40 years of Bus Business – October 1986

Saturday 24th October 2026

Deregulation anticipation was reaching fever pitch as the 10th edition of Bus Business dated 22nd October 1986 landed on transport managers’ desks 40 years ago and, as a foretaste of what was to come, the page one headline story was all about the infamous “Glasgow Bus Battle” which was already underway. Other front page stories relaid the latest on NBC’s privatisation and news of the PTA’s free travel offer in West Yorkshire. Read on for more reminiscences straight from the pages of that issue and look out for a Deregulation 40th Anniversary Blog Extra tomorrow.

Glasgow bus battle: Commissioner set to intervene

Glasgow’s bus operators last week agreed to review their competing service patterns following major congestion brought about by the intensive operations now choking the city’s main streets. If congestion worsened, they were told, a request for the Traffic Commissioner to intervene was inevitable.

The moves came as national media attention in the run up to deregulation next Sunday focused on the Glasgow bus battle, begun at the beginning of September as the two main combatants, Strathclyde’s Buses and Scottish Bus Group, won permission to introduce their new networks early.

Both TV and newspapers have delighted in presenting telephoto-lens shots of streets packed with rival buses, which now pass down the busiest roads at around 350 an hour, a figure set to grow from October 26 when others join the fray.

The situation has also provoked exchanges in Parliament with government Lords transport spokesman Lord Brabazon of Tara admitting only to “vigorous competition” and pointing out that the traffic commissioner had the power to set traffic regulation conditions if asked by the highway authority, Strathclyde Regional Council.

Saturday October 11 saw the worst congestion so far, with a queue of buses stretching more than two miles through the city centre and Strathclyde highways and transportation Convenor Malcolm Waugh said he would be unable to guarantee people’s safety if this happened again. Had there been a major emergency, ambulances and fire engines could not have got through the traffic, he said.

Strathclyde’s Buses said they had already reduced their fleet by 100 vehicles. SBG were more circumspect: “We would co-operate to the maximum we can” said John Whittle, Group director. SBG marketing manager Gavin Booth admitted there had been occasional complaints about congestion, but added: “The city centre has always tended to be busy, I don’t think the bus drivers are noticing any more delays than before”. He said SBG had now introduced most of its services and an assessment of how business was being distributed would be possible by the end of the month.

Ten more operators have announced details of the services that they intend to start through the city from D-day. One is Magicbus, an offshoot of Perth based Stagecoach, who will run three circular services, with a fleet of 20 buses on routes linking Castelmilk, East Kilbride, and Easterhouse with the city centre.

There is particular anxiety about city traffic conditions o November 1 – the Saturday following D-Day – when a Celtic v Rangers football match takes place in the afternoon following a march of 15,000 Orangemen in the morning.

Bien sûr, chest le privatisation – main il nest pas le buy-out

Managements of National Bus Company subsidiaries, living on tenterhooks about their buy-out bids, are turning increasingly anxious eyes across the English Channel. The boot could soon be on the other foot for the people who set up Voyage National, the Lille Airport based NBC operation in 1984.

Interest in Maidstone & District by a large but as yet un-named major French transport operator has now apparently switched to East Kent. Representatives of the company believed to be seeking a British base in anticipation of the opening of the Channel Tunnel and to be open minded about which NBC subsidiary they acquire, are reported to be considering a bid for Eastern National, which has a management team also working to complete its own buy-out bid.

And on another front, Carlton PSV, the UK agent for German Neoplan vehicles and owner of the Yelloway coach group is now known to be pursuing an interest in City of Oxford Motor Services, amongst others. Carlton failed in gaining control of Southern Vectis, though its interest is credited with helping drive up the sale price to £1.2m from the original management bid of £900,000.

Free travel marks D-Day eve

Bus and rail users in West Yorkshire will be given free travel for an evening on Saturday to mark the end of the pre-deregulation era. The gesture will cost West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority an estimated £30,000. But PTA Chairman Michael Simmons says it will serve to advertise the fact that bus services will be deregulated from the following day, as well as emphasising the level of services hitherto operated, adding as a ‘thank you’ to regulate users and attracting more people to the system.

LCBS add six more contracts as London Buses lose out again

London Buses has lost eight of the ten routes put out in the latest round of London Regional Transport route tenders. London Country Bus Services have added six more to an existing substantial haul – including a high frequency central area minibus route to be run with Optare City Pacers provided by LRT. Independent operators Grey Green and Ensignbus have won one each. Ensign will operate route 62 between Barking and Gants Hill – its second LRT contracted route – with ex London Transport DMS type Fleetlines, and Grey Green will take on route 173 from Stratford to Becontree Heath.

Three-year tenders for the routes were called before the break up of London Country into four separate companies and the routes are to be allocated to the new companies by London Country South West managing director Colin Clubb and company secretary Roger Davies who are retaining their LCBS functions for residual matters.

It is likely that route 42 operating in the inner London area between Aldgate and Camberwell Green will go to London Country South East, and possibly be operated from its National London garage at Catford. London Country North West is expected to operate the 53 (northern section) and 153 services linking Regent Street and Parliament Hill Fields, and Archway and Islington. Both routes will be converted to high frequency minibus operation with LRT-owned Operate City Pacers used on the 53. London Country South West are expected to take on route 100 between Twickenham and Cranford. Routes 196 between Norwood Junction and Kennington, and 289 between Elmers End and Purley, are still being discussed and could go to either the South East or South West.

London Buses has retained central London route 4 between Archway and Waterloo and West London route 297 between Willesden and Ealing.

Ribble minis at work in five towns

Ribble Motor Services have launched new minibus services in Kendal, Clitheroe, Chorley, Fleetwood and Cleveleys, with further routes due to be brought in on deregulation day itself in the suburbs of Preston. All the services are being operated by the fleet of over 60 Mercedes 608D 20-seaters ordered by Ribble early this year, and carry a new “Mini-Link” marketing identity. Vehicles from the same order are being used on new minibus services being started by the recently separated North Western Road Car Company in Omskirk.

Separate division will run West Yorks minis

A separate “Micro Rider” division of the new Yorkshire Rider bus company is being established to run the company’s minibus services in West Yorkshire. Yorkshire Rider, formed to take over West Yorkshire PTE’s bus operations, has announced the appointment of a minibus manager and the settinng up of the new Micro Rider division following the recent purchase of 100 minibuses, the majority of which will enter service in Leeds on 26 October.

London Buses’ pay deal ‘fails to cut costs enough’

Lengthy negotiations over a new pay deal for London Buses’ platform staff have been concluded after fiercely opposed plans for separate pay rates for inner and outer areas were withdrawn by LBL management. The compromise deal includes a 5 per cent increase in basic pay and a £16-a week payment to all grades in place of the traditional London weighting allowance and receipts bonus system. But LBL fear that the deal will not go far enough to help get its operating costs down sufficiently to staunch the rapid loss of business to rivals under the London Regional Transport tendering process.

John Ingleton, LBL personal director said: “We have made it clear to the union that although this deal will go some way to containing our costs it is not likely to stand us in good stead when we have to face up to future tenders. It could mean therefore, that we have to consider the introduction of more local subsidiaries such as the ones at Orpington and Stanwell”. The two subsidiaries have been used to establish new local pay scales to enable lower buds to be made for tendered routes.

New identity for Maidstone

Boro’line Maidstone has been chosen as the trading name for Maidstone Borough Council’s new bus company. A new livery in a striking combination of yellow, blue and red has been prepared by London-based publicity and marketing consultants Best Impressions, who have also designed a series of area timetable and information leaflets and promotional schemes for the company’s various ticket types. Deregulation has meant an end to the co-ordination of local bus services with Maidstone & District, which has operated since 1981.

Access bus services start

Surrey county council and Alder Valley South have launched Access Bus, a shopping service with Leyland Nationals incorporating special facilities to help elderly and disabled people travel into Woking and Guildford. The scheme is the result of a joint venture between Alder Valley, Surrey County Council and the Association of Voluntary service in each town. The Guildford service is sponsored by Marks and Spencer.

A ramp is available to help disabled passengers and the driver will help people on and off. Inside, there is space for wheelchair travellers as well as conventional seating. There is a flat fare of £1 return on the new service with is run by Alder Valley South at a marginal cost.

M25 Motorway nearly there

The five miles of M25 motorway between junctions 19 and 21A (Micklefield Green to the A405 at Bricket Wood in Hertfordshire) opened to traffic last Friday. The remaining eight miles of the M25 London Orbital motorway from the A405 (junction 21A) to the A1 at South Mimms (junction 23) are due to open on Wednesday 29 October to complete the ring. The dual three lane stretch opened last week will provide a link between the M1 and the M25 to and from the west, relieve the overburdened A405 and A414 and completes the 114 miles of the orbital route.

Bus Business Moves

Cohen Heads London Bus operations

Norman Cohen has been appointed operations director of London Buses Limited in succession to Marcus Smith and will take up his new post on November 17. Cohen, 46, has been operations manager since 1973. He began his career as an operational research analyst with the National Coal Board and joined LT in 1971 in a similar capacity with responsibility for the assessment of bus control and communications systems.

Anthony Depledge

Anthony Depledge has been appointed managing director of Blackpool Transport Services Limited, which took over the running of Blackpool Transport from October 20. Depledge was previously deputy general manager. Derek Hyde, who is present transport general manager, remains with Blackpool Borough Council to look after a range of residual functions resulting from the formation of the new company to run bus and tram services. Depledge has been with Blackpool Borough Council Transport Department since 1977 and was formerly with South Yorkshire PTE and Midland Red.

Tom Young

Tom Young is now commercial manager of South Yorkshire’s Transport, the PTE’s new bus company. Young left his position as marketing manager of NBC subsidiary Midland Red North earlier in the year.

Appointments

District Manager, Castleford £10,512-£11,808

The Company operates 82 vehicles at Castleford covering local bus, contract and coach operations. The successful application will be directly responsible to the Traffic Manager for the efficient and profitable operation of the Company’s activities in the Castleford District. He/she must have a strong interest with proven man-management skills. Castleford will operate competitively tendered operations, as well as commercially registered local bus services.

Additional benefits for this position include membership of a contributory pension scheme and use of a company car. The Company will also provide assistance with relocation expenses.

Applications, consisting of a typed CV and a handwritten letter explaining how the candidate’s experience and qualifications fit this position should be sent to: Mr M J Hunter, Traffic Manager, West Riding Automobile Co Ltd, 24 Barnsley Road, Wakefield WF1 5JX

Fleet Engineer £14,000 plus car and private health insurance

We are seeking a highly motivated manager to assume responsibility for the maintenance of a fleet of 35 coaches, 15 service buses and associated equipment based in West London. The successful candidate will have practical experience as well as sound administrative and management skills. He or she will be part of a small management team and should be able to develop with the company as it seizes the new opportunities now occurring within the bus and coach industry.

Our fleet engineer controls a tam of around eight fitters and cleaners and has to be able to adapt to the varying demands of operations ranging from local bus services to extended tours throughout both West and East Europe.

Please apply in writing with full CV to: Mr L J Wright, Managing Director, Len Wright Travel Ltd, 3 Fleming Way, Isleworth TW7 6EU.

And finally for this round up of Bus Business news from exactly 40 years ago I had to include this snippet…

All operators covered by new travel shop

NBC Subsidiary Brighton & Hove have opened a new travel shop at their prime site in Old Steine, Brighton providing timetable and route information on over 20 different bus and coach companies. The shop, called 1 Stop Travel, and a former National Travelworld outlet, handles inquiries about all local and long distance bus travel, coach excursions and holidays, air travel, rail travel and sea travel. But Brighton & Hove have relinquished the precious National Travelworld Franchise and their ABTA agency.

Perhaps I could end by making the observation….. well, that certainly stood the test of time …. and if only everyone had done that in October 1986 and kept it going for the ensuing 40 years!

Which sums up my thoughts on deregulation in a sentence (and a few more sentences in tomorrow’s blog extra)

More nostalgia from Bus Business next month including the fall out from D-Day.

Watch out for a BusAndTrainUser Bus Deregulation Ruby Anniversary Blog Special to be uploaded at 06:00 tomorrow.

Roger French

Blogging timetable: 06:00 TThS with a special Su blog extra landing tomorrow.