Diamond Bus North West

[Metroline1511]

RE: Diamond Bus North West (formerly South Lancs Travel)

(30/07/2017 21:04)robertclark125 Wrote:  Well, in the case of what will Rotala do, forgetting any major acquisition, one key thing to remember is, Rotala seem to be concentrating on the North west, and the West Midlands, whilst their Avon and Somerset operation, Wessex Connect, is doing fine in Bath, but struggling in Bristol. An acquisition in the North West could be funded by a sale of some, or all, of the Wessex Connect operation.

On another forum which I'm on, there is a thread entitled "Bristol independents and Wessex Connect". One recent topic on that thread has concerned Stagecoach opening an outstation in the Bristol area, to service a couple of routes it has won on tender, and a commercial route. The Wessex depot at Avonmouth is, apparently, undercapacity, and one or two folk, me included, have suggested that Stagecoach may seek to buy Wessex off Rotala.

Depending on the price, IF such a sale were to go ahead, and I stress IF, that could fund a purchase of an operation in the Greater Manchester area.

As I stress, it's a BIG IF.

Rotala also own Hallmark Coaches (including OFJ) in the Heathrow area. Their bus services are about to expand in September, partly through Abellio reducing their Surrey routes further.