BC buy-outs start
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NAGERS of most onal Bus Company bus • ating and engineering panics are interested in nising buy-outs of their iesses, but the Govern: is fighting to break up : of the bigger corn:s.
wo-thirds have already ulted their worktinces or started drawing up plans heir businesses.
[lain(' Red North, based 2annock, has already vn its hand by revealing it is drawing up buy-out S.
ereford and Worcesterd Midland Red West has consultim! its 7(X) staff to find out whether they wish to bid for their operation.
The old Midland Red engineering works, which trades successfully as Carlyle Works in Birmingham and which has recently signed a deal to become UK spares and warranty agent for Van Hool, is drawing up a bid.
But three companies have been told by Transport Secretary Nicholas Ridley that they are still too big to be allowed to buy themselves out.
He feels that Crosville, Ribble and London Country would provide unfair competition for smaller independent operators in their areas_ The companies favour their survival in single units.
Crosville and Ribble believe they need to remain as large units to counter competition from operating companies set up by Merseyside and Greater Manchester PTEs.
In the longer term, London Country can provide sustained and real competition for the Government-owned London Buses operation of London Regional Transport.
It also uses its size to advantage in the provision of its longer distance Green Line services which are interworked from depots on either side of 1.ondon.