Yellow Buses of Bournemouth have today gone into administration.
https://www.yellowbuses.co.uk/statement
The statement on their website says that negotiations have been under way for some time for a major national operator to buy the business. It is assumed that this is still ongoing and could be completed soon.
Both Go Ahead and First would be obvious candidates, but Go Ahead seems more likely. Bus services are not as commercially viable as they once were, so competition concerns that would have prevented such a purchase a few years ago no longer have the same weight. They would certainly be able to bring the most economies of scale and local knowledge to the Yellow network.
For First, Yellow would fill a geographical gap between their Wessex operation in Weymouth and City Red in Southampton, but is less likely as First have been concentrating on selling loss-making divisions over the last few years and have not made a new acquisition in a long while.
Stagecoach can never be ruled out, but their new private equity owners might have very different priorities compared to their previous management.
National Express, Arriva and Rotala are highly unlikely as they have nothing else in the region with which to support a new acquisition.
Transdev used to own Yellow Buses, which transferred to RATP when Transdev restructured. Transdev is now based in the North, where it is run successfully by Alex Hornby, who is no stranger to our neck of the woods having previously been operations manager of Bluestar. Yellows will be on his radar, but will Transdev's French government owners want to buy it back?
All should become clear in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime Yellow bus services are operating as normal.
GSC is looking to be the most obvious candidate, so if they take on YB’s routes, how will they fit into the existing network?
ReplyDelete1 - This is duplicated by the m2 as far as Southbourne, so they could simply extend it east to Christchurch.
1a/1b - Serves areas away from existing Morebus territory, so would need GSC to take the entirety of these on. I’d give them route numbers 21 and 22 as they fit with the existing numbering system around Christchurch. I’d expect the extensions from Somerford to New Milton to be axed however.
2 - Serves Springbourne and Townsend which don’t have Morebus service, so they would need to introduce a new route for this as far as Castlepoint. Could be numbered the 19 as that fits in with the area. West of Castlepoint to Kinson already has the 14, so probably no need to replace this section of the 2.
3x - A recent addition from Yellows, so probably won’t see a replacement.
4 - Serves Muscliffe estate so will need Morebus to take it on. Allocating it the number 12 would work perfectly as that would fit with the 13 along Wimborne Road, and both routes could interwork giving a clockface 15 minute frequency from Bournemouth to Moordown.
5/5a - Needs Morebus to retain the direct link between Bournemouth and West Howe, so a full route takeover would be likely. Numbers 25 and 26 would probably be best for this route, as all lower consecutive numbers would be taken.
6 - Bournemouth to University already has adequate bus provision, but from there to Bearwood is much more patchy. The easiest thing to do would probably be to extend the U4 to Bearwood, with some peak extras to Wimborne via Merley.
12/ Buster’s Beach Bus - Morebus 70 already covers much of this route during summer months, so could simply be extended along the coast. During winter the 50 could divert via Alum Chine so as not to cut this area off from public transport.
737 - Will probably get a direct replacement, although should really run via the A338 and Hurn like it used to rather than West Parley.
Tendered routes 18, 33 and 36 would most likely remain with the same numbers.
Hi Guys,
ReplyDeleteCláudio here. I keep following every now and then the comments and developments in the area, concerning bus services.
Although I don't live already for 3 years in the conurbation, I am still amazed on how lively this blog stayed, and also what the bus companies done. For comparison, Alkmaar in Holland has a bus level service just as big as Dorchester, despite being as big as Southampton. I would be rather happy if i had the same levels of bus services as I had in Bournemouth. I rely solely on my car, and i still do my odd trip on a bus here in Holland.
Now talking about the big headlines: it is unfortunately no surprise that YB has gone into administration. So many changes, quite unstable operation, that put people off getting the bus. Because the current operations from YB are not as big as it used to be, I think the take over from Go Ahead seems to be the most likely scenario. I fear though that the patronage will pay for the take over, with higher prices for bus passes and tickets...
I hope i am wrong though.
I also do not rule out First, since they have a partnership involving ticketing. Not enough though to justify a take over, since we all know First are not the best in management, especially Hampshire and Dorset. Stagecoach seems also likely, but I bet on Go Ahead.
I just hope they keep the yellow livery or even the name. It is just so specific about Bournemouth. It is part of the landscape.
I shall follow how this develops.
It is saddening but not surprising.
I would not discount National Express from having an interest. They moved the coach contracts from Bluestar to their own team at Lucketts a few years back - I think(?)
ReplyDeleteSo it is entirely plausible that they would want another bus operation to add to the NXBus brand after the rebuttal from Stagecoach.
I was thinking the same as you regarding Nat Ex. Bearing in mind Yellows used to have the Nat Ex contract for the Southampton area, has the Megabus contract and still has some Nat Ex coaches in their yard there is a link there. Also as we know they are in acquisition mode, whereas on a corporate level the focus at Go Ahead and Stagecoach is on impending takeovers. I think they're still less likely than Go Ahead or First but time will tell.
DeleteWhat I can't see is there being no deal and the company shutting down completely. I know we saw that with coach companies during the lockdown but I don't think the bus industry is in that bad a state (yet).
I think that the lockdown scenario came simply at the wrong time. Yellow had invested in a significant computer upgrade which probably depleted reserves as well.
Deletewonder who owns the depot site, massive modern asset if part of the company as an operations base.
ReplyDeleteThe depot is leased
DeleteA convoy of Stagecoach buses have reportedly just been seen on the M27 heading towards ringwood/bournemouth
ReplyDeleteWell they were certainly were not used for Ageas Bowl Park and Ride/Shuttle incase anyone had that idea
Delete1 of the vehicles in the convoy believed to be Stagecoach Yorkshire Streetlite SN18XXD
DeleteCamp Bestival, rail replacement, or any multitude of reasons. Why would they want to send any vehicles down as yellows have a whole fleet of buses down there? Complete red herring.
Delete"Why would they want to send any. Vehicles down as yellows have a whole fleet of buses down there?"
DeleteOh I don't know maybe the fact yellows have 38 vehicles off the road with some uneconomical to repair which was a contributing factor to the administartors being called in. As you clearly have no idea of what's going on down here I strongly suggest you jump off your high horse
Have Stagecoach ever operated in Dorset? Apart from the Lyme Regis 9A route which is being withdrawn next month
ReplyDeleteyes think they ran a Bournemouth/Southampton/Portsmouth express service several years back (x27?)
ReplyDeleteWhat year was this service withdrawn?
DeleteThe X27 Stagecoach were involved in was a joint operation with Southampton Citybus using..... I want to say Volvo Plaxton coaches.
DeleteThis was in the early 1990s and was not a particularly long-lived variant of the service.
Can't remember if it was competing with, or after the demise of the Wilts & SBL collaborative X35 though.
Forgot to also add to the original comment; the Stagecoach variant of the X27 was Bournemouth - Southampton - Portsmouth - Chichester - Brighton.
DeleteUnlike previous iterations of the 727 et al, I think it was the first variant to call into Fareham and was more express than the then Limited Stop 700.
Stagecoach did have a small incursion in to north west Dorset with I think what was the 14 from Chard to Marshwood until the tender passed to Dorset Community Transport.
ReplyDeleteNice to see this post turned into Stagecoach massive
ReplyDeleteOn the bright side let's all be very grateful that the improved 14 minilink has stared today
ReplyDeleteNX senior management spotted at Yeomans Way Depot today announcement rumored to be imminent
ReplyDeleteBBB BFE 6h and 727 all showing as suspended from tomorrow according to YB website
ReplyDeleteAll yellow buses routes reduced to a Saturday Service from tommorow
DeleteBuster’s Beach Bus will be running a reduced service between Alum Chine and Hengistbury Head only, but you are right about the other routes - they are being suspended from tomorrow.
DeleteBCP tendered services 18,33,36 staying on M-F timetables.
Delete