(26 Jul 2024, 10:35 pm)Adrian wrote I'm not sure that's the reason? They had mixed results from the Manchesrer scheme. I think they'd have hoped to keep Queens Road, if they had the choice.

Devolution and additional powers is only going to increase too. I think every local and combined authority will be looking at Manchester's franchising in particular.

I don't know, I would say it is. They won massively in Manchester imo, from a questionable depot that First wanted shot of to a massive tranche of routes with absolutely no risk at all to them commercially.

They've now got a massive a chance of running buses in Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield and so on which currently they have no operations in with absolutely no commercial risk in doing so. I personally, can't see the likes of Brighton or Oxford (they actively blocked it in 2021 due to complexities) ever going for it, or at least, not anytime in the short term future anyway which are GoAhead's money makers.

Very different to the likes of say First who are on track to lose Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol and Sheffield. Take those 4 areas away and it's looking a very very weak company as I'm not sure the likes of Stoke is printing money for them.