Most of First London Operations Sold

[Metroline1511]

RE: Most of First London Operations Sold
This does indeed bring First towards their £100m disposal target. There are hints that DM will join First Essex and be kept as a base for rail replacement services, and I expect more London bus tenders, especially if Stagecoach or go-Ahead become too big in London. This takes First back to 1995-97 in the sense that their only London operation will be an extension of First Essex Buses, then Thamesway.

I notice that Metroline will now have adjacent ex-LBL companies London Northern and most of CentreWest. This was not what the government at the time intended or allowed for. Furthermore, Metroline have also absorbed Atlas Bus, R&I Tours, London Suburban Bus, London Buslines, FE Thorpe, Thamesway route 214 and nearby Armchair. I therefore wonder whether TfL and the competition authorities will really approve this takeover. Mind you, the sale of DM, X and AS means Metroline only operate one extra central London route, namely route 18.