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: Procters Coaches and Fourway among latest Go-Ahead purchases
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 > News > Procters Coaches and Fourway among latest Go-Ahead purchases
News

Procters Coaches and Fourway among latest Go-Ahead purchases

Tim Deakin
Tim Deakin
Published: May 23, 2024
Share
Procters Coaches and Fourway Coaches among operators purchased by Go-Ahead
SHARE

The Go-Ahead Group has purchased coach operators Compass Royston, Esk Valley, Fourway Coaches and Procters Coaches in a significant expansion both of its business in Yorkshire and County Durham, and of its reach in the coach industry.

200 staff members, 140 vehicles and five depots come with the deal. Fourway Coaches’ inclusion takes Go-Ahead into West Yorkshire, where bus services will be franchised over coming years.

Each business will remain a separate trading entity with its own O-Licence, but all will fall under the responsibility of Go-Ahead subsidiary East Yorkshire Buses, led by Managing Director Ben Gilligan. The sales follow other surprise coach operator purchases by Go-Ahead, including that of Cotswolds business Pulhams Coaches in mid-2023.

Leases on property used by the four acquired operators in Yorkshire and County Durham will be maintained by Go-Ahead, including that on the Fourway Coaches base in Cleckheaton which is shared with Temsa Sales UK. The Procters Coach and Bus Sales business does not form part of the sale and will remain in the ownership of Kevin Procter.

Procters Coaches among businesses sold to Go-Ahead
Contracted revenue at Compass Royston, Esk Valley, Fourway and Procters Coaches was attractive to Go-Ahead

Speaking about the sale of his operating businesses to Go-Ahead, Mr Procter comments: “We are proud of everything we have achieved in the past 30 years. I turned my father’s taxi company into Procters Coaches, starting with one minibus and one large coach.

“We have been on a journey of growth and innovation, and we are excited to hand over to the trusted Go-Ahead Group. We are fully supportive of Go-Ahead’s commitment to our team and its approach to driving positive change in the UK coach market for local communities, customers, and the region.”

Mr Gilligan notes that the four coach operators’ strong contracted revenue bases were attractive to Go-Ahead. The group sees scope to further expand the businesses around contracts, including in the home-to-school market.

He adds that Go-Ahead’s growing presence in the coach market gives scope for those arms across England to collaborate more closely. “At the moment, we all subcontract work, and there are opportunities to drive some efficiency there,” Mr Gilligan continues.

Further new coaches are expected to be delivered across the four businesses involved in the most recent deal. Mr Gilligan says Go-Ahead recognises a need to maintain that investment on “a drip feed” basis.

Fourway Coaches purchased by Go Ahead
Purchase of Fourway Coaches takes Go-Ahead into the West Yorkshire market ahead of bus franchising there

The buyer will not seek to consolidate the purchased operations with its East Yorkshire Coaches undertaking. That has seen a shift to contracted revenue in recent years, and Mr Gilligan is a further industry figure to observe that the coach market is currently strong and enjoying good rates.

On entry into West Yorkshire by Go-Ahead, he acknowledges that the regulatory model for buses there is changing, although Fourway Coaches does not currently run any local services in the region.

“We recognise that there is an opportunity in West Yorkshire, but that was not the sole reason for us buying [Fourway],” Mr Gilligan continues.

“Fourway is a company that has been transformed over the past three to four years. It has a much better portfolio of work, and it has some good, long-term contractual relationships. That is the more immediate importance because it represents current revenue.

“But it brings us into an area where we have not previously operated. And we know that there are opportunities there in the longer-term. This is a very exciting time for us, and it is a great step forward for Go-Ahead and East Yorkshire Buses.”

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 Mellor Bus and Treka Bus sales and account management team consolidated Mellor and Treka product offerings and sales teams come together
Next Article City Sightseeing Oxford City Sightseeing Oxford makes tour fully accessible
- 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