As long ago as July 2006 we looked at the top 40 largest UK independents. Here is the Top 10 at the time. There’ve been and will be some changes.
1. Macquarie Bank (ex-Stagecoach London) (1,200)
2. Lothian Buses (600)
3. EYMS Group (450)
4. Nottingham City Transport (360)
5. Trent Barton (330)
6. Telling’s Golden Miller (300) SOLD TO ARRIVA
7. Rapson’s (250) IN NEGOTIATION WITH STAGECOACH
8. Cardiff Bus (225) COUNCIL CONSIDERING SALE OF 40 PER CENT STAKE
9. Reading (200)
10. Plymouth Citybus (190)
Macquarie
Rumours continue to circulate about possible takeover of Macquarie’s bus interests. Then again, these days there are always rumours of one sort or another floating around. Often, nothing comes of them.
Rapson's
There was speculation late last month that the Rapson Group might sell to Stagecoach. Stagecoach confirmed negotiations as this reached the general media yesterday. Rapson operates in a huge area of northern Scotland and many of its services surfaced after it purchased a bloodied Highland Omnibuses in 1991, after intense and damaging competition in and around Inverness. The territory isn't the best but it does overlap with Stagecoach's current services. What better way of consolidation for Stagecoach?
Cardiff Bus
Before Thursday’s election, the Liberal Democrats held sway in Cardiff in a minority administration. Labour promised, if elected, to retain Cardiff Bus in municipal ownership. In the event, the Lib Dems strengthened its position and the Conservatives did well, too.
Does this mean that Cardiff will sell a significant stake in its bus operator, as announced late last year? Potential bidders are apparently finding it difficult to secure meetings with officers but the stability offered by a new council term may help. On the other hand, Cardiff councillors will have looked over their shoulder at the fractured process as Chester last year and Bournemouth in 2005. So, who knows?
There’s no denying that council funding will be tight in the future. This may force other councils at least to consider a full or part sell off. What future for independents and the remaining munis, especially during a period of oil inflation? In the light of significant independent take-overs in the last two years (and municipals are essentially independents), will we be bidding farewell to more this year or next? Is the writing on the wall? Do we continue to see fast approaching the end of the era of the independent bus?
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
Writing on the Wall
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2 comments:
Having recently visited Northern Scotland and the Orkneys, key Rapson territorys not sure if Stagecoach would be able to make it pay. Rapsons, outside of core towns/locations use a vast number of elderly second hand coaches to maintain the network, often with vehicles taken home at night. With the vast overhead of a major corporation not sure if Stagecoach could maintain the current Rapsons routes and connections and make it pay, especially if they try and replace everything with new vehicles. Probably they will cherry pick the seemingly profitable bits, and break up the remaining company and sell to other operators. Pity really.
Stagecoach Huddersfield, along with independant company K-Line (Teamdeck) have also recently been sold. Both were sold to Centrebus of Leicester.
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