The Go-Ahead Group has continued its acquisition of independent coach operators with the purchase of Cheltenham-based Swanbrook.
It follows multiple earlier coach business acquisitions by the group. One completed in 2023 was for Pulham’s Coaches of Bourton-on-the-Water, around 20 miles from Swanbrook’s base. The Swanbrook operation will become part of Pulhams, which sits within Go-Ahead’s Oxford division under the leadership of Managing Director Luke Marion.
Swanbrook was established as a family-owned business in 1960 and has a fleet of around 20 vehicles. It operates home-to-school, private hire and local bus services.
Commenting on the sale, Operations Director John Thomas says: “We are excited by the opportunities that joining such a prestigious group in Pulhams and Go-Ahead will bring to the company.
“Having established our business as a well-respected operation in the local area, we believe that this is the natural progression to further develop and be well-equipped to meet the challenges of the industry for the future.”
The deal means that Go-Ahead now has over 400 coaches in its ranks, making it one of the larges coach operators in UK. Those vehicles extend from South West England to the North East and integrate with its longstanding bus operations, the group says.
Speaking about the latest deal, Go-Ahead Bus CEO Matt Carney adds: “We are delighted to welcome Swanbrook to the Go-Ahead Group and to grow our presence in the UK coach market.
“As a company, we are committed to connecting communities, so providing coach services across the country for schools, groups, small businesses and local authority partners is important to us. This is an exciting expansion of our coach operation to provide for more customers in the West of England.”
Adds Mr Marion: “Pulhams Coaches already has an excellent reputation in the Cheltenham area as both a local bus operator and as a specialist provider of coach services.
“Our acquisition of Swanbrook is an exciting opportunity to provide an even greater range of services locally and integrate it with our existing network.”
In addition to Swanbrook and Pulhams, other coach operators purchased by Go-Ahead in recent years include Dartline Coaches, Fourway Coaches and Regency Coaches, along with the associated Procters Coaches, Compass Royston and Esk Valley businesses.
Bus operators Eastbourne Sightseeing and Southdown Buses have also been acquired as part of that growth spurt.
