Future of the ‘Big Three’
Future of the ‘Big Three’
Opinions and predictions please!
Stagecoach: the first of the big three to show their hand with the planned merger with, or take over by (depends on your point of view) National Express. Will this development have any effect on local Stagecoach services? One consequence of this will be the National Express contracts once ran by GNE. Will these now be ran by Stagecoach? What will happen to the Megabus services ran out of the northeast Stagecoach depots? The pandemic surely pushed NX into expanding their reach into local bus services, these at least had government support, whereas the coaching business didn’t get anything like that sort of help.
Arriva: obvious that DB are desperate to divest themselves of Arriva UK Bus. They’ve recently closed their company pension scheme, which to me is to make the company as a whole a more attractive proposition to any potential buyer. Was Trandevs acquisition of Yorkshire Tiger a precursor to a full or partial takeover of the business? Or are there other potential buyers on the horizon?
GNE: until recently probably seen as the most secure of the big 3. However, the pandemic has played havoc with any plans they had two years ago and it is almost a reset. There’s also the small problem that the Go Ahead Group currently has regarding their rail franchises, share trading has been suspended in the last couple of days. It was recently reported that the First Group, having sold operations in North America, we’re looking to refocus on their UK bus operations and that Go Ahead were on their radar, how likely is this?
It has been reported that the ‘levelling up’ agenda and the possibility of more investment in bus services and public transport (think BSIP) may make bus companies more attractive investments than they have been for many years, or is that just pie in the sky?
(06 Jan 2022, 2:49 am)Bazza Opinions and predictions please!Hasn't Megabus been sold as part of the merger, I remember seeing something about that.
Stagecoach: the first of the big three to show their hand with the planned merger with, or take over by (depends on your point of view) National Express. Will this development have any effect on local Stagecoach services? One consequence of this will be the National Express contracts once ran by GNE. Will these now be ran by Stagecoach? What will happen to the Megabus services ran out of the northeast Stagecoach depots? The pandemic surely pushed NX into expanding their reach into local bus services, these at least had government support, whereas the coaching business didn’t get anything like that sort of help.
Arriva: obvious that DB are desperate to divest themselves of Arriva UK Bus. They’ve recently closed their company pension scheme, which to me is to make the company as a whole a more attractive proposition to any potential buyer. Was Trandevs acquisition of Yorkshire Tiger a precursor to a full or partial takeover of the business? Or are there other potential buyers on the horizon?
GNE: until recently probably seen as the most secure of the big 3. However, the pandemic has played havoc with any plans they had two years ago and it is almost a reset. There’s also the small problem that the Go Ahead Group currently has regarding their rail franchises, share trading has been suspended in the last couple of days. It was recently reported that the First Group, having sold operations in North America, we’re looking to refocus on their UK bus operations and that Go Ahead were on their radar, how likely is this?
It has been reported that the ‘levelling up’ agenda and the possibility of more investment in bus services and public transport (think BSIP) may make bus companies more attractive investments than they have been for many years, or is that just pie in the sky?
(06 Jan 2022, 2:49 am)Bazza Opinions and predictions please!Hasn't Megabus been sold as part of the merger, I remember seeing something about that.
Stagecoach: the first of the big three to show their hand with the planned merger with, or take over by (depends on your point of view) National Express. Will this development have any effect on local Stagecoach services? One consequence of this will be the National Express contracts once ran by GNE. Will these now be ran by Stagecoach? What will happen to the Megabus services ran out of the northeast Stagecoach depots? The pandemic surely pushed NX into expanding their reach into local bus services, these at least had government support, whereas the coaching business didn’t get anything like that sort of help.
Arriva: obvious that DB are desperate to divest themselves of Arriva UK Bus. They’ve recently closed their company pension scheme, which to me is to make the company as a whole a more attractive proposition to any potential buyer. Was Trandevs acquisition of Yorkshire Tiger a precursor to a full or partial takeover of the business? Or are there other potential buyers on the horizon?
GNE: until recently probably seen as the most secure of the big 3. However, the pandemic has played havoc with any plans they had two years ago and it is almost a reset. There’s also the small problem that the Go Ahead Group currently has regarding their rail franchises, share trading has been suspended in the last couple of days. It was recently reported that the First Group, having sold operations in North America, we’re looking to refocus on their UK bus operations and that Go Ahead were on their radar, how likely is this?
It has been reported that the ‘levelling up’ agenda and the possibility of more investment in bus services and public transport (think BSIP) may make bus companies more attractive investments than they have been for many years, or is that just pie in the sky?
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'.
(06 Jan 2022, 2:49 am)Bazza Opinions and predictions please!
Stagecoach: the first of the big three to show their hand with the planned merger with, or take over by (depends on your point of view) National Express. Will this development have any effect on local Stagecoach services? One consequence of this will be the National Express contracts once ran by GNE. Will these now be ran by Stagecoach? What will happen to the Megabus services ran out of the northeast Stagecoach depots? The pandemic surely pushed NX into expanding their reach into local bus services, these at least had government support, whereas the coaching business didn’t get anything like that sort of help.
Arriva: obvious that DB are desperate to divest themselves of Arriva UK Bus. They’ve recently closed their company pension scheme, which to me is to make the company as a whole a more attractive proposition to any potential buyer. Was Trandevs acquisition of Yorkshire Tiger a precursor to a full or partial takeover of the business? Or are there other potential buyers on the horizon?
GNE: until recently probably seen as the most secure of the big 3. However, the pandemic has played havoc with any plans they had two years ago and it is almost a reset. There’s also the small problem that the Go Ahead Group currently has regarding their rail franchises, share trading has been suspended in the last couple of days. It was recently reported that the First Group, having sold operations in North America, we’re looking to refocus on their UK bus operations and that Go Ahead were on their radar, how likely is this?
It has been reported that the ‘levelling up’ agenda and the possibility of more investment in bus services and public transport (think BSIP) may make bus companies more attractive investments than they have been for many years, or is that just pie in the sky?
(06 Jan 2022, 2:49 am)Bazza Opinions and predictions please!
Stagecoach: the first of the big three to show their hand with the planned merger with, or take over by (depends on your point of view) National Express. Will this development have any effect on local Stagecoach services? One consequence of this will be the National Express contracts once ran by GNE. Will these now be ran by Stagecoach? What will happen to the Megabus services ran out of the northeast Stagecoach depots? The pandemic surely pushed NX into expanding their reach into local bus services, these at least had government support, whereas the coaching business didn’t get anything like that sort of help.
Arriva: obvious that DB are desperate to divest themselves of Arriva UK Bus. They’ve recently closed their company pension scheme, which to me is to make the company as a whole a more attractive proposition to any potential buyer. Was Trandevs acquisition of Yorkshire Tiger a precursor to a full or partial takeover of the business? Or are there other potential buyers on the horizon?
GNE: until recently probably seen as the most secure of the big 3. However, the pandemic has played havoc with any plans they had two years ago and it is almost a reset. There’s also the small problem that the Go Ahead Group currently has regarding their rail franchises, share trading has been suspended in the last couple of days. It was recently reported that the First Group, having sold operations in North America, we’re looking to refocus on their UK bus operations and that Go Ahead were on their radar, how likely is this?
It has been reported that the ‘levelling up’ agenda and the possibility of more investment in bus services and public transport (think BSIP) may make bus companies more attractive investments than they have been for many years, or is that just pie in the sky?
(06 Jan 2022, 2:49 am)Bazza Opinions and predictions please!
Stagecoach: the first of the big three to show their hand with the planned merger with, or take over by (depends on your point of view) National Express. Will this development have any effect on local Stagecoach services? One consequence of this will be the National Express contracts once ran by GNE. Will these now be ran by Stagecoach? What will happen to the Megabus services ran out of the northeast Stagecoach depots? The pandemic surely pushed NX into expanding their reach into local bus services, these at least had government support, whereas the coaching business didn’t get anything like that sort of help.
Arriva: obvious that DB are desperate to divest themselves of Arriva UK Bus. They’ve recently closed their company pension scheme, which to me is to make the company as a whole a more attractive proposition to any potential buyer. Was Trandevs acquisition of Yorkshire Tiger a precursor to a full or partial takeover of the business? Or are there other potential buyers on the horizon?
GNE: until recently probably seen as the most secure of the big 3. However, the pandemic has played havoc with any plans they had two years ago and it is almost a reset. There’s also the small problem that the Go Ahead Group currently has regarding their rail franchises, share trading has been suspended in the last couple of days. It was recently reported that the First Group, having sold operations in North America, we’re looking to refocus on their UK bus operations and that Go Ahead were on their radar, how likely is this?
It has been reported that the ‘levelling up’ agenda and the possibility of more investment in bus services and public transport (think BSIP) may make bus companies more attractive investments than they have been for many years, or is that just pie in the sky?
(06 Jan 2022, 2:49 am)Bazza Opinions and predictions please!
Stagecoach: the first of the big three to show their hand with the planned merger with, or take over by (depends on your point of view) National Express. Will this development have any effect on local Stagecoach services? One consequence of this will be the National Express contracts once ran by GNE. Will these now be ran by Stagecoach? What will happen to the Megabus services ran out of the northeast Stagecoach depots? The pandemic surely pushed NX into expanding their reach into local bus services, these at least had government support, whereas the coaching business didn’t get anything like that sort of help.
Arriva: obvious that DB are desperate to divest themselves of Arriva UK Bus. They’ve recently closed their company pension scheme, which to me is to make the company as a whole a more attractive proposition to any potential buyer. Was Trandevs acquisition of Yorkshire Tiger a precursor to a full or partial takeover of the business? Or are there other potential buyers on the horizon?
GNE: until recently probably seen as the most secure of the big 3. However, the pandemic has played havoc with any plans they had two years ago and it is almost a reset. There’s also the small problem that the Go Ahead Group currently has regarding their rail franchises, share trading has been suspended in the last couple of days. It was recently reported that the First Group, having sold operations in North America, we’re looking to refocus on their UK bus operations and that Go Ahead were on their radar, how likely is this?
It has been reported that the ‘levelling up’ agenda and the possibility of more investment in bus services and public transport (think BSIP) may make bus companies more attractive investments than they have been for many years, or is that just pie in the sky?
(06 Jan 2022, 12:22 pm)Chris 1 Interesting what peoples perceptions are of the performance of the big 3. I'm with Storx on this one, I think it's mentioned elsewhere on the forum that GNE are the least profitable of the big 3.
(06 Jan 2022, 12:22 pm)Chris 1 Interesting what peoples perceptions are of the performance of the big 3. I'm with Storx on this one, I think it's mentioned elsewhere on the forum that GNE are the least profitable of the big 3.
(06 Jan 2022, 1:09 pm)streetdeckfan It's not all about how much profit they're making though, Arriva may be making more money, but they're also not making any investments into the services. So when the time comes to update the fleet they're going to have to spend big, and I'd guess very little of that profit has been staying within ANE for them to make those investments. GNE on the other hand, has been continually making investments in the fleet
Looking at Arriva County Durham's accounts, which went up yesterday, they went from making a gross profit of £6.2m to a loss of £4.5m, although due to government grants of £11m, they still made a profit of £1.3m, compared to GNE's overall loss of £4.6m since it seems GNE only received around £4.5m in government grants.
I just skimmed them so feel free to double check!
(06 Jan 2022, 1:09 pm)streetdeckfan It's not all about how much profit they're making though, Arriva may be making more money, but they're also not making any investments into the services. So when the time comes to update the fleet they're going to have to spend big, and I'd guess very little of that profit has been staying within ANE for them to make those investments. GNE on the other hand, has been continually making investments in the fleet
Looking at Arriva County Durham's accounts, which went up yesterday, they went from making a gross profit of £6.2m to a loss of £4.5m, although due to government grants of £11m, they still made a profit of £1.3m, compared to GNE's overall loss of £4.6m since it seems GNE only received around £4.5m in government grants.
I just skimmed them so feel free to double check!
(06 Jan 2022, 7:48 am)54APhotography 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'.
(06 Jan 2022, 7:48 am)54APhotography 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'.
(06 Jan 2022, 1:30 pm)Chris 1 True - it's not, but the profitability of any business will always determine the future of it.
In terms of ANE, again I agree that the fleet is in need of investment and that most of the profit generated will be squirrelled back off to Germany. At some point that will change though, the lack of investment and general interest in Arriva by DB is purely because they want to sell and don't want spend. With investment and interest, I personally see potential in large parts of ANE.
Liquidity risk
The company voluntarily participates in a group cash pooling arrangement operated by its ultimate parent, Deutsche Bahn AG ('DB'). This is a long-standing arrangement operated by DB to manage the liquidity needs of DB group companies, and the company has been a party to this arrangement for several years. Under the arrangement substantially all the company's cash balances are swept into the group cash pool at the end of each business day. The company has a positive cash pooling balance at the balance sheet date, and the directors expect the company's pooled cash balance to remain positive over the going concern assessment period.
The company is currently dependent on daily access to its funds in the cash pool for the funds required to operate and to support the going concern assumption. As the terms of the company's agreement with DB do not provide explicit rights for immediate access to these funds on request, this gives rise to a potential liquidity risk that funds may not be available as required to settle liabilities during the period of 12 months from the date of approval of the financial statements, and the directors acknowledge that this indicates the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern. However, the directors consider this risk to be highly improbable, as such action would contradict internal group policies and would be inconsistent with the past practice.
(06 Jan 2022, 1:30 pm)Chris 1 True - it's not, but the profitability of any business will always determine the future of it.
In terms of ANE, again I agree that the fleet is in need of investment and that most of the profit generated will be squirrelled back off to Germany. At some point that will change though, the lack of investment and general interest in Arriva by DB is purely because they want to sell and don't want spend. With investment and interest, I personally see potential in large parts of ANE.
Liquidity risk
The company voluntarily participates in a group cash pooling arrangement operated by its ultimate parent, Deutsche Bahn AG ('DB'). This is a long-standing arrangement operated by DB to manage the liquidity needs of DB group companies, and the company has been a party to this arrangement for several years. Under the arrangement substantially all the company's cash balances are swept into the group cash pool at the end of each business day. The company has a positive cash pooling balance at the balance sheet date, and the directors expect the company's pooled cash balance to remain positive over the going concern assessment period.
The company is currently dependent on daily access to its funds in the cash pool for the funds required to operate and to support the going concern assumption. As the terms of the company's agreement with DB do not provide explicit rights for immediate access to these funds on request, this gives rise to a potential liquidity risk that funds may not be available as required to settle liabilities during the period of 12 months from the date of approval of the financial statements, and the directors acknowledge that this indicates the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern. However, the directors consider this risk to be highly improbable, as such action would contradict internal group policies and would be inconsistent with the past practice.
(06 Jan 2022, 2:41 pm)streetdeckfan Reading a bit further into the accounts, it seems like that is the case. While I'm no accountant, it looks like at the end of each day all money is sent back to DB, and Arriva have to ask nicely to use any of it.
(06 Jan 2022, 2:41 pm)streetdeckfan Reading a bit further into the accounts, it seems like that is the case. While I'm no accountant, it looks like at the end of each day all money is sent back to DB, and Arriva have to ask nicely to use any of it.
(06 Jan 2022, 2:41 pm)streetdeckfan Reading a bit further into the accounts, it seems like that is the case. While I'm no accountant, it looks like at the end of each day all money is sent back to DB, and Arriva have to ask nicely to use any of it.
(06 Jan 2022, 2:41 pm)streetdeckfan Reading a bit further into the accounts, it seems like that is the case. While I'm no accountant, it looks like at the end of each day all money is sent back to DB, and Arriva have to ask nicely to use any of it.
Prior to the pandemic, I'd have argued that all three would have continued to struggle numbers wise, based on the mantra that 'operators know best', whilst seeing numbers drop.
Traditionally, I always saw Stagecoach as a strange one. A presence in towns and cities across the UK, with random operations in seaside towns which were dying on their feet - often with the odd link or two to larger networks.
Morecambe - towards Preston.
South Shields - towards Sunderland.
Hartlepool - towards Stockton and Middlesbrough.
Always thought Blackpool was ripe for Stagecoach domination and surprised (but pleased) it has never came off.
As for Arriva, we were always told that it would be sold off as a whole and not in divisions. Whilst that may have been the aim, it's predictably proven to not be the case and I can see the Arriva presence reducing until what is left, is sold as a complete unit.
Until Arriva does go, will we see the constant shifting of vehicles around depots continue?
Will we see the likes of Teesflex fill gaps in places around East Cleveland, serving areas the X3/4, 5, 28 and to an extent the X93 refuse to go? Or will they look to grow their market as opposed to the apparent asset stripping we see elsewhere?
Go-Ahead - never could make my mind up about them. Always seem to be in a state of flux, no matter where you see them.
Whether it's buying out a smaller operator and then selling them no too long later, an apparent lack of integration between networks (looking at Thames with Oxford or EYMS with GNE amongst others), contracting and reducing their network or repainting it... You can't say its boring! Especially when you're stuck with shares they can't sell!
I will give them credit for offering up some local control. Tis a shame that the local control is seemingly filled with those who know best or talk that way at least.
Fresh, inspiring minds could have changed bus operations for the positive. There wasn't and isn't enough of them and from what I've seen, any inspiration seems sucked away pretty soon.
Tis a shame and tis a legacy of failed Thatchernomics. It's just a shame there's a fair few who see Covid as the culprit and not the actual decision makers.
What the future holds, who knows.
I bet it will involve more handouts, subsidies and route consolidation though. The exact opposite of what de-reg was meant to be about.
(06 Jan 2022, 1:09 pm)streetdeckfan It's not all about how much profit they're making though, Arriva may be making more money, but they're also not making any investments into the services. So when the time comes to update the fleet they're going to have to spend big, and I'd guess very little of that profit has been staying within ANE for them to make those investments. GNE on the other hand, has been continually making investments in the fleet
Looking at Arriva County Durham's accounts, which went up yesterday, they went from making a gross profit of £6.2m to a loss of £4.5m, although due to government grants of £11m, they still made a profit of £1.3m, compared to GNE's overall loss of £4.6m since it seems GNE only received around £4.5m in government grants.
I just skimmed them so feel free to double check!
(06 Jan 2022, 1:09 pm)streetdeckfan It's not all about how much profit they're making though, Arriva may be making more money, but they're also not making any investments into the services. So when the time comes to update the fleet they're going to have to spend big, and I'd guess very little of that profit has been staying within ANE for them to make those investments. GNE on the other hand, has been continually making investments in the fleet
Looking at Arriva County Durham's accounts, which went up yesterday, they went from making a gross profit of £6.2m to a loss of £4.5m, although due to government grants of £11m, they still made a profit of £1.3m, compared to GNE's overall loss of £4.6m since it seems GNE only received around £4.5m in government grants.
I just skimmed them so feel free to double check!
I think the Big Three need to take a look at what has just happened down in Oxford where they had mass cuts in service due to large parts being duplicated by Stagecoach Oxfordshire and Oxford Bus Company - https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/network-review
(06 Jan 2022, 6:46 pm)Malarkey I think the Big Three need to take a look at what has just happened down in Oxford where they had mass cuts in service due to large parts being duplicated by Stagecoach Oxfordshire and Oxford Bus Company - https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/network-review
(06 Jan 2022, 6:46 pm)Malarkey I think the Big Three need to take a look at what has just happened down in Oxford where they had mass cuts in service due to large parts being duplicated by Stagecoach Oxfordshire and Oxford Bus Company - https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/network-review
(06 Jan 2022, 6:46 pm)Malarkey I think the Big Three need to take a look at what has just happened down in Oxford where they had mass cuts in service due to large parts being duplicated by Stagecoach Oxfordshire and Oxford Bus Company - https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/network-reviewInteresting re the Thames Travel X39/40 and the lack of integration with the Oxford services that I mentioned yesterday.
(06 Jan 2022, 6:46 pm)Malarkey I think the Big Three need to take a look at what has just happened down in Oxford where they had mass cuts in service due to large parts being duplicated by Stagecoach Oxfordshire and Oxford Bus Company - https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/network-reviewInteresting re the Thames Travel X39/40 and the lack of integration with the Oxford services that I mentioned yesterday.
(06 Jan 2022, 2:07 pm)Adrian I'm interested to see how the ComfortDelGro deal works out. The press release was that CDG would be take over ownership, marketing, retail and customer service activities of Megabus (and Falcon), but we know that the vehicles themselves are owned and maintained by the various Stagecoach subsidiaries, operated for Megabus likely through some kind of transfer pricing arrangement. I can't see that changing in the first few years, as CDG still need those buses on the road and running to have a business, but it creates quite an odd situation.I must say, Arriva North East does seem a better proposition if either of GNE or Stagecoach/National Express could pull it off, then consolidate. With the devastating effect of covid and a bleak economic future for the region, is there really room for three main players? Is it time for a new round of carve up's and regulations?
You'd have the second largest coach operator outsourcing work to the largest coach operator, who then outsource their own coaching work to other operators. It also gives them a massive ability to influence the cost of coach travel.
In my opinion, there'll have to be changes somewhere down the line, likely with CDG moving to moving to a similar position as NX and using multiple contractors to deliver Megabus services, but it remains to be seen.
Couldn't agree more re: your Arriva comments. No one in their right mind would purchase the Arriva UK bus operation as a whole, unless the sole purpose was to asset strip it. The more likely result is individual depots or areas being sold, where it makes operational sense for another operator to purchase that work.
Go North West in Manchester is a good example and perhaps also good foresight, as it's given Go Ahead a base to operate out of and win work under the incoming regulated network there.
(06 Jan 2022, 2:07 pm)Adrian I'm interested to see how the ComfortDelGro deal works out. The press release was that CDG would be take over ownership, marketing, retail and customer service activities of Megabus (and Falcon), but we know that the vehicles themselves are owned and maintained by the various Stagecoach subsidiaries, operated for Megabus likely through some kind of transfer pricing arrangement. I can't see that changing in the first few years, as CDG still need those buses on the road and running to have a business, but it creates quite an odd situation.I must say, Arriva North East does seem a better proposition if either of GNE or Stagecoach/National Express could pull it off, then consolidate. With the devastating effect of covid and a bleak economic future for the region, is there really room for three main players? Is it time for a new round of carve up's and regulations?
You'd have the second largest coach operator outsourcing work to the largest coach operator, who then outsource their own coaching work to other operators. It also gives them a massive ability to influence the cost of coach travel.
In my opinion, there'll have to be changes somewhere down the line, likely with CDG moving to moving to a similar position as NX and using multiple contractors to deliver Megabus services, but it remains to be seen.
Couldn't agree more re: your Arriva comments. No one in their right mind would purchase the Arriva UK bus operation as a whole, unless the sole purpose was to asset strip it. The more likely result is individual depots or areas being sold, where it makes operational sense for another operator to purchase that work.
Go North West in Manchester is a good example and perhaps also good foresight, as it's given Go Ahead a base to operate out of and win work under the incoming regulated network there.
(06 Jan 2022, 7:48 am)54APhotography 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.Stagecoach and National Express agree to merge https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-s...s-59652889
(06 Jan 2022, 7:48 am)54APhotography 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.Stagecoach and National Express agree to merge https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-s...s-59652889