Municipally-owned bus operator Rosso is set to join the Transdev Blazefield family, with the group pledging a “multi-million pound” investment in new buses if the deal is approved by Rossendale Borough Council members at a meeting on Wednesday (20 December).
The council has already reached an agreement in principle to sell its shares in Rosso to Transdev but the deal is subject to finalisation of detailed terms. The Haslingden depot will be retained by the local authority.
As part of the outline agreement, Transdev is planning to invest significantly in Rosso, including spending in the region of £3m in the year following the deal in what it describes as “state-of-the-art buses.”
Transdev has confirmed that it plans to retain the Rosso brand after the deal is complete.
Says Transdev Blazefield Chief Executive Alex Hornby: “Following approval and finalisation of the proposed deal, we are looking forward to welcoming our new colleagues at Rosso into the Transdev Blazefield family.
“Our track record in Lancashire and across the north is one of growth, innovation and creating buses that people want to be seen on, and we have exciting plans ahead, including investment in new, high-spec buses to benefit the people of Rossendale and Greater Manchester.
“From day one, we will be talking and listening to staff, customers and stakeholder about our strategy to eensure that we deliver attractive bus services that reflect the needs of local communities and strengthen local economies.”
Adds Councillor Alyson Barnes, Leader of Rossendale Council: “The proposed sale is a great deal for the council and for the borough that will see significant investment into Rosso to make sure that we continue to get a great bus service locally. It’s not about resolving the council’s financial challenges. We are looking at ways of closing our budget gap and ensuring continuous investment in public services.
“Transdev is an award-winning company with a strong reputation for quality services and investment that gets more people on board buses. Residents will benefit from the fact that the new service will be able to join up routes across the sub-region. We would not be selling our shares if we didn’t think that Transdev could deliver an even better service than we have now.”
