| The assurance came after concerns were voiced that National Express could pull out of all Scottish operations following its failure to retain its rail franchise in the country.
Aberdeen-based First Group was today named as the preferred bidder to run the ScotRail service.
The franchise, established in 1997, will see First Group operate 95% of rail services in the country as well as the sleeper service link to London.
Phil Bateman, corporate affairs director of Travel West Midlands — a National Express company that also includes Travel Dundee — said the decision to remove the Scottish rail franchise from National Express would have no bearing on other parts of the group’s business.
He said, “Obviously we are still assimilating the (rail) announcement, but the impact it will have on Travel Dundee is nil.
“Travel Dundee is very much part and parcel of the Travel West Midlands group of business companies and we value Travel Dundee as an excellent operation.
“It is steady as she goes. We have a good business that we value in Dundee and a business we will still be involved in this time next year, the year after that and the year after that.”
First Group, which already carries 180 million people a year on its 1700 buses, is expected to improve reliability and reduce overcrowding on trains.
The new contract includes a government subsidy of more than £200m annually and is estimated to be worth about £1.75 billion over seven years. |
