Mutant Lemming
Established Member
...and then there were eleven. How safe are the remaining eleven municipal bus operators in the UK from the predatory clutches of the large conglomerates ?
...and then there were eleven. How safe are the remaining eleven municipal bus operators in the UK from the predatory clutches of the large conglomerates ?
Islwyn Borough Transport are now owned by Stagecoach
Lothian Buses in Edinburgh are very determined and focused on providing a higher level of service than the generic transport groups (they constantly win awards), even with the tram fiasco in the city. They faced really intense competition from First back in 2000 - 2005 with all sorts of sneaky tricks and they essentially won the bus war. The King of municipals.
Lothian were the Top City Operator in the UK Bus Awards 2011, and were runner up for the UK Bus Operator of the Year.
Actually they ALL seem to be doing well, with ownership of local buses becoming a local political issue in Ipswich and Rossendale with the party espousing retaining the bus operations in local hands winning elections partly on that platform.
I just wonder what kind of pressure the current political climate of cuts will make on councils to turn a quick buck by selling off their buses ?
Halton have been doing well by expanding services far beyond Widnes but Warrington have made some quite marked cutbacks, in particular the virtual elimination of Sunday evening services. Warrington has won awards in recent times but if further cutbacks decimate the network even more then they look the most likely candidate to be next on the list.
In 1967 the UK had 99 municipal operators
I would still put Lothian on the likely to be sold in the next 10 years to raise money list.
I would still put Lothian on the likely to be sold in the next 10 years to raise money list.
But surely the cuts in Warrington were as a result of Warrington Council cutting the funding for those services and were not anything to do with the financial health of the bus company.
Lothian won't be sold - you've seen the lengths the politicians have gone to with the trams to save face, letting a private company take over by buying out Lothian is highly unlikely. The Trams are now completely under the control of Lothian.
Anyway, Edinburgh council may have the controlling share of the company, but East Lothian, West Lothian and Midlothian councils all have shares too.