Transdev is to acquire the Yorkshire Tiger bus operations at Halifax and Huddersfield from Arriva UK Bus, with completion expected during this summer.
It will be the first change of ownership of a bus operator since the start of the Covid pandemic.
Transdev will add Arriva’s two remaining Yorkshire Tiger depots at Elland, near Halifax, and Waterloo in Huddersfield, as well as 61 buses, to its operations. It will be welcoming 163 drivers, engineers, cleaning and support colleagues into the Transdev family of over 1,250 people across the north.
It’ll remain business as usual for now under Arriva, with no changes to routes and times. The full network will pass to Transdev except the 231/232 Huddersfield–Wakefield routes, which are planned to remain within Arriva as part of its Yorkshire subsidiary.
Says Alex Hornby, CEO at Transdev: “We are thrilled to be growing our team and our company, and are really looking forward to serving this part of West Yorkshire for the first time.
“This all demonstrates Transdev’s long-term commitment to develop our business in the north of England, building on a clear track record of success, not least with our recent acquisition and subsequent growth at Rosso in 2018, and new networks launched in partnership with local authorities around Leeds Bradford Airport and East Lancashire in the past 12 months alone.
“At this critical time for the bus, we believe it can play a key role in enabling our economic recovery, both locally and nationally, and we remain committed to working hand in hand with our local authority partners and wider stakeholders to develop the aims of the National Bus Strategy.
“We’re looking forward to meeting all our new colleagues and new customers, as well as strengthening relationships with our local authority partners in West Yorkshire further with this latest development. We really believe it presents a hugely exciting opportunity to all work together and improve the quality of bus travel further across Halifax and Huddersfield.
“Alongside Arriva, we’re paying tribute to the hard work of driving and support teams at its Halifax and Huddersfield depots throughout the pandemic as an important factor in securing the company’s future. We are committed to working with Arriva to ensure a smooth and effective transition for customers and colleagues over the coming months.”
