Overview
Who We Are and What We Do
Go-Ahead is one of the UK's leading providers of passenger transport delivering bus and rail services to predominantly urban markets.
Our companies are significant contributors to the UK’s public transport infrastructure. Employing around 22,000 people across the country, over one billion passenger journeys are undertaken on our bus and rail services each year.
We believe that a strong and growing public transport network is key to the sustainable future of the UK. Bus and rail play a vital role in meeting environmental challenges such as reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions. Transport is also fundamental to the economy as a means of connecting people and moving goods.
In addition to the travelling public, our customers include the Department for Transport (DfT), Transport for London (TfL) and local authorities.
We are listed on the FTSE 250.
Why We Are Different
Our UK focus and devolved structure differentiates us from the other major public transport groups.
Our operations are located in high density commuter markets, predominantly in the South East of England, where there is strong demand for public transport.
Providing high quality services across all of our operations is one of our key objectives. We realise that whilst many of the markets in which we operate have common features, each have their own unique characteristics.
Our devolved structure enables our local management teams to meet the specific needs of the passengers they serve. All of our bus and rail companies are locally branded and form an integral part of their community. Our customers typically make simple journeys over fairly short distances. Many of those passengers are daily commuters who recognise the local brands they use.
Our employees are our most important asset – they keep our business moving and are the face of Go-Ahead. We want them to stay with us and we strive to give them the training and tools they need. We believe our devolved structure, which is based on empowerment, trust and innovation, enables our business to develop and reward staff.
Our commitment to operating responsibly has always been integral to the way we run our business. Adopting a responsible approach directly contributes to our success. Delivering safe, reliable and cost-effective services helps us to grow passenger numbers and revenue.
We believe a sustainable transport network is essential to the future of the UK. We have made significant progress in improving our energy efficiency and are successfully working towards our target to reduce carbon emissions per passenger journey by 20% by 2015, through our Driving Energy Further Initiative. Operating in a fuel efficient way also makes business sense as it helps to reduce costs.
Our progress in meeting our 20% reduction target has been driven by innovative measures such as regenerative braking on our trains, fuel-efficient driver training for our bus drivers and a focus on reducing site energy use at our stations, depots and offices.
We were the first UK public transport group to be officially certified with the Carbon Trust Standard in recognition of our work to reduce carbon emissions.