Lothian Buses & First Scotland East

[Southernsofty]

RE: Lothian Buses & First Scotland East

(03/06/2019 20:46)gilesbus1 Wrote:  A yard with open tops ain't the best of idea's as heavy rain would leave them sodden. I also believe there two previous depots in Edinburgh have been demolished. The only other option would be to share space with a coach operator, but then that is cutting in to their margins. If they go on a longer assault in Edinburgh then that is another issue, suppose what happens to FirstGroup its self might have some baring on it, because there is also the possibility Lothian might offer to buy the Livingston operations if First Bus gets sold off piecemeal rather than as a whole. Lets not forget First did likewise with its Musselburgh depot and I think Lothian looks to want to make itself the only internal large operator within the Lothian area, plus the fact Livingston depot has been said to make losses for years. I suspect the assault by Lothian on that area, is to try to force FirstGroup to give up and sell out there to Lothian, of course Lothian, as with East Coast Buses would then try to further grow the operations in places such as Linlithgow.

I was under the Impression that Livingstone was profitable for First, unlike most of FSE.
The CMA would take a dim view of Lothian taking over Livingstone, unless of course First decided to pull out, but then Lothian are setting up a depot in Livingstone anyway.