By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Accept
routeonerouteonerouteone
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Search
© 2024 routeone News. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: First Bus return to London: Consequence of change, or indicator?
Share
Font ResizerAa
routeonerouteone
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd
- Advertisement -
-
routeone > Editor's Comment > First Bus return to London: Consequence of change, or indicator?
Editor's Comment

First Bus return to London: Consequence of change, or indicator?

Tim Deakin
Tim Deakin
Published: December 11, 2024
Share
First makes return to London bus market with RATP Dev Transit purchase
SHARE

Few would have predicted the return of FirstGroup to the Transport for London contracted bus market. But that will happen in early 2025 via the purchase of RATP Dev activities there and around 1,000 vehicles.

A comeback to the capital’s red bus scene after 12 years away is no doubt a factor of several items for both First and RATP, including the former’s ‘war chest’ generated by disposal of its interests in North America.

The group notes that in London, the risk of losing large parts of business at once is minimal. That is not the case in some of the urban areas upon which its existing bus operations major.

Such a threat via franchising is present or growing in many of those, although First’s interest in bidding for contracts in areas where it is not currently active is well-known. Perhaps it will follow a London return by bouncing back into the Liverpool City Region via reregulation, an area that it left at around the same time as the capital.

Growing activities for First in the coach market are also prominent, crowned by the recent purchase of Lakeside Group and its 145 vehicles. Significant money is concurrently being spent by the group on bus brand and identity, including what is cited as an ambitious rollout of a new livery.

That is well overdue, with some fleets’ coats of many colours in urgent need of attention. First Bus’s commitment to decarbonisation is undeniable. It is noticeable that the current round in England includes some operational footprints that in previous decades may have been considered non-core and at risk of disposal during the years of retrenchment.

First Bus return to London with RATP Dev purchase
First Bus will soon return to the London market – and could the Liverpool City Region see similar via franchising?

Equally prominent is how First – perhaps more than any other large group – has looked outside the industry for senior management recruits. Such an approach has raised the odd eyebrow, with some longstanding industry members of a view that many years of experience running buses is mandatory before stepping up to the boardroom table.

The long-term fruits of that tactic remain to be seen, and loss of some career bus people during the changeover period may have been difficult. Yet those that are new to the sector will have undoubtedly contributed to the current wind of change.

The First Bus of today is clearly a different beast from five years ago. Several operations, while trimmed in the long-term, have otherwise seen investment in vehicles and depots that would have been unthinkable in 2019.

A considerable sum of money is already promised for further decarbonisation, with hints having been dropped that large-scale electrification without subsidy is not far away.

The result of changes in rail will mean that bus for First will be front and centre of its future strategy. While deals such as that for RATP Dev in London are few and far between, betting on the group’s continuing expansion via smaller complementary coach and bus operator purchases in 2025 and beyond would seem a solid wager.

The turnaround is far from complete, and there is an argument that technology rollout by First Bus may be progressing at a pace that some parts of its customer demographic could find difficult. But the ‘wilderness years’ look like they are coming to an end – if, indeed, that point has not been reached already.

Share This Article
Facebook LinkedIn Threads Email Copy Link
ByTim Deakin
Tim is Editor of routeone and has worked in both the coach and bus and haulage industries.
Previous Article Pulham Coaches Pulhams eyes more growth via management recruitment campaign
Next Article Switch Mobility E1 battery electric bus Switch Mobility underlines E1 battery-electric bus commitment
- Advertisement -

Latest News

Go-Ahead London – Managing Director
Careers Jobs
andy burnham tfgm £15.6 billion (1) The funding announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves today (4 June) has been allocated to several combined mayoral authorities to use on rail, tram, road and bus infrastructure. Transport for Greater Manchester revealed today that part of the £2.5 billion it will receive will go towards making the Bee Network fully battery-electric by 2030. An as-yet undecided portion of that will support a planned investment in 1,000 new zero-emission buses over that period, the mayoral authority said. That is part of plans to build the UK's "first fully integrated, zero-emission public transport system", with trams and trains also set to benefit. Liverpool City Region's already announced BRT system is among the projects to which its £1.6 billion will be allocated. Under those plans - due for realisation by 2028 - a high-speed network will be served by articulated buses which are modelled on the 'Glider' in Belfast. It is due to link Liverpool city centre with John Lennon Airport, and Liverpool FC and Everton FC's respective stadia along three routes. Although the model of bus has not been confirmed, a Van Hool Exqui.City on loan from Belfast was last year used as a demonstrator. That 18m vehicle can accommodate around 30% more passengers than a typical bus and has three sets of double doors. The funding will also go towards buses elsewhere in the city as the region heads towards franchising services by 2027. Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram with a 'Glider' which was on loan from Belfast last year - an example of the sort of bus which could serve the new BRT Bus services in the East Midlands region will be boosted by the funding, thanks to the £2 billion handed to it today by the government. Some of that allocation will be used for a rapid transit network on the Trent Arc between Nottingham and Derby. Between the two cities, the Freeport, Infinity Park Investment Zone and Ratcliffe-on-Soar will also benefit from the improved bus services. South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority's newly announced commitment towards bus franchising has been boosted by £350 million in funding as part of that region's allocation. The funding for West Yorkshire will help build new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield. Likewise, the Tees Valley Mayoral Authority will put its sum towards a new £15 million bus station in Middlesbrough. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says: "Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands – opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life as we deliver our Plan for Change. "For too long, people in the North and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve. With £15.6bn of government investment, we’re giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain’s renewal so you and your family are better off."
TfGM’s all-electric bus plan boosted by new £15.6 billion package
News
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Bus
Contract pricing conundrum for coach and bus
Contract pricing conundrum: Unlikely to get easier any time soon
Editor's Comment
- Advertisement -
-

routeone magazine is the indispensable resource for professional UK coach, bus and minibus operators. The home of vehicle sales and the latest bus and coach job vacancies, routeone connects professional PCV operators with complete and unrivalled news coverage.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • GDPR Policy
  • Sustainability
  • Advertise
  • Latest Issue
  • Share Your News
routeonerouteone
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd