Alex Hornby has been appointed Group Managing Director by McGill’s Group. He moves from Transdev Blazefield, having spent eight years there as CEO, and will report to the McGill’s Group board including Chief Executive Ralph Roberts and owners James and Sandy Easdale.
The appointment follows significant expansion for McGill’s that has involved the purchase of the former First Scotland East operation and a growing stake in scheduled coach services on behalf of FlixBus. That was preceded by the purchase of Xplore Dundee from National Express Group in late 2021.
Speaking about the decision of Alex Hornby to join McGill’s, Mr Roberts says: “Alex’s drive and passion will significantly strengthen the McGill’s Group leadership team and ensure that we continue to develop the current business as I focus on our exciting growth plans. We continue to hire quality people and we look forward to working with Alex.”
Adds Mr Hornby: “I am hugely excited at the opportunity to manage a class-leading, successful and ambitious organisation, now the biggest independently owned bus company in the UK, Scotland’s Public Transport Operator of the Year and one of the largest operators of zero-emission battery-electric fleets in the country.
“The future for our industry is bright if – across both the operator sector and in government – we all grasp the right opportunities and align ourselves to the zero-carbon, economic growth and congestion-busting agendas that the bus can help to realise.”
Sandy Easdale has used Mr Hornby’s appointment to hit out at what he says is the Scottish Government’s “obsession with trains,” describing that as “madness.” Instead, he wants to see Holyrood “get a realistic perspective” regarding subsidies for bus.
“We are pouring serious investment into substantial infrastructure at four of our depots to support charging and maintenance of our battery-electric fleet, while a training programme is underway to support vehicle technicians as they maintain the next generation of buses,” says Mr Easdale.
