NBC's French venture
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by Noel Millier
VOYAGE National, the National Bus Company's French coaching venture, has become fully operational with the opening of garage and office facilities in Lille in Northern France.
The new company is 70 per cent owned by NBC and 30
per cent French-owned. At present it has a fleet of six coaches and 14 staff.
The fleet includes three Setra Imperial double-deckers and three Jonckheere P50-bodied Volvo BlOM singledeckers.
All of the left-hand drive French registered vehicles are fitted with videos, toilets, serveries and air-conditioning.
The company envisages that the fleet will expand as business develops. A spokesman did not discount the possibility of British-built vehicles joining the fleet, but said all vehicle decisions would be taken on commercial grounds.
Voyage National is based in a former hangar on the perimeter of Lille's Lesquin airport. It is managed by Tony Davies, a Yorkshireman previously with Sheffield United Tours and National Travel East. He speaks fluent French.
Five of Voyage National's team of coach drivers are British and have been recruited from other NBC subsidiaries.
Voyage National plans to provide improved and more competitive facilities for operators offering shuttl,: coach/air or coach/sea services to European destinations.
It also intends to develop its own coaching business in Northern France where it is currently the only operator able to provide double-deck coaches.
The new company will improve back-up services for coaches from other NBC subsidiaires operating in Europe.
Its operating base at Lille is well-placed for French and Belgian motorway networks and connections with the high-speed French TGV rail network.
Lille airport is also wellplaced to handle coach/air holidays via British airports such as Southend and Carlisle.
The operation is part of the National Products division of NBC under the chairmanship of Derek Fytchc.