National Express Group
Encyclopedia
National Express Group plc is a British transport
group headquartered in Birmingham
that operates bus
, coach
, rail
and tram
services in the UK, the US
and Canada
, Spain, Portugal
and Morocco
and long-distance coach routes across Europe. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange
and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index
.
With the privatisation of the NBC in the 1980s, National Express was subject to a management buy-out in 1988. The management team began to diversify, and acquired the bus company Crosville Wales, but its financial performance began to deteriorate from early 1990. A new management team took over the company in 1991, with the backing of development and venture capital investors. The new team refocused the group on its core activities and sold Crosville Wales. In 1992, National Express Group PLC was floated on the London Stock Exchange
with a remit to acquire new businesses in the passenger transport market.
and East Midlands Airport, although the latter has since been sold.
In 1995, West Midlands Travel, the formerly municipally-owned bus network of Birmingham
and the West Midlands
, was acquired and renamed Travel West Midlands in September 1996. This began the brand family of Travel ... local bus operations. Since then Travel Coventry has been spun out of Travel West Midlands, and Travel Dundee
and Travel London
have been acquired.
In 1996 the group acquired its first UK rail franchises, Gatwick Express
and Midland Mainline
. Since then seven further franchises have been added, and rail services now account for the largest portion of the group's activity.
In 2005 National Express agreed to buy most of operations of privately owned Spanish transport operator ALSA
, which operates bus and coach services in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, and long-distance coach services to other parts of Europe. Alsa's operations in South America and China were retained by the previous owners.
Also in mid 2005, the group bought the London buses arm of Tellings Golden Miller and branded it Travel London. This included a number of services in South West London and Surrey.
In 2007 National Express acquired Continental Auto, the second largest bus and coach operator in Spain.
The group has also moved into operations outside Europe. At one time it had extensive bus, rail and tram operations in Australia, but with the collapse of the group there, all operations were either sold off or had control returned to the State Government (see the "Australian operations" section below). Only one bus operator was retained, Westbus in Australia. It led to a strange situation developing, as Westbus at the time of acquisition owned a subsidiary operation in London, called Westbus in Australia that still operates and is managed from Sydney.
On 11 November 2007, National Express Group announced plans to re-brand their constituent companies under a new unified National Express identity. This is intended to achieve greater recognition for all the group companies, to coincide with recent rail acquisitions and after current rail operations had improved in reliability to warrant association with the established express coach image. It also coincides with the appointment of a group director for all UK operations and relocation of the head office from Victoria in London
to Birmingham
, bringing all operations under a single strategic management structure. Day to day management remains within individual companies.
On 21 May 2009, National Express Group agreed to sell Travel London to NedRailways
(now Abellio), a subsidiary of NS Dutch Railways
, for a price of £32 million. The sale includes the 66 bus routes in London and Surrey. All vehicles and premises used were sold, and all staff transferred to NedRailways.
and National Express East Anglia, at which point they would be put out to tender and National Express Group would not be permitted to rebid. This decision was widely expected after defaulting on the National Express East Coast
franchise and having to surrender it.
for £765 million. The UK Takeover Panel set a deadline of 11 September 2009 for all prospective bids.
The Group agreed to open its books to the Cosmen and CVC consortium on 10 September 2009, though had reportedly been looking into selling its bus and rail franchises to rival Stagecoach Group
, according to The Times
. The deadline for bids was subsequently extended to 16 October 2009.
The consortium led by the Cosmen family abandoned their bid on 16 October 2009, leading to a drop in shares of 26%. Stagecoach later submitted a new solo all-share bid. The company had initially ruled out making an independent bid, and had agreed with the Cosmen consortium to purchase the group's rail and bus services.
The structure of LCR is complex due to numerous reorganisations, for example SNCF is involved in the Eurostar operation at three different levels. shareholders in LCR in 2006 were:
Since the 1998 reorganisation the operation of EUKL has run as under a management contract, expiring in 2010, by InterCapital and Regional Rail (ICRR). ICRR shareholders are:
Operation of the line is undertaken by Network Rail
under a contract lasting until 2086, when LCR's concession ends too, and all rights return to the British Government.
This structure will change as per the announcement made in June 2009.
In November 2007 several franchises were lost in a general restructure of franchises:
In June 2008 Gatwick Express
was absorbed into Southern
franchise
In November 2009, National Express East Coast
was handed over to the government-owned East Coast
, a subsidiary of Directly Operated Railways
Limited, after National Express defaulted on the franchise earlier in 2009.
and Humberside Airport
. In a move to concentrate on bus and rail provision, the airports were sold to Manchester Airports Group for £241 million in March 2001.
Until November 2007, the group also operated Stewart International Airport
in New Windsor, New York
. However, the lease was sold to the public Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
.
after privatisation by the Government of Victoria
. After financial collapse of the Australian division, in 2003, the operations were handed back to the State Government. M>Train was passed on to Connex, and M>Tram to Yarra Trams
.
Australian bus companies previously operated by the group include:
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
group headquartered in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
that operates bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
, coach
Coach (vehicle)
A coach is a large motor vehicle, a type of bus, used for conveying passengers on excursions and on longer distance express coach scheduled transport between cities - or even between countries...
, rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
and tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
services in the UK, the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Spain, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
and long-distance coach routes across Europe. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index
FTSE 250 Index
The FTSE 250 Index is a capitalisation-weighted index consisting of the 101st to the 350th largest companies on the London Stock Exchange. Promotions to and demotions from the index take place quarterly in March, June, September and December...
.
History
The National Express brand was created in 1972 by the state-owned National Bus Company (NBC) to bring together the express bus and coach services operated by the bus operating companies within the NBC group. The National Express network was largely a branding and management exercise, with services continuing to be operated by the individual companies.With the privatisation of the NBC in the 1980s, National Express was subject to a management buy-out in 1988. The management team began to diversify, and acquired the bus company Crosville Wales, but its financial performance began to deteriorate from early 1990. A new management team took over the company in 1991, with the backing of development and venture capital investors. The new team refocused the group on its core activities and sold Crosville Wales. In 1992, National Express Group PLC was floated on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
with a remit to acquire new businesses in the passenger transport market.
Acquisitions
In 1993 the group acquired EurolinesEurolines
Eurolines is a coach organisation, operating international bus routes within Europe and Morocco to over 500 destinations in over 25 countries. Rather than being a single company, Eurolines is a network of co-operating bus companies from all over Europe, offering integrated ticketing and extensive...
and East Midlands Airport, although the latter has since been sold.
In 1995, West Midlands Travel, the formerly municipally-owned bus network of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, was acquired and renamed Travel West Midlands in September 1996. This began the brand family of Travel ... local bus operations. Since then Travel Coventry has been spun out of Travel West Midlands, and Travel Dundee
Travel Dundee
National Express Dundee is a bus operator based in Dundee, Scotland and operates services mainly within Dundee City. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Express Group.-History:...
and Travel London
Travel London
Travel London was a bus operator in London which was originally a subsidiary of the National Express Group. In May 2009 the company was sold to NedRailways, now called Abellio...
have been acquired.
In 1996 the group acquired its first UK rail franchises, Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express is the name given to the frequent rail shuttle service between Victoria station in London and Gatwick Airport in South East England, operated by the Southern franchise...
and Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline was a British train operating company owned by the National Express Group and based in Derby. It was created after the privatisation of British Rail. Midland Mainline services operated from April 1996 to November 2007....
. Since then seven further franchises have been added, and rail services now account for the largest portion of the group's activity.
In 2005 National Express agreed to buy most of operations of privately owned Spanish transport operator ALSA
ALSA (bus company)
ALSA is a Spanish subsidiary of the UK company National Express Group, which operates bus and coach services in Spain and other countries across Europe, including Andorra, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia,...
, which operates bus and coach services in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, and long-distance coach services to other parts of Europe. Alsa's operations in South America and China were retained by the previous owners.
Also in mid 2005, the group bought the London buses arm of Tellings Golden Miller and branded it Travel London. This included a number of services in South West London and Surrey.
In 2007 National Express acquired Continental Auto, the second largest bus and coach operator in Spain.
The group has also moved into operations outside Europe. At one time it had extensive bus, rail and tram operations in Australia, but with the collapse of the group there, all operations were either sold off or had control returned to the State Government (see the "Australian operations" section below). Only one bus operator was retained, Westbus in Australia. It led to a strange situation developing, as Westbus at the time of acquisition owned a subsidiary operation in London, called Westbus in Australia that still operates and is managed from Sydney.
Restructuring
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, bringing all operations under a single strategic management structure. Day to day management remains within individual companies.
On 21 May 2009, National Express Group agreed to sell Travel London to NedRailways
Abellio (transport company)
Abellio is a public transit operator in Germany which operates both bus and rail networks. The headquarters of the company are in Essen. Abellio Germany is part of the Abellio Group , the international expansion arm of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen.-History:Abellio was formed by the Essen public...
(now Abellio), a subsidiary of NS Dutch Railways
Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Nederlandse Spoorwegen , or NS, is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands.Its trains operate over the tracks of the Dutch national railinfrastructure, operated by ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003...
, for a price of £32 million. The sale includes the 66 bus routes in London and Surrey. All vehicles and premises used were sold, and all staff transferred to NedRailways.
July 2009 nationalisation of the East Coast Line
On 1 July 2009, the Department for Transport announced that it would take the London-to-Edinburgh route into public ownership at the end of the year, and the contract would be put back out to tender at the end of 2010. Further controversy ensued when, on 27 July 2009, the Commons Transport Committee said that ministers should consider operating the East Coast Main Line as a public railway after National Express announced they would walk away. The committee said it was "unacceptable" that the company might be able to "cling on" to its other rail franchises, including the London to Tilbury and Southend route. The East Coast left the National Express group on the 14 November 2009. Also in November 2009, the government announced that it was to terminate their other franchises in 2011, c2cC2c
c2c is a British train operating company that is part of the National Express Group. It provides passenger rail services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line from Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London to east London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway...
and National Express East Anglia, at which point they would be put out to tender and National Express Group would not be permitted to rebid. This decision was widely expected after defaulting on the National Express East Coast
National Express East Coast
National Express East Coast was a train operating company in the United Kingdom, running high speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London and Scotland, as part of the East Coast passenger franchise...
franchise and having to surrender it.
Operational safety concerns
In July 2009, a junior transport minister, the Gillingham MP Paul Clark, spelt out a series of concerns to National Express in a letter following a meeting with an employee of National Express East Coast who lives in his constituency. The worker claimed that due to reduced maintenance checks, some trains were in use with defective brakes, an allegation strongly denied by the company, which said it would "never compromise on safety". He wrote: "As a result of reduced maintenance checks, 'some long-haul sets [trains] are in use with brake defects'. Increasing cuts in staff combined with an increasing pressure to ensure that trains run safely has resulted in fears among staff that a major accident is 'just around the corner'." Passengers, he added, "have been 'poisoned' as a result of coffee machines not being cleaned correctly, with cleaning fluids left in situ". The minister said he was "shocked and appalled at the information with which I've been provided. You will understand that these allegations are exceptionally serious".Offers for the company
On 29 June 2009, National Express rejected a takeover bid from fellow transport operator FirstGroup, saying it didn't "consider it appropriate" at the present time to discuss a takeover. This was followed in August 2009 by its main shareholder Spain's Cosmen family & CVC Capital PartnersCVC Capital Partners
CVC Capital Partners is one of the top five largest private equity firms globally with approximately US$46 billion in funds focused on management buyouts...
for £765 million. The UK Takeover Panel set a deadline of 11 September 2009 for all prospective bids.
The Group agreed to open its books to the Cosmen and CVC consortium on 10 September 2009, though had reportedly been looking into selling its bus and rail franchises to rival Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
, according to The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. The deadline for bids was subsequently extended to 16 October 2009.
The consortium led by the Cosmen family abandoned their bid on 16 October 2009, leading to a drop in shares of 26%. Stagecoach later submitted a new solo all-share bid. The company had initially ruled out making an independent bid, and had agreed with the Cosmen consortium to purchase the group's rail and bus services.
Bus and coach services
The bus and coach services operated by the group are:Bus operations
- AirLinks (contract bus operation at UK airports)
- National Express Dundee (bus operation in and around DundeeDundeeDundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, UK)- Travel Greyhound (coach arm of National Express Dundee)
- G&N Wishart (Rural bus and coach arm of National Express Dundee)
- National Express West MidlandsNational Express West MidlandsNational Express West Midlands , formerly known as Travel West Midlands , is the trade name of West Midlands Travel Ltd , a company which operates bus services from depots in the cities of Birmingham, and Wolverhampton, as well as the boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall in the West...
(Major bus operations in BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and the West MidlandsWest Midlands (county)The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, UK)- National Express CoventryNational Express CoventryNational Express Coventry is the current trading name and brand name of West Midlands Travel Ltd , a company which operates bus services from its depot in the city of Coventry in the West Midlands region of England. All of West Midlands Travel Ltd other bus depots in the West Midlands operate...
(bus operation in and around CoventryCoventryCoventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, UK - A subsidiary of National Express West Midlands)
- National Express Coventry
- Continental Auto (bus operation in Spain)
Coach operations
- EurolinesEurolinesEurolines is a coach organisation, operating international bus routes within Europe and Morocco to over 500 destinations in over 25 countries. Rather than being a single company, Eurolines is a network of co-operating bus companies from all over Europe, offering integrated ticketing and extensive...
(express coach services between the UK and other EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries) - National Express Coaches (long distance express and airport coach services in the UK)
- ALSAALSA (bus company)ALSA is a Spanish subsidiary of the UK company National Express Group, which operates bus and coach services in Spain and other countries across Europe, including Andorra, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia,...
(coach services in Spain and Western Europe) - The King's Ferry (commuter services and private coach hire)
Tram services
- Travel Midland MetroTravel Midland MetroTravel Midland Metro is the name of the company that operates the Midland Metro tram system between Birmingham and Wolverhampton in the UK. Travel Midland Metro is a fully owned subsidiary of the National Express Group, who also owns the local bus company National Express West Midlands...
(Midland MetroMidland MetroThe Midland Metro is a light-rail or tram line in the West Midlands of England between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton via West Bromwich and Wednesbury. It is owned and promoted by Centro, and operated by West Midlands Travel Limited, a subsidiary of the National Express Group , under...
light rail system in the West MidlandsWest Midlands (county)The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, UK)
Railway services
- c2cC2cc2c is a British train operating company that is part of the National Express Group. It provides passenger rail services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line from Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London to east London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway...
(passenger rail operation in the UK) - Maintrain (train maintenance in the UK)
- National Express East Anglia (passenger rail operation in the UK)
- Stansted ExpressStansted ExpressStansted Express is a sub-brand of National Express East Anglia. It is the direct train service linking central London to Stansted Airport, one of London's major air hubs...
(sub brand of National Express East Anglia)
- Stansted Express
London and Continental Railways
The structure of LCR is complex due to numerous reorganisations, for example SNCF is involved in the Eurostar operation at three different levels. shareholders in LCR in 2006 were:
- Rail Link Engineering (RLE)
- National Express Group
- SNCFSNCFThe SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
- EDF EnergyEDF EnergyEDF Energy is an integrated energy company in the United Kingdom, with operations spanning electricity generation and the sale of gas and electricity to homes and businesses throughout the United Kingdom...
- UBSUBS AGUBS AG is a Swiss global financial services company headquartered in Basel and Zürich, Switzerland, which provides investment banking, asset management, and wealth management services for private, corporate, and institutional clients worldwide, as well as retail clients in Switzerland...
Since the 1998 reorganisation the operation of EUKL has run as under a management contract, expiring in 2010, by InterCapital and Regional Rail (ICRR). ICRR shareholders are:
- National Express Group (40%)
- SNCFSNCFThe SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
(35%) - NMBS/SNCB (15%)
- British AirwaysBritish AirwaysBritish Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
(10%)
Operation of the line is undertaken by Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
under a contract lasting until 2086, when LCR's concession ends too, and all rights return to the British Government.
This structure will change as per the announcement made in June 2009.
Bus and coach services
- ATC (transit and paratransit bus operation in the US)
- Durham School ServicesDurham School ServicesDurham School Services is a school bus operator providing tendered pupil transportation throughout the United States, currently operating in 29 states, primarily along the West Coast, in the southern United States, the Midwest, and parts of the Northeast...
(school bus operation in the US) - Stock Transportation (school bus operation in Canada)
UK rail franchises
Rail franchises lost in refranchising include:- ScotRailScotRailScotRail was a brand name used for all Scottish regional and commuter rail services, including some cross-border services, from 1997 to 2004....
passed to First Group in October 2004 - Wales and BordersWales and BordersWales and Borders is the name of a franchise of train services covering Wales, the Welsh Marches and bordering counties of England.-History:The franchise was initially formed from part of the former Wales and West franchise and the Cardiff Railway Company , together with the lines from Shrewsbury...
passed to ArrivaArrivaArriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
in December 2003 - WAGN split into two parts - First Group took over the Great Northern services in April 2006
- Wessex TrainsWessex TrainsWessex Trains was the primary passenger rail operator in the South West of England. The company operated trains in the region bounded by Penzance, Cardiff, Gloucester, Worcester and Brighton...
, absorbed into First Great WesternFirst Great WesternFirst Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
in April 2006
In November 2007 several franchises were lost in a general restructure of franchises:
- Central TrainsCentral TrainsCentral Trains was one of the original 25 train operating companies to emerge from the break-up of British Rail between 1994 and 1997. The company operated local, urban and secondary express services across central England and Mid Wales.-Overview:...
split between London MidlandLondon MidlandLondon Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
, East Midlands TrainsEast Midlands TrainsEast Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
and CrossCountryCrossCountryCrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva... - Midland MainlineMidland MainlineMidland Mainline was a British train operating company owned by the National Express Group and based in Derby. It was created after the privatisation of British Rail. Midland Mainline services operated from April 1996 to November 2007....
absorbed into East Midlands TrainsEast Midlands TrainsEast Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
franchise - SilverlinkSilverlinkSilverlink Train Services Ltd was a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operated routes in North London and from London to Northampton...
split between London OvergroundLondon OvergroundLondon Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
and new franchise London MidlandLondon MidlandLondon Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
In June 2008 Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express is the name given to the frequent rail shuttle service between Victoria station in London and Gatwick Airport in South East England, operated by the Southern franchise...
was absorbed into Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
franchise
In November 2009, National Express East Coast
National Express East Coast
National Express East Coast was a train operating company in the United Kingdom, running high speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London and Scotland, as part of the East Coast passenger franchise...
was handed over to the government-owned East Coast
East Coast (train operating company)
East Coast is a British train operating company running high-speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland...
, a subsidiary of Directly Operated Railways
Directly Operated Railways
Directly Operated Railways Ltd is the name given to a holding company set up by the Department for Transport in the United Kingdom. DOR took over the running of services on the East Coast franchise from 13 November 2009 and operates under the trading name of East Coast through its subsidiary East...
Limited, after National Express defaulted on the franchise earlier in 2009.
UK bus operations
In May 2009 National Express agreed to sell some of their bus operations so reduce some of their debts due to the recession at the time.- Travel LondonTravel LondonTravel London was a bus operator in London which was originally a subsidiary of the National Express Group. In May 2009 the company was sold to NedRailways, now called Abellio...
(bus operation under contract to London BusesLondon BusesLondon Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
)- Travel SurreyTravel SurreyTravel Surrey was a bus operator in Surrey which was originally a subsidiary of the National Express Group. It was given its own brand name from 1 September 2007. In May 2009, the company, along with Travel London, was sold to NedRailways...
(bus operation SurreySurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and South West LondonSouth West (London sub region)The South West is a sub-region of the London Plan corresponding to the London Boroughs of London Borough of , Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton and Wandsworth. The sub region was established in 2008. The south west has a population of 1,600,000 and is the location...
- a subsidiary of Travel London)
- Travel Surrey
Airports
In the 1990s National Express Group moved into the privatisation of airports, eventually purchasing East Midlands Airport, Bournemouth AirportBournemouth Airport
Bournemouth Airport is an airport located north-northeast of Bournemouth, in southern England...
and Humberside Airport
Humberside Airport
-Cargo flights:Icelandair Cargo operate a weekly Sunday flight from Keflavík which then departs to Liege-Passenger statistics:-Bus service:An hourly daytime bus service runs from Grimsby and Hull to the airport from Monday to Saturday.-External links:**...
. In a move to concentrate on bus and rail provision, the airports were sold to Manchester Airports Group for £241 million in March 2001.
Until November 2007, the group also operated Stewart International Airport
Stewart International Airport
Stewart International Airport is located in the southern Hudson Valley, west of Newburgh, New York and over north of Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The airport is located in the Town of Newburgh and the Town of New Windsor."." U.S. Census Bureau...
in New Windsor, New York
New Windsor, New York
New Windsor is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was estimated at 25,244 in 2010 by the US Census.The Town of New Windsor is in the eastern part of the county, bordering the Town of Newburgh and the City of Newburgh....
. However, the lease was sold to the public Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
.
Australian operations
In 1999 the Group gained the Australian franchises M>Train, M>Tram and V/Line PassengerV/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
after privatisation by the Government of Victoria
Government of Victoria
The Government of Victoria, under the Constitution of Australia, ceded certain legislative and judicial powers to the Commonwealth, but retained complete independence in all other areas...
. After financial collapse of the Australian division, in 2003, the operations were handed back to the State Government. M>Train was passed on to Connex, and M>Tram to Yarra Trams
Yarra Trams
Yarra Trams is the trading name of the Melbourne tram network, which is fully owned and registered by the Victorian State Government. The current franchise is operated by a consortium named KDR Melbourne which consists of a partnership between French company Keolis and Australian company Downer EDI...
.
Australian bus companies previously operated by the group include:
- Westbus, Glenorie, and Hillsbus in Sydney sold to ComfortDelgro-CabchargeCabchargeThe Cabcharge account payment system was established in 1976 by Mr. Reginald Kermode to provide a convenient way to pay for taxi fares throughout Australia and certain participating companies. It listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in December 1999 and is now an ASX 200 company...
Group - National Bus CompanyNational Bus CompanyThe National Bus Company, or NBC, was the Australian brand for National Express Group's mass transit bus services in Melbourne and Brisbane. Its sister companies were Westbus, Hillsbus, and Glenorie in Sydney, Southern Coast Transit in Perth.-Routes:...
, MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, sold to Ventura Bus LinesVentura Bus LinesVentura is a privately owned bus and coach operator in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Today the largest private Melbourne bus company, and operates a number of bus routes under contract from the Victorian State Government. The company purchased National Bus Company for A$45 million, and the Mount... - National Bus Company, BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, sold to Connex.
See also
- MegabusMegabus (United Kingdom)Megabus is a UK coach service operated by Stagecoach Group. It started in 2003 and as of February 2010 operated 19 UK coach routes serving 41 destinations in England, Scotland and Wales. Some services link with Megatrain services which are also operated by Stagecoach...
- EasyBusEasyBusEasyBus provides UK express coach services to and from London and its main airports. It was founded by entrepreneur Stelios Haji-Ioannou in 2003, and is part of the EasyGroup...
- Stagecoach ExpressStagecoach ExpressStagecoach Express is the brand name of a range of express coach services offered in the UK by Stagecoach, one of the UK's largest bus and rail operators. Stagecoach Express primarily operates services within or between areas where Stagecoach operates the local bus services...
- List of bus companies in the United Kingdom