McGills to be bought out?

[TheGrandWazoo]

It's not taken over a month - Go-Ahead stated categorically in December's Route One magazine that they'd made no approach at all for McGills, and that they'd asked the Greenock Telegraph to correct their article.

Shameful its taken this long for them to do that.

Moreover, it's shameful that anyone would think they'd have to respond to each and every inaccurate and spurious bit of speculation that's bandied about.

 

[smtglasgow]

I was surprised to see that McGills are now quite a bit more expensive than First in the Glasgow area. McGills Go zone 1 weekly tickets are a pound dearer than a Firstweek ticket, but the 4 week ticket is an eye-watering £17 dearer (£55 versus £38). McGills day tickets are 40p cheaper, but the difference in 4 weekly tickets is striking. Admittedly the only serious competition is on the Paisley Road (McGills 38 versus Firsts 9/9A), but this is one of their main corridors, and for regular users, it is a no-brainer. Is anybody able to say if the loadings reflect this - when I was last in Glasgow (Aug 2013) I was surprised by how well First seemed to be withstanding the onslaught.

It would be a shame if the Easdales are going to treat the business as a cash cow, extracting maximum profit while running things down. They have done a lot of good things with the company in terms of presentation and publicity, but these fares (while not excessive compared with other areas nationally) are high by west of Scotland standards. There can't be many situations where First come out as the cheapest option.

 

[Statto]

Moreover, it's shameful that anyone would think they'd have to respond to each and every inaccurate and spurious bit of speculation that's bandied about.

Agreed the company should be concentrating on running a bus service rather than replying to BS about takeovers ecc that people like the OP spew out.

 

[GaryMcEwan]

I was surprised to see that McGills are now quite a bit more expensive than First in the Glasgow area. McGills Go zone 1 weekly tickets are a pound dearer than a Firstweek ticket, but the 4 week ticket is an eye-watering £17 dearer (£55 versus £38). McGills day tickets are 40p cheaper, but the difference in 4 weekly tickets is striking. Admittedly the only serious competition is on the Paisley Road (McGills 38 versus Firsts 9/9A), but this is one of their main corridors, and for regular users, it is a no-brainer. Is anybody able to say if the loadings reflect this - when I was last in Glasgow (Aug 2013) I was surprised by how well First seemed to be withstanding the onslaught.

It would be a shame if the Easdales are going to treat the business as a cash cow, extracting maximum profit while running things down. They have done a lot of good things with the company in terms of presentation and publicity, but these fares (while not excessive compared with other areas nationally) are high by west of Scotland standards. There can't be many situations where First come out as the cheapest option.

Have the fares gone up again?? An All-Day was £3.30 the last time I got one. Yeah the 4 weeklys have always been dearer than First from what I can rememer.

I suppose the Easdales have got to get the money from somewhere to plough into Rangers...

 

[overthewater]

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I wonder who is looking at malta


http://www.timesofmalta.com/article...t-bus-firm-eyes-malta-bid.503154#.UtvglrTFKg1

The largest bus operator in Scotland, McGill’s, is “seriously considering” bidding for Malta’s public transport service tender following Arriva’s exit, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt.

Earlier this month the government took over the bus service, which is now being run by Malta Public Transport Services, until a new operator is in place. A call for expression of interest is expected to be issued this week.

McGill’s managing director Ralph Roberts confirmed with this newspaper when contacted yesterday that his firm was “seriously looking at the opportunity of operating the public transport system on Malta and Gozo”.

 

[winston270twm]

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--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I wonder who is looking at malta


http://www.timesofmalta.com/article...t-bus-firm-eyes-malta-bid.503154#.UtvglrTFKg1

I assume the article is meant to be worded the largest 'independent' bus operator in Scotland rather than largest bus operator?

How would McGills be able to swallow the losses Arriva incurred if it didn't go to plan, the Malta op isn't much smaller than McGill's entire operation

 

[tbtc]

I assume the article is meant to be worded the largest 'independent' bus operator in Scotland rather than largest bus operator?

How would McGills be able to swallow the losses Arriva incurred if it didn't go to plan, the Malta op isn't much smaller than McGill's entire operation

Ask the drivers to take a 15% pay cut until next summer?

(sorry, Scottish fitba reference)

 

[GaryMcEwan]

I assume the article is meant to be worded the largest 'independent' bus operator in Scotland rather than largest bus operator?

How would McGills be able to swallow the losses Arriva incurred if it didn't go to plan, the Malta op isn't much smaller than McGill's entire operation

How on earth though would be McGill's be able to recoup the reported €50 million that Arriva lost in the space of 2 and a half years? Even the Easdales aren't that rich...

Even with a 15% pay cut (referring to said football pun)....You'd need to have either very deep pockets or magically win the EuroMillions...

 

[oldman]

If I was a spin-doctor, it would be fun to see what stories I could plant in the media, and it would demonstrate to my clients how good I was at my job. As with the 'we won't sell for less than £100m' story, it makes McGill's and their owners appear richer and more powerful than they perhaps are.

Apart from anything else, is it likely the government of Malta would consider a bid from a small company with no international experience? After the Arriva experience, all the risk-assessment lights would be flashing.

 

[Deerfold]

How on earth though would be McGill's be able to recoup the reported €50 million that Arriva lost in the space of 2 and a half years? Even the Easdales aren't that rich...

Even with a 15% pay cut (referring to said football pun)....You'd need to have either very deep pockets or magically win the EuroMillions...

Why would they need to recoup anything that Arriva lost?

They'd just need to put in a realistic bid.

 

[Robertj21a]

Why would they need to recoup anything that Arriva lost?

They'd just need to put in a realistic bid.

Trouble is that a realistic bid by McGills (or any 'outsider') will be about 3 times the amount that the Maltese will want to pay. Given their propensity to argue about everything I'd suggest an initial bid of 20m euros p.a should get them thinking in the right area !

Robert

 

[overthewater]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-25809175

McGill's Buses is poised to make a bid to run Malta's public transport service in a move that would double the size of the west of Scotland bus operator.

McGill's said it was "seriously considering" a bid after Arriva pulled out of running bus services on Malta and Gozo earlier this month.

The Maltese authorities are expected to call for expressions of interest this week.

McGill's said it would consider a bid, depending on the tender specifications.

The bus operator has already formed a consortium with "very prominent individuals and companies" in Malta to take its plans forward.

The move is being led by McGill's managing director Ralph Roberts, who is a former boss of Arriva Scotland.

'Very good fit'
He told BBC Scotland that there were about 360 to 370 buses in Malta public transport service, which is currently being run by state authorities.

He said: "The size of the contract would double the size of McGill's, which is something we can cope with.

"Malta would be a very good fit for us. The size is perfect and it is self-contained.

"As long as the authorities in Malta are realistic about the tender specifications, we are very serious about putting in a bid."

Malta has about 320,000 inhabitants and attracts about one-and-a-half million visitors a year. It relies heavily on bus services as there is no train or tram service on the island.

McGill's has an annual turnover of about £35m. The company doubled in size between April 2010 and March 2012 and doubled again after acquiring rival Arriva Scotland West in 2012.

It operates about 350 buses across more than 50 routes, mostly in Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire.