UK bus

We are a leading transport provider of bus services within the UK.

We are committed to providing our communities with affordable and reliable access to employment, education and leisure. 

Passengers are a priority for our bus companies and we are proud that our regional bus services have consistently high marks for customer satisfaction according to the Bus Passenger Scores by Transport Focus. 

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Regional bus market

Our regional bus market is all of our bus operations that are outside London.

BrightonBusOur local operators are responsible for their own vehicles and depots, as well as setting routes, fares and service frequency. While most services are operated on a commercial basis, some tendered services, such as school bus contracts, are operated on behalf of local authorities. 

We continue to meet, and aim to exceed, passenger expectations. We target investment where it will impact passengers the most - from on-board features, such as Wi-Fi and USB charging points, to digital ticketing and audio-visual announcements.

We continue to invest in newer, greener vehicles and respond to the latest Ultra-Low Emission Zones that many cities are implementing. We recognise the importance of green transport, investing in environmentally safer Euro VI buses and electric bus technology.

London bus

We manage routes within the capital on behalf of Transport for London (TfL). As an operator, we are responsible for our own vehicles and depots.

Investment in busesWe continue to expand our electric bus fleet and we are rolling out buses that use alternative fuel. We have worked very closely with TfL to convert our Waterloo bus garage into what is now Europe’s largest all electric fleet and depot facility. This won the 2019 Energy Globe Award - dubbed 'Nature's Nobel Prize'.

We work closely with TfL on which routes our buses are assigned to, though TfL sets routes and service frequency, while the Mayor of London is responsible for setting fares.

Visit Brighton & Hove Bus Company

1,513

colleagues (Brighton & Hove and Metrobus)

438

buses 

Brighton & Hove buses are a staple of the seaside city, covering the urban centre, plus routes to Crowborough, Eastbourne, Lewes and Tunbridge Wells. 

Brighton & Hove Buses became part of the Go-Ahead in 1993. Together with Metrobus, the two companies made more than 67.5 million journeys in 2019. 

In Brighton & Hove there are more journeys per head of the city's population than anywhere else in the UK outside of London.  Brighton & Hove Buses operates 289 buses across a network of 25 routes and 2,000 bus stops. The company is dedicated to investing in smart, green technology. It rolled out 'geo-fenced' buses in 2019, which switch to electric power in the city's Ultra Low Emissions Zone. 

Visit East Yorkshire

696

colleagues

292

buses

East Yorkshire is an award-winning bus company that operates buses and coaches throughout Hull, East Yorkshire and the North Yorkshire Coast.

East Yorkshire became part of Go North East after joining the Go-Ahead family in the summer of 2018 - adding its services across East Yorkshire and beyond to the Go North East business. 

The company operates regular bus services, in addition to open top and seasonal services along the North Yorkshire Coast. It also offers coach holidays and day trips through its East Yorkshire Coaches business and has a contract to operate demand-responsive transport services in North Lincolnshire.

 

Visit Go-Ahead London

7,000

colleagues

2,350

buses 

Go-Ahead London serves the UK capital, currently providing 25% of all London bus services on behalf of Transport for London.

Go-Ahead first started operating services in London in 1994. With 17 garages across the capital, we also operate 43% of TFL's zero emission bus fleet.

As well as being the largest London bus operator, we are at the forefront of new technologies. Our Waterloo bus garage was the first electric bus garage in the UK and won an Energy Globe prize in 2019 (dubbed 'Nature's Nobel Prize'). Meanwhile our Northumberland Park garage is the largest overnight charging electric bus garage in the UK.

All London buses have next stop audio and visual announcements, while some routes have replaced wing mirrors with high specification cameras.

Visit Go East Anglia

365  

colleagues

160

buses

Go East Anglia provides bus services across Norfolk, Suffolk and North Essex.

Since acquiring Konectbus in 2010, Go East Anglia expanded to include Hedingham and Chambers bus services in 2012. It also has the Norwich Park & Ride Tender until 2023.

Most of Go East Anglia's routes operate in rural areas across the three counties, but also serve urban areas such as Norwich, Clacton and Colchester. Go East Anglia has made significant progress in the past few years, including rolling out contactless payment across the whole fleet and introducing buses with more environmentally friendly engines.

Brands within Go East Anglia

Visit Go North East

2,000

colleagues 

648

buses

Go North East is an award winning bus company that connects cities, towns and villages across the North East of England.

Created in 1987, Go North East was the first bus service managed by The Go-Ahead Group. With over 2,000 employees, it is the third largest employer in the North East.

The company is the founding business of today's Go-Ahead Group and continues to strive to be a modern business. It has made significant investments in Euro VI engines, and will soon roll out the first electric buses in the region. In the summer of 2018, East Yorkshire became part of Go North East - adding services throughout Hull, East Yorkshire and the North Yorkshire coast.

Visit Go North West

563 

colleagues

177

buses

Go North West provides routes across Greater Manchester, particularly the areas of Salford and Bury. 

We began operating services in June 2019 from Queen's Road depot.

We have made significant changes in our first year of operating, which includes a new senior management team, new routes, fleet refurbishments and upgrades and a revitalised depot. 

Visit Go South Coast

1,923

colleagues

803

buses

Go South Coast owns multiple bus companies across Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The company was formed following Go-Ahead's first acquisition in 2003. It includes the brands morebus (Bournemouth and Poole), Salisbury Reds, Bluestar (Southampton), Southern Vectis (Isle of Wight) and Damory (Dorset).

Go South Coast is one of the largest and most diverse bus companies in the UK, with a complex and rewarding portfolio of businesses. All buses are locally branded to give identity to each of the towns, cities and areas in which they operate.

The Bluestar fleet, based in Southampton, were the first buses to trial 'air-filtering buses' in the UK, which extract particulate matter from the air - cleaning the streets while it drives.  Go South Coast won 'Bus Operator of the Year' at the 2018 UK Bus Awards. 

Brands within Go South Coast

Visit Metrobus

1,519

colleagues (Brighton & Hove and Metrobus) 

147

buses

Metrobus provides urban bus services in Crawley, Horsham, East Grinstead, Redhill and Reigate and more rural services across Sussex, Surrey and Kent. 

It joined the Go-Ahead Group in 1999. Along with Brighton & Hove Bus company, the operators provided 67.5 million journeys in 2019.

Metrobus runs the Fastway Bus Rapid Transit service in the Gatwick and Crawley area, with four routes running 24 hours a day. In 2018 Metrobus' Crawley Depot won 'Top National Bus Depot' at the UK Bus awards for the fourth time.

 

Visit Oxford Bus Company

841

colleagues 

286

buses

The Oxford Bus Company provides bus services in and around the city of Oxford.

We acquired the Oxford Bus Company in 1994, followed by Thames Travel in 2011 and Carousel Buses in 2012.

We provide passengers with good radial connectivity into Oxford's city centre, with a 60% modal share. Our Thames Travel services offer connectivity as far as Wantage, Reading and Henley, with Carousel Buses providing services to High Wycombe and Buckinghamshire. In addition, the company offers open-top City Sightseeing Oxford bus tours and airline services to Heathrow and Gatwick airports.  

There has been significant investment into Oxford Bus Company's and Thames Travel's green technology fleets. Collectively they have retrofitted more than 70 buses to Euro VI technology. Oxford Bus Company also introduced the first electric vehicle to the city in 2020.

Image: Jack Cooper, Oxford Bus Company

Brands within Oxford Bus Company

Visit Go South West

850

colleagues

250

buses 

Go South West incorporates two brands across Devon and Cornwall - the multi-award winning Plymouth Citybus and the new Go Cornwall Bus. 

The Go-Ahead Group acquired Plymouth Citybus in 2009, running the largest bus operation in the Plymouth travel to work area. In 2020 Go South West won the largest single bus contract in the UK to operate routes for Transport for Cornwall.

Plymouth Citybus has won numerous accolades. In 2019 it achieved a 'Platinum' Investors in People Accreditation (the only bus operator to do so) and in 2020 won the Queen's Award for Enterprise - a royal accreditation that highlights the operators work with social mobility. In 2019 the company won Best Bus Operator at the National Transport Awards.​​

Image: Alex Street, Go South West

Brands within Go South West