(16 Aug 2023, 7:17 am)tyresmoke wrote To be honest First were given that nickname years ago but their operations have generally improved massively over the last 5 or so years.
There are still some where money is tight (SYorks/Potteries) but many are doing very well, York & Leeds are decent and Kernow has had huge amounts of cash thrown at it recently.

Wellglade I’d disagree with, they’ve really lost their way since Covid and really struggled with staff retention and outside Trent looks like an absolute shambles

To be quite honest I don’t see a group moving in and it’ll likely fall to independents to pick up a lot of what will be left when the inevitable closure happens in a few years.


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Haven't been following Wellglade much recently so missed that they've got down in the drain, must've followed Transdev Blazefield's steps then which is a right old mess lately. Agree with comments later to be fair about First, some good urban areas but poor outside of it in areas arguably similar here.

If you only looked at Arriva Merseyside they'd look good aswell, it's elsewhere which is naff.

(16 Aug 2023, 8:02 am)Ianthegoon wrote No, you really don't want Rotala, even worse than First!

One of their operation in the north west had a couple of vehicles allegedly lose wheels while out in service.

Their former operation in Bristol was sold to Stagecoach, along with nine vehicles.  Of those nine, six took at least a year to get up to a basic level of serviceability to be allowed to enter service.  The other three were deemed to be too knackered to even be worth working on, and were scrapped.  ALL had been in service with Rotala the day before they were handed to Stagecoach .....

Haven't they really upped their game lately? I know when they first started they were absolutely appalling but seem much better lately with sizeable investments in their fleets.