STAGECOACH yesterday expanded its UK footprint with the acquisition of a firm in the north-west of England.
The Perth-based transport company, which is headed by chief executive Brian Souter, added an extra 120 vehicles to its 7,000-strong bus fleet when it bought up Preston Bus for an undisclosed sum.
Preston, which boasts turnover of £11 million, has
around 300 staff and operates on 14 key routes in the Preston area.
The Preston Bus operations will become part of Stagecoach North-West, which employs a total of 1,400 people and is headed by managing director Chris Bowles. It operates around 530 buses throughout Lancashire and Cumbria.
Stagecoach has made a guarantee to Preston employees that there will be no compulsory redundancies in the next two years.
The acquisition comes just a month after the Scots firm bought Eastbourne Buses, which is based on the south coast of England.
Les Warneford, managing director of Stagecoach UK Bus, said: "We are delighted to have acquired Preston Bus, which is a well-run business that is an excellent fit with our existing operations. "We will be looking to build on the strengths and goodwill of the company to give local people access to a more integrated, sustainable, comprehensive, high-quality and affordable bus network."
The company said a number of operational changes would be put in place, including the simplification of fares and ticket ranges.
Peter Bell, the managing director of Preston Bus, added: "We are pleased to have sold the business to Stagecoach, which offered the best opportunities for our staff.
"This is a positive move which will ensure the continued delivery of high-quality bus services to the people of Preston under new ownership."
