Stagecoach London
Stagecoach London Alexander Dennis Enviro400 in Romford in February 2023
ParentStagecoach
Founded1994
HeadquartersWest Ham
Service areaCentral London
East London
South East London
Service typeBus services
HubsStratford, Romford, Woolwich, Lewisham
Fleet1,463 (March 2023)
OperatorEast London
Lea Interchange Bus Company
Selkent
Thameside
Websitewww.stagecoachbus.com

Stagecoach London is a major bus operator in Greater London. It is a subsidiary of Stagecoach and operates services under contract to Transport for London mostly in East and South East London as well as some services into Central London.

It is the largest subsidiary of the Stagecoach Group, with 283.4 million passengers journeys taken on Stagecoach London buses between May 2018 and April 2019, and as of March 2023, the fleet consisted of 1,463 buses.

History

Mercedes-Benz Citaro on route 453 in May 2005 in Stagecoach livery introduced in 2000

In 1994 Stagecoach purchased the East London and Selkent operations during the privatisation of London bus services. Both continued to trade under their existing names until November 2000 when Stagecoach consolidated its London operations under the Stagecoach London brand with both remaining as separate legal entities.[1][2]

In August 2006 Stagecoach sold its London bus operations to Macquarie Bank.[3][4] The new owner restored the East London and Selkent trading name logos.

In September 2008 Thameside was established to operate route 248.[5]

In October 2010 Stagecoach reacquired its old London operations with all operations once again rebranded as Stagecoach London.[6]

In May 2022, Stagecoach announced it would takeover Tower Transit's Lea Interchange garage for £20m.[7] The takeover was completed on 25 June 2022.[8][9] Stagecoach operates the garage under the Lea Interchange Bus Company Limited legal entity.[10]

In August 2022, Stagecoach London purchased buses from HCT Group that the social enterprise carried out on behalf of Transport for London. The deal saw around 500 members of staff and 160 buses transfer, along with leases on depots at Ash Grove and Walthamstow Avenue.

Operations

Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis Trident 2 on route 277 at Leamouth in April 2013 in the current livery

Stagecoach London operates services under contract to Transport for London. These are operated by 4 legal entities which all exist but under the Stagecoach London brand:[1][2][5]

  • East London (East London Bus & Coach Company Limited)
  • Selkent (South East London & Kent Bus Company Limited)
  • Thameside (East London Bus & Coach Company Limited)
  • Lea Interchange Bus Company Limited (former Tower Transit operations at Lea Interchange)[11]

In 2000 Stagecoach's standard bus livery of a dark blue skirt and orange and light blue swirl at the rear with the standard white replaced by red was introduced. After the sale to Macquarie Bank, an all red livery was introduced.

A coach operation traded under the brand East London Coaches ceasing in February 2007 and a Travelshop which closed in March 2009 that was based at the company's then Ilford head office. The head office is now at the West Ham depot.

Fleet

As at March 2023, the fleet comprised of 1,463 buses.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 "EAST LONDON BUS & COACH COMPANY LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 "SOUTH EAST LONDON & KENT BUS COMPANY LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  3. ↑ The mighty Macquarie is only human The Independent 20 August 2006
  4. ↑ Interim results for the six months ended 31 October 2006 Stagecoach Group 6 December 2006
  5. 1 2 Companies House extract company no 6667411 East London Bus Limited
  6. ↑ Stagecoach re-enters London bus market BBC News 15 October 2010
  7. ↑ "Stagecoach strikes £20m deal to snap up Kelsian's 150 buses in east London". 27 May 2022.
  8. ↑ "Sale Completion East London Bus Operation and Finance Update". Australian Securities Exchange. Kelsian. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  9. ↑ "Stagecoach welcomes Tower Transit team to its London operations". Stagecoach. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  10. ↑ "LEA INTERCHANGE BUS COMPANY LIMITED filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  11. ↑ "LEA INTERCHANGE BUS COMPANY LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  12. ↑ Bus Fleet Audit Transport for London

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