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NBC's half century
Page 28
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• National Bus Company has reached the half-century mark in the sale of its operating subsidiaries, with Northamptonbased United Counties becoming the 50th company to be sold since July 1986. United has been bought by Stagecoach Holdings of Perth, which has already acquired Cumberland Motor Services, as well as Hampshire Bus and its associate company Pilgrim Coaches in the South.
United currently employs 680 staff and runs 250 buses, coaches and mini-buses from six depots, serving Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and parts of Cambridge and Buckinghamshire.
Stagecoach's managing director Brian Souter becomes chairman of United, backed by United's managing director John Tate. UC was for many years a part of the Tilling Group, before becoming state-owned in 1948. It passed into National Buses management in 1969 and in January last year it was divided into three smaller local companies, with the northerly part of the operation retaining the United name and headquarters. The other two companies — Milton Keynes City Bus and Luton & District Transport — have already been sold off to their managements.
The news of Stagecoach's latest purchase comes just a week after the news that it is buying 30 new Leyland Olympian double-deckers, fitted with Walter Alexander Bodywork, in a deal worth some £2.4 million.
National Bus says that deals on its remaining 22 subsidiaries should be struck by the end of this year.
1:1 The NBC's decision to reopen the bidding for its subsidiaries, London Country Bus (South West), Southern National, and North Devon was fair and proper, the Honourable Justice MacPherson ruled in the High Court this week. He rejected an application by Drawlane for judicial review of the re-opening of the bidding.
NBC chairman Rodney Lund says: "We are delighted the matter has been resolved. We are still on target to complete the privatisation ahead of schedule."