National Express Group


 * "National Express" redirects here. Did you mean National Express Coaches?

National Express Group plc (lse: NEX) is a UK-based transport group that operates airport, bus and rail services in the UK, the US and Canada, Australia, Spain, Portugal and Morocco and long-distance coach routes across Europe. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

History
The National Express brand was created in 1972 by the state-owned National Bus Company (NBC) to bring together the express bus and coach services operated by the bus operating companies within the NBC group. The National Express network was largely a branding and management exercise, with services continuing to be operated by the individual companies.

With the privatisation of the NBC in the 1980s, National Express was subject to a management buy-out in 1988. In 1992, National Express Group PLC was floated on the London Stock Exchange with a remit to acquire new businesses in the passenger transport market.

Acquisitions

 * In 1993 the group acquired Eurolines and East Midlands Airport, although the latter has since been sold.


 * In 1995, West Midlands Travel, the formerly municipally-owned bus network of Birmingham and the West Midlands, was acquired and renamed Travel West Midlands in September 1996. This began the brand family of Travel ... local bus operations. Since then Travel Coventry has been spun out of Travel West Midlands, and Travel Dundee and Travel London have been acquired.


 * In 1996 the group acquired its first UK rail franchises, Gatwick Express and Midland Mainline. Since then seven further franchises have been added, and rail services now account for the largest portion of the group's activity.


 * In 2005 National Express agreed to buy most of operations of privately owned Spanish transport operator Alsa, which operates bus and coach services in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, and long-distance coach services to other parts of Europe. Alsa's operations in South America and China were retained by the previous owners.

Also in mid 2005, the group bought the London buses arm of Tellings Golden Miller and branded it Travel London. This included a number of services in South West London and Surrey.

The group has also moved into operations outside the UK. At one time it had extensive bus, rail and tram operations in Australia, but with the collapse of the group there, all operations were either sold off or had control returned to the State Government (see 'Services formerly operated'). Only one bus operator was retained, Westbus in Australia. It led to a strange situation developing, as Westbus at the time of acquisition owned a subsidiary operation in London, called Westbus in Australia that still operates and is managed from Sydney.

December 2007 restructuring
On 11 November 2007, National Express Group announced plans to re-brand their constituent companies under a new unified National Express identity. This is intended to achieve greater recognition for all the group companies, to coincide with recent rail acquisitions and after current rail operations had improved in reliability to warrant association with the established express coach image. It also coincides with appointment a group director for all UK operations and head office relocations, bringing all operations under a single strategic managament structure. Day to day management remains within individual companies.

The new branding consists of changing the National Express name into lower case, with a more rounded typeface, in addition to a grey 'graphic device', consisting of diagonal parallel lines with round ends, meant to symbolise 'connections' and the group philosophy of punctuality. The overall scheme retains the red and blue lettering on a white background. Some companies will have an additional descriptor after the national express name, such as East Coast or East Anglia.

On 9 December 2007 the new branding was launched on the new railway franchise National Express East Coast, formerly GNER In December the branding has also started to be applied to the National Express coach fleet. The branding application to local bus companies is still being reviewed, which requires consideration of on bus advertising and local branding.

On 4 February 2008 the new branding was launched on bus National Express West Midlands formerly Travel West Midlands.

On 26 February 2008 the new branding was launched on TOC National Express East Anglia formely One Railway

Finances
In the year ended 31 December 2004 the group's turnover was £2,560.2 million. Profits were £63.1 million before tax and £40.8 million after tax.

Bus and Coach Services
As of April 2006, the bus and coach services operated by the group are:

Bus Operations

 * AirLinks (contract bus operation at UK airports)
 * National Express Dundee (bus operation in and around Dundee, Scotland, UK)
 * Travel Greyhound (coach arm of National Express Dundee)
 * G&N Wishart (Rural bus and coach arm of National Express Dundee)
 * National Express London (bus operation under contract to London Buses in London, UK)
 * National Express Surrey (bus operation under contract to London Buses in London, UK - A subsidy of National Express London)
 * National Express West Midlands (Major bus operations in Birmingham and the West Midlands, UK)
 * National Express Coventry (bus operation in and around Coventry, UK - A subsidiary of National Express West Midlands)

Coach Operations

 * Eurolines (express coach services between the UK and other European countries)
 * National Express Coaches (long distance express and airport coach services in the UK)
 * Dot2dot (airport transfers) - Previously Hotelink

Tram and Railway Services
As of April 2006, the tram and railway services operated by the group are:

Tram Services

 * Travel Midland Metro (Midland Metro light rail system in the West Midlands, UK)

Railway Services

 * c2c (passenger rail operation in the UK)
 * Gatwick Express (passenger rail operation in the UK) franchise will transfer to Southern in June 2008
 * Maintrain (train maintenance in the UK)
 * National Express East Anglia (passenger rail operation in the UK)
 * Stansted Express (sub brand of National Express East Anglia)
 * National Express East Coast (passenger rail operation in the UK)

Bus and Coach Services

 * ATC (transit and paratransit bus operation in the US)
 * Durham School Services (school bus operation in the US)
 * Stock Transportation (school bus operation in Canada)

UK Rail Franchises
Rail franchises lost in refranchising include:
 * ScotRail passed to First Group in October 2004
 * Wales and Borders passed to Arriva in December 2003
 * WAGN split into two parts - First Group took over the Great Northern services in April 2006
 * Wessex Trains, absorbed into First Great Western in April 2006

In November 2007 several franchises were lost in a general restructure of franchises:
 * Central Trains split between London Midland, East Midlands Trains and CrossCountry
 * Midland Mainline absorbed into East Midlands Trains franchise
 * Silverlink split between London Overground and new franchise London Midland

Airports
In the 1990s National Express Group moved into the privatisation of airports, eventually purchasing East Midlands Airport, Bournemouth Airport and Humberside Airport. In a move to concentrate on bus and rail provision, the airports were sold to Manchester Airports Group for £241m in March 2001.

Until November 2007, the group also operated Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, New York. However, the lease was sold to the public Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Australian operations
In 1999 the Group gained the Australian franchises M>Train, M>Tram and V/Line Passenger after privatisation by the Government of Victoria. After financial collapse of the Australian division, the operations were handed back to the State Government. M>Train was passed on to Connex, and M>Tram to Yarra Trams.

Australian bus companies previously operated by the group include:
 * Westbus, Glenorie, and Hillsbus in Sydney sold to ComfortDelgro-Cabcharge Group
 * National Bus Company, Melbourne, sold to Ventura Bus Lines
 * National Bus Company, Brisbane, sold to Connex.