(10 Sep 2013, 3:15 pm)eezypeazy wrote Aureolin - without sight of the Articles of Association, we're going to continue this "oh yes they would - oh no they wouldn't" discussion.

The DfT Guidance documents on setting up such schemes are here.

If (for example) National Express decided to set up a local bus network in the Fencehouses/Sunderland/South Shields/Washington/East Gateshead/Newcastle area, they would be able to join NTL and NTL would have to welcome them to the scheme... otherwise, the NTL directors could be found in Durham Jail!

The part of your post I previously highlighted was me making reference to the shareholdings of NTL, which is what this thread was about in the first place. The statements I've made are generic on how a private limited company with share capital is obliged to operate.

I appreciate that the DfT guidance you've kindly linked us to states that a new operator shouldn't be discriminated against and should be invited to join the scheme, unless there's a damn good reason for exemption. There's a clear difference between being invited to join a scheme, and being invited to become a shareholder of a private company.