Future of the ‘Big Three’
Future of the ‘Big Three’
Megabus is now majority owned ComfortDelGro, with SocttishCityLink and some other coach operations. National Express coaches shouldn't change in terms of outsourcing, but the fine detail is to come.
Arriva have been on the market for three years, DB want rid of all of it, Bus, Trains the whole shooting match. The big problem is valuation. While it may look like an attractive proposition to Transdev in enthusiast eyes, it isn't. The fleet is ageing and needs massive investment, very possibly more in £s than the actual worth of the shares. Running a company down to the bone is never a good way of selling, despite that being ever so often the case.
First have given up hopes of selling the British bus operation, they made a huge loss in America, they are probably not in a strong enough financial situation to make a bid for a company as big as Go Ahead, and what value to Go Ahead is a merger? Outside of London their operations have been hugely impacted by Covid and pressure over various ULEZ'.
