This is a list of former
municipal bus companies of the United Kingdom and a brief description of their fate, with the exception of the several municipals which disappeared in 1968 and 1974 with the formation of the
PTE bus operations.
Of the remaining municipals, post-1986 many were sold off or collapsed during
bus deregulation, which required their separation into stand-alone arm's-length companies.
Only a handful of municipal operators remain, with some securing their futures with equity partnership deals with private operators. Of the remaining operators,
Cardiff Bus,
Lothian Buses and
Nottingham City Transport are the largest.
Former UK local authority-owned bus companies
This section needs expansion. You can help by
adding to it. (January 2011)
The companies listed here were sold or ceased operating after 1986.
Barrow Borough Transport – Following the operation's failure in May 1989, services were replaced by
Stagecoach.
Yellow Buses,
Bournemouth – Yellow Buses was sold first to
Transdev on 17 December 2005 for £15m, after the
Liberal Democrat-controlled borough council decided that it could not satisfactorily invest in the company itself. Transdev returned ten percent of the equity to the council. The undertaking had been under municipal control or ownership for over 100 years. On 3 March 2011 the company became part of
RATP Group as a consequence of that group's exit from its part ownership of Transdev. In July 2019 Yellow Buses was bought out from RATP by its management. The company entered
administration in July 2022 and ceased trading on 4 August 2022.[1]
Brighton Borough Transport – The municipal operator was sold by the then
Brighton Borough Council to its employees in December 1993, using the operating name Brighton Blue Bus.
Go-Ahead Group purchased the company in May 1997 and subsequently integrated it into its existing
Brighton & Hove operations.
Burnley & Pendle Transport – Burnley & Pendle was jointly owned by
Burnley and
Pendle borough councils. Liberal Democrat-controlled Pendle Borough Council's fifty-percent share was sold to
Stagecoach in February 1996. At the time,
Labour-controlled Burnley Borough Council stated that it had no intention of selling its share in the company, but it was not able to invest sufficient funds in the company and voted in October 1996 to sell its share to Stagecoach. Stagecoach was to sell the former Burnley & Pendle garage and operations to
Blazefield Group in 2001. The Blazefield Group was bought by
Transdev in 2006.
Chesterfield Transport – Sold to its managers in April 1990, the operation is now part of
Stagecoach East Midlands. It was acquired by the Stagecoach group in 1995 and merged with their East Midland Motor Services operations. Although most of the Chesterfield rolling stock was disposed of in the first year the former Chesterfield Transport Stonegravels depot is still in use. There are still many Stagecoach buses in the Chesterfield area billed as "Stagecoach in Chesterfield" still carrying Chesterfield transport legal lettering although the legal lettering now has a registered address further afield at Stagecoach Yorkshire's Barnsley area office (previously Yorkshire Traction). As at April 2009, the Chesterfield area is part of both of the East Midlands and Yorkshire area according to Stagecoach's own publicity but is effectively run from Barnsley.
Cleveland Transit – Bought out by the management and employees in May 1991. Sold to
Stagecoach in November 1994.
Colchester Borough Transport – Acquired by
British Bus in November 1993, which was subsequently sold to the Cowie Group, the bus operations of
Colchester were rebranded as
Arriva Colchester when Cowie renamed itself
Arriva in 1997. The company was sold to
Tellings-Golden Miller in August 2004, after which it traded under the name
Network Colchester. Tellings-Golden Miller was bought by Arriva in January 2008, bringing Colchester operations back under Arriva control. The services operate under the Arriva brand once again.
Cynon Valley Transport – Taken over in August 1992 by Red & White. Red & White was a subsidiary of Western Travel, which was itself taken over by
Stagecoach Western in December 1993.
Darlington Transport – Amid widely reported events, the bus operations of the
Darlington Borough Council went into administration in November 1994 during an attempted sale, due to historical financial difficulties and the effects of the
Darlington Bus War.
East Staffordshire District Council – formerly Burton upon Trent Corporation Transport Department. Formed in 1903 by the Burton upon Trent Tramways Order, being authorised to construct and operate electric tramways. Was the first municipal operator to create an arms-length company. Merged with
Stevensons of Uttoxeter just before the implementation of the
Transport Act 1985. Stevensons was taken over in 1994 by
British Bus, who in turn became
Arriva. Town services were provided by
Arriva Midlands, although the Stevensons of Uttoxeter operator’s licence was later used only in the
Stoke-on-Trent area for
Wardle Transport services, until they were sold to
D&G Bus in May 2015.
Julian Peddle, who sold Stevensons to Arriva, has financial interests in both D&G Bus who also operate some former ESDC routes.
Fylde – Sold by Fylde Borough Council to its management in December 1993, the company was bought by
Blackpool Transport, itself a municipal operator, in summer 1994.
Great Yarmouth Transport –
Great Yarmouth's 49-vehicle fleet and operations were acquired by FirstBus, precursor of
FirstGroup, in September 1996 for £1.1 million. The services – along with Great Yarmouth routes of sister company
Eastern Counties – were initially operated under the Blue Bus moniker.
Grimsby-Cleethorpes Transport – The 111-vehicle bus operation of the then boroughs of Great
Grimsby and
Cleethorpes was sold to
Stagecoach in November 1993.
Halton Transport – Ceased trading in January 2020 after a period of loss-making operation.
Hyndburn Transport –
Hyndburn Borough Council, based in
Accrington, sold its bus operations to
Stagecoach in September 1996. The operation was soon merged into sister company
Stagecoach Ribble, with the garage in Accrington closed and services operated from the Ribble garage in neighbouring Blackburn. In 2001, Stagecoach sold its Blackburn garage and operations to Blazefield Group, which then operated the services under the fleetname Lancashire United. The Blazefield Group was acquired by
Transdev in 2006 and these services are now branded as
Blackburn Bus Company.
Inter-Valley Link – Sold in February 1989 by the then Rhymney Valley District Council to
National Welsh, which in early 1992 was placed in receivership.
Kingston-upon-Hull City Transport – Former municipal Cleveland Transport bought
Kingston upon Hull's municipal bus operations in December 1993, offering a 49-percent stake in the company back to the employees. The operation passed into the hands of
Stagecoach in November 1994.
Lancaster City Transport – The company was placed on the market by
Lancaster City Council on 16 December 1992. Interest was expressed in buying the company as a going concern by Blackpool Transport Services and
MTL, owners of Merseybus. However, following increased competition by Stagecoach, it was decided to wind the company up. On 22 August 1993, the company ceased trading, having sold the depot and its twelve newest buses to Stagecoach (North West).[4]
Lincoln City Transport – Sold by Lincoln City Council to a consortium of Derby City Transport (40 percent) and the company's employees and management in November 1991. The company was bought in 1993 by
Yorkshire Traction group, which had owned Lincolnshire Road Car since January 1988.
Yorkshire Traction was itself purchased by
Stagecoach in December 2005.
Boro'line Maidstone – Boro'line Maidstone was formed in 1986 as an arm's-length company of
Maidstone Borough Council from their historical transport arm. After brief expansion into London-tendered routes, financial difficulties saw the council attempt to sell the company. The
London operations were sold to
Kentish Bus, and after a period of operation in
administration, the Maidstone operations were sold to
Maidstone & District, ending the Boro'line identity.
Merthyr Tydfil Transport – Ceased to operate in 1989.
Northampton Transport – The municipal operations of
Northampton were sold to
GRT Group, precursor to
FirstGroup, in October 1993, subsequently operated as
First Northampton but ceased during late 2013.
Plymouth Citybus – Plymouth City Council sold its 100-percent shareholding in the company to
Go-Ahead in December 2009, after a long council meeting.
Portsmouth City Transport – Sold to its management and employees in June 1988, it was taken over by
Stagecoach in October 1989. Most of the business was sold on to Transit Holdings in January 1991, and to FirstBus – now
FirstGroup – in April 1996 and is now part of
First Hampshire & Dorset.
Preston Bus – Sold to its employees in March 1993. Remained in business until employees voted to sell out to
Stagecoach North West in January 2009. This followed eighteen months of fierce competition in the town between the two companies.[5] Because of the reduced competition, Stagecoach were ordered to sell Preston Bus in November 2009. It is now part of the
Rotala group.
Southampton Citybus –
Southampton Citybus was sold to its employees in December 1993.
FirstGroup bought the company in 1997, initially renamed as First Southampton, which was to merge with the former People's Provincial operations in
Portsmouth in 1999, and is now part of
First Hampshire & Dorset.
Southend Transport – The company was sold by Southend Borough Council to
British Bus in June 1993.[6] In 1997, it became part of the rebranded
Arriva group.
Taff Ely Transport – Taken over in September 1988 by
National Welsh, which in early 1992 was placed in receivership.
Tayside Transport – Bought by its employees in June 1991 from the then Tayside Regional Council, it was taken over by
National Express in February 1997 and is now known as
Xplore Dundee.
This is a list of former
municipal bus companies of the United Kingdom and a brief description of their fate, with the exception of the several municipals which disappeared in 1968 and 1974 with the formation of the
PTE bus operations.
Of the remaining municipals, post-1986 many were sold off or collapsed during
bus deregulation, which required their separation into stand-alone arm's-length companies.
Only a handful of municipal operators remain, with some securing their futures with equity partnership deals with private operators. Of the remaining operators,
Cardiff Bus,
Lothian Buses and
Nottingham City Transport are the largest.
Former UK local authority-owned bus companies
This section needs expansion. You can help by
adding to it. (January 2011)
The companies listed here were sold or ceased operating after 1986.
Barrow Borough Transport – Following the operation's failure in May 1989, services were replaced by
Stagecoach.
Yellow Buses,
Bournemouth – Yellow Buses was sold first to
Transdev on 17 December 2005 for £15m, after the
Liberal Democrat-controlled borough council decided that it could not satisfactorily invest in the company itself. Transdev returned ten percent of the equity to the council. The undertaking had been under municipal control or ownership for over 100 years. On 3 March 2011 the company became part of
RATP Group as a consequence of that group's exit from its part ownership of Transdev. In July 2019 Yellow Buses was bought out from RATP by its management. The company entered
administration in July 2022 and ceased trading on 4 August 2022.[1]
Brighton Borough Transport – The municipal operator was sold by the then
Brighton Borough Council to its employees in December 1993, using the operating name Brighton Blue Bus.
Go-Ahead Group purchased the company in May 1997 and subsequently integrated it into its existing
Brighton & Hove operations.
Burnley & Pendle Transport – Burnley & Pendle was jointly owned by
Burnley and
Pendle borough councils. Liberal Democrat-controlled Pendle Borough Council's fifty-percent share was sold to
Stagecoach in February 1996. At the time,
Labour-controlled Burnley Borough Council stated that it had no intention of selling its share in the company, but it was not able to invest sufficient funds in the company and voted in October 1996 to sell its share to Stagecoach. Stagecoach was to sell the former Burnley & Pendle garage and operations to
Blazefield Group in 2001. The Blazefield Group was bought by
Transdev in 2006.
Chesterfield Transport – Sold to its managers in April 1990, the operation is now part of
Stagecoach East Midlands. It was acquired by the Stagecoach group in 1995 and merged with their East Midland Motor Services operations. Although most of the Chesterfield rolling stock was disposed of in the first year the former Chesterfield Transport Stonegravels depot is still in use. There are still many Stagecoach buses in the Chesterfield area billed as "Stagecoach in Chesterfield" still carrying Chesterfield transport legal lettering although the legal lettering now has a registered address further afield at Stagecoach Yorkshire's Barnsley area office (previously Yorkshire Traction). As at April 2009, the Chesterfield area is part of both of the East Midlands and Yorkshire area according to Stagecoach's own publicity but is effectively run from Barnsley.
Cleveland Transit – Bought out by the management and employees in May 1991. Sold to
Stagecoach in November 1994.
Colchester Borough Transport – Acquired by
British Bus in November 1993, which was subsequently sold to the Cowie Group, the bus operations of
Colchester were rebranded as
Arriva Colchester when Cowie renamed itself
Arriva in 1997. The company was sold to
Tellings-Golden Miller in August 2004, after which it traded under the name
Network Colchester. Tellings-Golden Miller was bought by Arriva in January 2008, bringing Colchester operations back under Arriva control. The services operate under the Arriva brand once again.
Cynon Valley Transport – Taken over in August 1992 by Red & White. Red & White was a subsidiary of Western Travel, which was itself taken over by
Stagecoach Western in December 1993.
Darlington Transport – Amid widely reported events, the bus operations of the
Darlington Borough Council went into administration in November 1994 during an attempted sale, due to historical financial difficulties and the effects of the
Darlington Bus War.
East Staffordshire District Council – formerly Burton upon Trent Corporation Transport Department. Formed in 1903 by the Burton upon Trent Tramways Order, being authorised to construct and operate electric tramways. Was the first municipal operator to create an arms-length company. Merged with
Stevensons of Uttoxeter just before the implementation of the
Transport Act 1985. Stevensons was taken over in 1994 by
British Bus, who in turn became
Arriva. Town services were provided by
Arriva Midlands, although the Stevensons of Uttoxeter operator’s licence was later used only in the
Stoke-on-Trent area for
Wardle Transport services, until they were sold to
D&G Bus in May 2015.
Julian Peddle, who sold Stevensons to Arriva, has financial interests in both D&G Bus who also operate some former ESDC routes.
Fylde – Sold by Fylde Borough Council to its management in December 1993, the company was bought by
Blackpool Transport, itself a municipal operator, in summer 1994.
Great Yarmouth Transport –
Great Yarmouth's 49-vehicle fleet and operations were acquired by FirstBus, precursor of
FirstGroup, in September 1996 for £1.1 million. The services – along with Great Yarmouth routes of sister company
Eastern Counties – were initially operated under the Blue Bus moniker.
Grimsby-Cleethorpes Transport – The 111-vehicle bus operation of the then boroughs of Great
Grimsby and
Cleethorpes was sold to
Stagecoach in November 1993.
Halton Transport – Ceased trading in January 2020 after a period of loss-making operation.
Hyndburn Transport –
Hyndburn Borough Council, based in
Accrington, sold its bus operations to
Stagecoach in September 1996. The operation was soon merged into sister company
Stagecoach Ribble, with the garage in Accrington closed and services operated from the Ribble garage in neighbouring Blackburn. In 2001, Stagecoach sold its Blackburn garage and operations to Blazefield Group, which then operated the services under the fleetname Lancashire United. The Blazefield Group was acquired by
Transdev in 2006 and these services are now branded as
Blackburn Bus Company.
Inter-Valley Link – Sold in February 1989 by the then Rhymney Valley District Council to
National Welsh, which in early 1992 was placed in receivership.
Kingston-upon-Hull City Transport – Former municipal Cleveland Transport bought
Kingston upon Hull's municipal bus operations in December 1993, offering a 49-percent stake in the company back to the employees. The operation passed into the hands of
Stagecoach in November 1994.
Lancaster City Transport – The company was placed on the market by
Lancaster City Council on 16 December 1992. Interest was expressed in buying the company as a going concern by Blackpool Transport Services and
MTL, owners of Merseybus. However, following increased competition by Stagecoach, it was decided to wind the company up. On 22 August 1993, the company ceased trading, having sold the depot and its twelve newest buses to Stagecoach (North West).[4]
Lincoln City Transport – Sold by Lincoln City Council to a consortium of Derby City Transport (40 percent) and the company's employees and management in November 1991. The company was bought in 1993 by
Yorkshire Traction group, which had owned Lincolnshire Road Car since January 1988.
Yorkshire Traction was itself purchased by
Stagecoach in December 2005.
Boro'line Maidstone – Boro'line Maidstone was formed in 1986 as an arm's-length company of
Maidstone Borough Council from their historical transport arm. After brief expansion into London-tendered routes, financial difficulties saw the council attempt to sell the company. The
London operations were sold to
Kentish Bus, and after a period of operation in
administration, the Maidstone operations were sold to
Maidstone & District, ending the Boro'line identity.
Merthyr Tydfil Transport – Ceased to operate in 1989.
Northampton Transport – The municipal operations of
Northampton were sold to
GRT Group, precursor to
FirstGroup, in October 1993, subsequently operated as
First Northampton but ceased during late 2013.
Plymouth Citybus – Plymouth City Council sold its 100-percent shareholding in the company to
Go-Ahead in December 2009, after a long council meeting.
Portsmouth City Transport – Sold to its management and employees in June 1988, it was taken over by
Stagecoach in October 1989. Most of the business was sold on to Transit Holdings in January 1991, and to FirstBus – now
FirstGroup – in April 1996 and is now part of
First Hampshire & Dorset.
Preston Bus – Sold to its employees in March 1993. Remained in business until employees voted to sell out to
Stagecoach North West in January 2009. This followed eighteen months of fierce competition in the town between the two companies.[5] Because of the reduced competition, Stagecoach were ordered to sell Preston Bus in November 2009. It is now part of the
Rotala group.
Southampton Citybus –
Southampton Citybus was sold to its employees in December 1993.
FirstGroup bought the company in 1997, initially renamed as First Southampton, which was to merge with the former People's Provincial operations in
Portsmouth in 1999, and is now part of
First Hampshire & Dorset.
Southend Transport – The company was sold by Southend Borough Council to
British Bus in June 1993.[6] In 1997, it became part of the rebranded
Arriva group.
Taff Ely Transport – Taken over in September 1988 by
National Welsh, which in early 1992 was placed in receivership.
Tayside Transport – Bought by its employees in June 1991 from the then Tayside Regional Council, it was taken over by
National Express in February 1997 and is now known as
Xplore Dundee.