Rival eyes takeover of main line rail operator

Jun 30 2009 by William Green, The Journal

Industry leader may leave National Express standing on the platform

BRITAIN’S biggest transport company First Group yesterday declared there was "significant industrial and commercial logic" in taking over National Express.

National Express said it did not consider it appropriate to enter talks "at present" and it was focused on measures to strengthen the group.

Aberdeen-based First said there could be "no certainty" about an offer for National Express, but added: "A further announcement will be made in due course if appropriate."

A combination of the firms would consolidate First’s position as the UK’s largest operator, but would be likely to attract the attention of competition authorities.

First is already the UK’s biggest bus operator, running more than one in five of all local buses, and a quarter of the UK’s passenger rail network.

Here is a look at the services offered by the National Express and First Group.

BUS

National Express: Services in Birmingham and the West Midlands in the UK’s largest single area bus network outside London. Also runs services in Dundee and Coventry and the Travel Midland Metro tram service in Birmingham.

First Group: The UK’s largest bus operator, with about 9,000 buses operating in 40 towns and cities. Carries three million passengers every day.

COACH

National Express: Network offers scheduled services to more than 1,000 destinations in the UK. Commuter coach travel business King’s Ferry and European coach service Eurolines are also part of the group.

First Group: No major operations

TRAIN

National Express: Portfolio includes two of the UK’s most prestigious franchises – the East Coast Main Line and National Express East Anglia, which includes Stansted Express. Also runs the Essex commuter service, c2c.

First Group: The UK’s largest rail operator carrying over 285 million passengers a year. Runs every type of overground rail service in the UK. The portfolio is made up of First Great Western, First ScotRail, First Capital Connect in the south east, FirstTransPennine Express and First Hull Trains. First GBRf provides freight services for customers such as Bombardier and Wabtec.

OVERSEAS

National Express: One million students use its yellow school buses in the United States and Canada. Operates in 27 states and two Canadian provinces. Also has coach and bus services in Spain, with 6,400 employees and 1,400 vehicles.

First Group: Owns or operates more than 70,000 school and transit buses in the United States and Canada. Owner of the iconic Greyhound inter-city bus service, which transports more than 24 million people each year.