First Group merge Yorkshire bus operations in cost-cutting drive

May 14 2009 by Henryk Zientek, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

BUS operator First Group has completed a shake-up of its operations covering Huddersfield in a bid to cut costs.

The group has merged its four subsidiaries covering Huddersfield and Halifax, Leeds, Bradford and York into a single bus operating company comprising 1,143 vehicles and 3,231 staff.

First Group said the move – aimed at streamlining the business and improving efficiency – had resulted in the loss of only a “handful” of jobs.

A spokesman said: “This process has now been completed seamlessly and without effect to the day-to-day running of bus services in West Yorkshire.

“Buses are still running from their existing garages and there are senior staff based at each of these locations charged with delivering a safe and consistently high quality service.

“At this stage, no driving staff have been affected by these changes.”

The spokesman said a “handful” of administration jobs had gone as a result of centralising some behind-the-scenes operations.

Aberdeen-based First Group confirmed the move yesterday – when it also unveiled annual results showing a 31% rise in pre-tax profits to £326.4m for the year to March 31.

The improvement came despite a 21% fall in profits at its rail division to £94.2m from £120m last time.