Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[E400]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
Stagecoach won't venture into Arriva's territory in Wallasey. I was speaking to some Stagecoach high level management (national, not local) earlier this year and they said that their long term plan for Merseyside was to hit their major competition hard. That competition is of course car drivers. We're seeing marketing well placed to attract car drivers - in car parks in Liverpool, on petrol pumps, backs of buses etc.

They explicitly stated that Arriva is not so much competition on Merseyside, as they are 'partners'. Merseyside is Arriva's heartland - they have spent unbelievable amounts of money on a modern fleet and while Stagecoach has also spent a fortune, their fleet is much smaller and their geographic distribution and capacity throughout Merseyside is limited at best. Stagecoach would be stupid to upset Arriva, because they would likely come off worse in Merseyside. They are better targeting the likes of Halton and Avon, or capitalising on the collapse of operators, such as GHA, which they are playing a leading role in.

Stagecoach has no need to venture into Wallasey, and as was established yesterday, they have virtually no space in Rock Ferry to store the additional vehicles that these routes would undoubtedly require.