (some journeys) – Reading – Heathrow – Gatwick – Brighton
• 202 Swansea – Cardiff – Newport – Bristol – Heathrow Airport
• 216 Cardiff – Newport – Bristol Airport
• 302 Bristol – Bath – Chippenham – Swindon – Oxford – Northampton
• 320 Cardiff – Newport – Worcester – Birmingham – Derby – Chesterfield – Sheffield – Leeds – Bradford
• 321 Birmingham – Derby – Sheffield – Leeds – Bradford
• 330 Penzance – Camborne – Newquay – Plymouth – Bristol – Worcester – Birmingham – Leicester – Loughborough – Nottingham
• 337 Paignton – Dawlish – Exeter – Taunton – Bristol – Gloucester – Cheltenham – Stratford-upon-Avon – Warwick – Leamington Spa – Coventry – Rugby
• 339 Westward Ho! – Bideford – Barnstaple – Tiverton – Taunton – Bridgwater – Bristol – Cheltenham – Birmingham – Leicester – Lincoln – Newark – Grimsby
• 345 Cardiff – Newport – Bristol – Birmingham
• 401 Stroud – Cirencester – Swindon – Heathrow – London
• 402 Frome – Trowbridge – Melksham – Devizes – Marlborough – Hungerford – Newbury – Heathrow – London
• 403 Street – Wells – Shepton Mallet – Bath – Corsham – Chippenham – Heathrow – London
• 502 Ilfracombe or Westward Ho! or Bideford – Barnstaple – Tiverton – Taunton – Bridgwater – Heathrow – London
• 507 Swansea – Cardiff – London
• 508 Haverfordwest – Pembroke – Carmarthen – Swansea – Cardiff – Reading – London
• 509 Cardiff – Newport – London
• 510 Cardiff – Newport – London (Fri/Sun only, via Heathrow on return journey)
• 528 Haverfordwest – Pembroke – Carmarthen – Swansea – Cardiff – Birmingham – Stoke-on-Trent – Manchester – Rochdale
• 672 Swansea – Cardiff – Newport – Bristol – Minehead Butlins (Summer time only)

From May 2017, Edwards commenced operating more National Express services previously operated by South Gloucestershire Bus & Coach from a new depot in Avonmouth.[9][10][11]

As at October 2014, the fleet consisted of 225 buses and coaches.[12]

• Media related to Edwards Coaches at Wikimedia Commons
• Company website