Stagecoach acquires Bristol independent operator
Stagecoach has acquired South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach.
South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach’s owners have decided to step down and a mutual agreement has been made to buy the business and its assets. Stagecoach has been working in partnership with the Bristol-based family company for the past two years. The operation will become part of Stagecoach West.
As well as its depot in Bristol, the business includes the 100 employees working for South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach and its fleet of 53 PCVs. The operation runs commercial bus services, school contracts, private hire services and is one of the lead contractors for Stagecoach’s megabus business. All services currently operated by South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach will continue to run as planned, and all staff currently working for the business will transfer to Stagecoach West. Exchange of contracts took place on 20 September with completion expected in late October.
Rupert Cox – This provides us with a great opportunity for more flexibility
Stagecoach’s plans for Bristol are expected to help deliver improved connectivity for the city and support the region’s aspirations for economic growth. Bristol is seeing growing levels of employment and has predicted growth of 20% in the next five years among the 16-25-year old population.
Managing Director for Stagecoach West, Rupert Cox, said: “We’ve been working in partnership with South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach for some time now and they’ve also been a very reliable and trustworthy contractor for our megabus services.
“This provides us with a great opportunity for more flexibility and offers a diverse mix of services to complement our existing routes.
“We’d like to thank the team at South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach for their support and we look forward to developing the services even further.”
Mark Venables, Managing Director for megabus, added: “This is a great step forward for megabus. We’ve enjoyed a really close partnership with South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach for over two years and with the owning family deciding to step away after many successful years of operation, we’re happy to continue with their legacy in taking the business forward.”