First thinking about withdrawing from UK

[towerman]

Saw in the financial pages that First are thinking of selling off their bus business in the UK.Do you think whoever takes over will try to come back into London?

[snoggle]

Jun 7, 2019 11:34:31 GMT towerman said:

Saw in the financial pages that First are thinking of selling off their bus business in the UK.Do you think whoever takes over will try to come back into London?

It is unclear to me quite what First are really proposing in terms of the UK bus business. I thought they were more minded to make it an entirely separate subsidiary in their group structure rather than a sell off. I can't see that any group would wish to buy First Bus in its entirety. Heck they can't even secure a straightforward sale of First Manchester with only one part gone and speculation that other offers for the garages have fallen through.

I don't think anyone will be making a major and expensive move into London. Anyone dreaming of a return of the so called "hayday" of First London can forget it in my view. Not happening.

[ServerKing]

Jun 7, 2019 11:53:05 GMT snoggle said:

Jun 7, 2019 11:34:31 GMT towerman said:

Saw in the financial pages that First are thinking of selling off their bus business in the UK.Do you think whoever takes over will try to come back into London?

It is unclear to me quite what First are really proposing in terms of the UK bus business. I thought they were more minded to make it an entirely separate subsidiary in their group structure rather than a sell off. I can't see that any group would wish to buy First Bus in its entirety. Heck they can't even secure a straightforward sale of First Manchester with only one part gone and speculation that other offers for the garages have fallen through.

I don't think anyone will be making a major and expensive move into London. Anyone dreaming of a return of the so called "hayday" of First London can forget it in my view. Not happening.

First have had enough troubles trying to run the South Western rail franchise... I would love a return to the heyday of SWT with Stagecoach again Industrial action is messing up their services to Ascot at the moment.

I doubt First will soon leave, probably some sort of restructure of whatever is left.