“Bournemouth’s Yellow Buses could be owned by French transport group”So read the headline of the first non-story of the year, in Friday’s Bournemouth Echo. D’oh! Of course, Transdev Yellow Buses is *already* substantially in French ownership and, four years later and hundreds of column inches about the sale, why doesn’t the Echo appear to know this? If you venture to the foot of the article, the very last line does reveal TYB’s curent French lineage but who gets that far down an article of this nature? It’s typical of local journalism these days—newsroom continuity is like a revolving door. No longer a reporter stayed on till he was editor, growing with the newspaper…
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Easy to criticise the Echo as it is, let’s look behind the headline. What should the Echo have said but didn’t? This comes in two parts, the Transdev/Veolia merger; and what this means in Poole & Bournemouth.
What it says to me is that the people of Dorset don’t know who owns their bus company and probably care even less. And why should they? In TYB, they see a strong performer and a lively business that in four years has turned itself around.The unreported story behind the story is of the merger between the French Transdev & Veolia’s passenger transport interests, which is almost complete. Their respective owners are said to have concluded a “framework agreement” and all is now subject to clearance by the French competition authorities (a French OFT? How nice). To assuage these authorities, expect stake & asset transfers and sales. Word has it that this may see the outright sale of Veolia’s ragbag of largely under-performing, lower-end operations. This even though Veolia is expected to take charge of the new grouping. Or, in a share swap, TYB could pass to RATP, as the Paris operator exchanges its 25 per cent stake in Transdev.
The Echo stated MD Derek Lott,
“Stressed that there were no plans to change the distinctive colour of the fleet, adding: ‘Yellow Buses is a very strong brand and we are not aware of any proposal to change it’.”Lott could be a little more unequivocal. “Not aware” could translate as “don’t know”. One of the conditions of the sale of TYB was the retention of a yellow livery. And, for passengers, here’s the nightmare scenario. Not just the (unlikely?) blandness of Veolia red buses but given Veolia’s weak UK track record, will any change of ownership enfeeble a thrusting TYB to the point it slips into reverse?
The Echo reports that upon the 2005 sale, “the council retained a ten per cent stake in the business.” Hmmm. Not strictly correct, as Transdev offered the council 10 per cent.i The Bournemouth Echo story
13 comments:
but the echo story states that TYB may be transferred to RATP ownership, totally separate from veolia.
Nigel, are you there?!
Nigel, are you there?!
Nigel, are you there?!
Another Bournemouth story, Nigel, there's a big world out there beyond the Dorset "(or is that Hampshire?)" coast.
Anonymous from 1136 onwards
Living in Bournemouth (nearby) I like a good story about Bomo and till last week we haven't had one for *ages*. The story is more about Veola-Transdfev anyway.
So whats your problem?
"One of the conditions of the sale of TYB was the retention of a yellow livery. And, for passengers, here’s the nightmare scenario. Not just the (unlikely?) blandness of Veolia red buses but given Veolia’s weak UK track record, will any change of ownership enfeeble a thrusting TYB to the point it slips into reverse?"
I'd think that the sale conditions, guaranteeing the yellow livery, would not be applicable to any new owner, not matter how jaundiced the Bournemouth Burgers become.
How close a match are the W&D and Veolia reds?
I'm having thoughts of the TYB buses being reliveried and Veolia mucking up and pulling out.
If ref Ok could be a cheap rebranding job for W&D! LOL
And, for passengers, here’s the nightmare scenario. Not just the (unlikely?) blandness of Veolia red buses but given Veolia’s weak UK track record, will any change of ownership enfeeble a thrusting TYB to the point it slips into reverse?
Given how passenger satisfaction rocketed after Veolia York was taken over by Transdev York, this is a bigger issue than Bournemouth! Transdev have built an extensive network across Yorkshire and Lancashire based on a very high quality service. If it gets Veolia-ised, it will haemorrhage passengers in a matter of weeks.
Veolia Bus in the UK seem to have gone for a group of rather obscure companies to make up their operations. Indeed, it could be argued that they haven't really ever got off the ground. However, as a company they are big here, just look at many municipal vehicles and you will see their logo.
So, is it the current bus management here? Looking at their operations not just in their home country of France but across Europe it could be suggested that it is.
As part of the Veolia/Transdev arrangements RATP are due to take control of a number of Transdev operations in their own right. I understand that the London operation is one. RATP are also a major player now with global operations and becoming a major competitor in the French urban concession scene.
Whoever is posting as The Image Team, would you please not use our business name. Why have you done this please ?
Nigel Barnes-Evans
"However, as a company they are big here, just look at many municipal vehicles and you will see their logo."
Yes. They've recently lost the contract to empty our bins. They we're rubbish at that too (if you'll pardon the pun).
Not guilty, but I thought this blog was ran by Nigel of the Image Team!
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