FirstGroup plc

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FirstGroup plc
Type Public (LSE: FGP)
Founded 1995, Aberdeen and Bristol, United Kingdom
Headquarters Flag of Scotland Aberdeen, Scotland
Area served United Kingdom and United States of America
Industry Public transport and Railfreight
Products First, First ScotRail, First Great Western, First Capital Connect, TransPennine Express, First Student and GB Railfreight.
Revenue £92.2m GBP (Six months to October 2006)
Employees 72,000 (approx)
Subsidiaries UK Bus, UK Rail, First Student, First Transit and First Services
Website http://www.firstgroup.com/

FirstGroup plc (LSE: FGP) is a British transport company operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland and North America, with headquarters in Aberdeen, Scotland. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

Contents

[edit] Company

Livery of First Group vehicles shown on a bus in Bristol
Livery of First Group vehicles shown on a bus in Bristol

FirstGroup has always had a consistent brand and most of the names of its operations begin with the word First, such as First ScotRail, First Bristol, First Aberdeen and First Glasgow. The company has since removed all local branding for its local bus services - buses now simply carry the fleet name ‘First’ throughout the UK, although each company still operates independently. Its corporate colours are white, pink and blue, and many of its buses and trains are now liveried in these colours (though buses and trams in London retain their traditional red livery as these are under the control of Transport for London).

First own and operate the Aircoach service in Dublin, linking Dublin Airport with the Dublin southside suburbs as well as long distance runs to Cork and Belfast.

In North America, First Group has several divisions: First Student which runs school bus routes; First Transit which holds many city and county public transport contracts; and First Vehicle Services which maintains vehicles for many corporations, organisations and local governments, including the other First divisions. Canadian operations are provided through their First Bus Canada subsidiary which operates school buses and fulfills public transport contracts.

A First Great Western Class 180 Adelante train stops at Bath Spa on its way to London Paddington
A First Great Western Class 180 Adelante train stops at Bath Spa on its way to London Paddington

[edit] History

The company was formed as FirstBus in June 1995 through the merger of two bus companies, the Badgerline Group (see First Badgerline) and GRT Limited (Grampian Regional Transport). In 1998 the company was renamed First Group when the company moved into railways with the privatisation of British Rail, gaining the Great Eastern franchise, then purchasing Swindon based Great Western Trains, holders of the North Western and Great Western franchises. Soon after, they also began operating London’s Tramlink system under franchise from London Transport.

During 2004, First were awarded the ScotRail franchise to run trains in Scotland, in which it already operated the lion’s share of bus services, and took over the new TransPennine Express franchise. In addition, First Great Western run the Heathrow Connect service in partnership with BAA.

The First North Western franchise, however, was lost to Serco/NedRailways in December 2004. First North Western’s services in northern England were combined with those previously run by Arriva Trains Northern (and not part of the Transpennine network) to form the new Northern Rail franchise.

First have also lost First Great Eastern to National Express Group who operate it along with Anglia Railways and wagn, as 'one'. In fact, they were banned from bidding for the franchise, despite being named Train Operator of the Year at the time.

From 1st April 2006 First has operated a new rail franchise under the brand First Capital Connect. This comprises the amalgamation of the existing Great Northern line of the former wagn service and the Thameslink line.

The Great Western franchise was extended in 2006 to also include the services of the former Wessex Trains and Thames Trains, and this new franchise was again awarded to First.

New World First Bus (NWFB) of Hong Kong was jointly established and owned by the group and NWS Holdings Limited since 1998. The brand new company had successfully won the tender of 88 Hong Kong Island routes formerly operated by China Motor Bus. In late 2000, the group sold all 26% of NWFB stocks to NWS Holdings.

In February 2007, FirstGroup agreed to buy the U.S.-based firm Laidlaw, an operator of inter-city coaches and yellow school buses across North America, for £1.9 billion (US$3.7 billion). [1] This also gives them a controlling stake in Greyhound Lines, the largest bus operator in North America.

[edit] Operating companies

[edit] Rail services

First Great Western train at Radley.
First Great Western train at Radley.

[edit] Bus and coach services

[edit] National Fleet numbers

In 2003 First introduce the SemaVoyager system of fleet numbers replacing local numbers. This was to makes things easier when buses are transfer between regional fleets.


[edit] Services formerly operated

[edit] See also

Major Public Transport Companies in the United Kingdom
Arriva Group - ComfortDelGro Corporation - First Group
Go-Ahead Group - National Express Group
Stagecoach Group - Transdev Group - Translink
See also:
Transport for London - Passenger Transport Executive
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport

[edit] External links


Bus Companies of Scotland edit

Regional: Arriva Scotland West • Blue Bus of North Lanarkshire • First Aberdeen • First Edinburgh • First Glasgow • First Stop Travel • Lothian Buses • Stagecoach Group • Stagecoach East Scotland • Stagecoach West Scotland • Strathtay Scottish • Travel Dundee

National: Magicbus • Megabus • National Express • Scottish Citylink
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