One Man & His Dog

The other managerial news at Britain’s biggest transport operator is, of course, that Alex Warner is to leave First UK Bus. It’s widely held that his departure follows disenchantment with the direction in which First has recently taken Greyhound. Warner was managing director of Greyhound and it was he who as UK bus business director first suggested and developed the case for Greyhound.

Sometimes, First projects can become derailed and it may be that Warner could have been particularly disappointed with the Glasgow, Scotland-London former Night Flyer service, operating sans wi-fi, leather and generous seat pitches as you might see elsewhere. This still has potential for exploitation more fully, both day and night. It was soon after its launch that Warner resigned.

In spite of some full coaches at peak periods (e.g. weekends), diversion of some Greyhound departures to en route settlements would indicate that the business case for non-stop, swift end-to-end services has not always matched predicted performance. Greyhound has also been slow to develop at a time when express coach travel seems particularly suited to the tastes and requirements of recessionary England (and Scotland & Wales, too).

Warner was one of First Group’s most high profile protagonists, possibly second only to the former Moir Lockhead himself. Out Warner would trot, with Greyhound dogs in tow, at many a press launch activity. Or was it his dogs that would trot, with Warner in tow, dogs being dogs? Just look at the way he has to yank on the lead to keep Rover under control, above. Perhaps Warner will now have a coach named after him. After all, the Lockhead name recently appeared on a train, though the thing was over 30 years old.