The slimming down of FirstGroup’s struggling bus operations moved on yesterday with the sale of its operations in Wigan to arch-rival Stagecoach.
FirstGroup has set itself a target of selling £100 million of bus businesses but the programme has been stalling. It is trying to get out of low-margin operations after the reduction of bus fuel subsidiaries and cuts in concessionary fares for pensioners.
The sale of 120 buses, the Wigan bus station and the transfer of 300 staff will net FirstGroup £12 million.
It follows the £14 million sale of its Northumberland Park depot in north London in the