0•001v Citylink bid is better
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• Staff and management at Scottish Citylink have been named as "preferred bidders" for the company.
The sale of Citylink is part of the Scottish Bus Group privatisation programme.
As SBG's express coaching arm, Citylink hires in vehicles from SBG companies and other private operators in Scotland and England. Until last October, Citylink operated joint cross-border services with National Express, but attention from the Office of Fair Trading led to National, and Citylink going their separate ways.
Since that time, Citylink has been competing with National's Caledonian Express subsidiary. National was a bidder for Citylink, but was disqualified. Scottish coach operator Park's of Hamilton withdrew.
Citylink managing director Alan Howes says he is delighted with the news: "We have made a major step along the road towards securing Citylink for its management and employees," he says. "The real time for celebration will be once the deal is completed and we're eager to do this as soon as possible."
Citylink employs 150 staff, and had a turnover of £19.6m in 1989 (CM 17-23 May),
An announcement is expected soon about the fate of Edinburgh-based Eastern.