A bus and coach company in the West of England has expanded after acquiring a Bristol-based operator.
Stagecoach West has bought up family-run South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach (SGBC) after the owner stepped down.
The bus operators have been working in partnership for two years and Stagecoach came to a mutual agreement with SGBC to buy the company and its assets.
SGBC has a depot in Patchway in Bristol, 100 employees and a fleet of 53 buses and coaches.
The operation runs commercial bus services, school contracts, private hire services and is one of the lead contractors for Stagecoach’s megabus business.
All services operated by SSGBC will continue to run as planned and staff currently working for the business will transfer to Stagecoach West.
Completion of the deal is expected in late October.
Rupert Cox, managing director for Stagecoach West, said: “This is a really exciting development for passengers in the West of England.
“We’ve been working in partnership with South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach for some time now and they’ve also been a very reliable and trustworthy contractor for our megabus services.
“This provides us with a great opportunity for more flexibility and offers a diverse mix of services to complement our existing routes.”
Mark Venables, managing director for megabus, added: “This is a great step forward for megabus.
“We’ve enjoyed a really close partnership with South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach for over two years and with the owning family deciding to step away after many successful years of operation, we’re happy to continue with their legacy in taking the business forward.”
In the last 12 months Stagecoach West has invested around £4.8million in 19 new double-decker buses to link Swindon, Faringdon and Oxford and to serve Cheltenham Park & Ride.
Stagecoach says its plans for Bristol will help to deliver improved connectivity for the city and support the region’s economic growth.
Megabus provides services to and from Bristol to almost 70 destinations on its intercity coach network including London, Plymouth, Exeter, Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds and Liverpool.
