Capital plan forNBC
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NATIONAL Bus Company coaching resources in South East England are to be boosted by a new company now being set up to act as an overall coach-hire broker in the region, writes NOEL MILLIER.
The new company, which is to be headed by London Country commercial manager Bernard Davis, is to be known as London Crusader.
The company's aim will be to market the services operated by NBC operating companies in the region, including tourist services and private hire. More specifically, it is aiming for a larger share of the London-based incoming tour market.
With the introduction of London Crusader, the London-based coach operations unit National Travel (London) will become responsible to the South East region. At present it comes under the Northern region along with the other National Travel coaching units and National Holidays.
Although Crusader is mainly designed to sell NBC south-east region coaches and look for work for the commuter express coaches currently waiting in London during the day, it will sub-contract to private and other NBC operators.
London Crusader is expected to be formally launched in June and is seen as part of NBC's move towards greater commercial freedom to counter the decline in its ordinary bus services.
The move could bring a strong reaction from local independent coach operators, many of whom are already smarting at the loss of contracts and private hires to NBC companies which are able to offer vehicles on a marginally costed basis.
The London-based operators are less likely to be worried as they are already highly specialised and have drivers well-versed in London with radio-telephone links.