I Squared Capital - Arriva UK BUS

[overthewater]

Every time I come on this forum to read it's a never ending list of bad news for Arriva with closes or losing out on work etc, and with recent Merseyside news the company contracting even more. It's been 18 months since I squared brought Arriva as a whole but it's still very unclear what thier plans are for the UK. It feels like the unlove child compared to the rest of Europe.

Maybe I'm missing something here? and there wonderful sunny spot with the UK empire that I've mist? Of there is an actually plan for long term growth.

In Jan 2025 they had 16000 employed: https://news.arriva.co.uk/news/arriva-appoints-kevin-o-connor-as-managing-director-uk-bus

The third largest bus provider in the regional bus market, Arriva’s UK Bus business operates commercial, contracted and tendered services with a fleet of some 5,900 buses and over 16,000 employees across the country.

Yet by the time of the June annual report it was down by nearly 2000 people: https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/...-report-under-ownership-of-i-squared-capital/

Its UK bus business unit generated revenues of €639 million, employed 13,100 people and had an order book of €2.6 billion

Around the same time Kevin Oconner was replaced by another new managing Director for UK bus

Arriva Group appoints new Managing Director for UK Bus

Martijn Gilbert appointed Managing Director of Arriva UK Bus. Martijn also joins Arriva’s Executive Committee. Appointment effective from 18 August 2025.

news.arriva.co.uk

Arriva Group has today announced the appointment of Martijn Gilbert as its new Managing Director for its Arriva UK Bus business unit, reporting to the Executive Chair, David Martin.

Martijn has an extensive background in UK passenger transport having held roles at Go-Ahead Group’s regional bus operator, Go North East and East Yorkshire, where he was Managing Director between 2018 and 2022 and most recently, at FirstGroup, where he has been Managing Director since 2022 for the group’s Open Access rail operators Lumo and Hull Trains and for Transport for London contracted businesses under the Croydon Tramlink system and the First London Cableway.

Of course they also have thier train operations but there all be gone soon.

I would love someone to reply in this thread with I'm all Mr doom and gloom and there some wonderful bright here and there etc and overall the picture looks a lot rosier, and here is the plan of action.

 

[RDP]

Of course they also have thier train operations but there all be gone soon.

Even after full nationalisation of the TOCs Arriva will still have Grand Central.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Every time I come on this forum to read it's a never ending list of bad news for Arriva with closes or losing out on work etc, and with recent Merseyside news the company contracting even more. It's been 18 months since I squared brought Arriva as a whole but it's still very unclear what thier plans are for the UK. It feels like the unlove child compared to the rest of Europe.

Maybe I'm missing something here? and there wonderful sunny spot with the UK empire that I've mist? Of there is an actually plan for long term growth.

In Jan 2025 they had 16000 employed: https://news.arriva.co.uk/news/arriva-appoints-kevin-o-connor-as-managing-director-uk-bus


Yet by the time of the June annual report it was down by nearly 2000 people: https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/...-report-under-ownership-of-i-squared-capital/


Around the same time Kevin Oconner was replaced by another new managing Director for UK bus

Arriva Group appoints new Managing Director for UK Bus

Martijn Gilbert appointed Managing Director of Arriva UK Bus. Martijn also joins Arriva’s Executive Committee. Appointment effective from 18 August 2025.

news.arriva.co.uk

Of course they also have thier train operations but there all be gone soon.

I would love someone to reply in this thread with I'm all Mr doom and gloom and there some wonderful bright here and there etc and overall the picture looks a lot rosier, and here is the plan of action.

The Kevin O’Connor press release is Jan 2015

 

[Ballyheigue]

Well they are putting a lot of investment in Yorkshire which I didn't expect so maybe they've got some kind of plan, maybe focussing on areas where there's easy growth?

 

[Steve440]

Well they are putting a lot of investment in Yorkshire which I didn't expect so maybe they've got some kind of plan, maybe focussing on areas where there's easy growth?

There is no easy growth in Yorkshire with franchising on the horizon whether they win a round or not.

 

[Russel]

Well they are putting a lot of investment in Yorkshire which I didn't expect so maybe they've got some kind of plan, maybe focussing on areas where there's easy growth?

I've seen they've brought some new E400 MMC's, what other investment has there been?

 

[buslad1988]

They’re clearly starting to make pockets of investment across the country both in brand new vehicles and handfuls of second hand stock. I can see this continuing.

Martijn Gilbert needs to be given a chance and with his previous track record he’ll no doubt have some grand plans - although it may be the case of targeting specific op co’s to trial ideas first before rolling things out nationally.

Arriva kind of led the way a few years back with the simplified livery and modernised logo which Stagecoach appear to have followed suit with and First have also had their refresh. It’s a clean livery, easy to maintain and it appears to have been relatively simple to roll out without too many variations (unlike Stagecoach).

I’d like to see a revival of Arriva, concentrating on improving in their main areas first and potentially attempting to branch out a bit.

The website is top priority for upgrade first however, as extensively covered on here previously, it’s awful!

 

[Russel]

They’re clearly starting to make pockets of investment across the country both in brand new vehicles and handfuls of second hand stock. I can see this continuing.

Martijn Gilbert needs to be given a chance and with his previous track record he’ll no doubt have some grand plans - although it may be the case of targeting specific op co’s to trial ideas first before rolling things out nationally.

Arriva kind of led the way a few years back with the simplified livery and modernised logo which Stagecoach appear to have followed suit with and First have also had their refresh. It’s a clean livery, easy to maintain and it appears to have been relatively simple to roll out without too many variations (unlike Stagecoach).

I’d like to see a revival of Arriva, concentrating on improving in their main areas first and potentially attempting to branch out a bit.

The website is top priority for upgrade first however, as extensively covered on here previously, it’s awful!

The livery being clean and easy to maintain sounds great in theory, in reality, the fleet is a disgrace.

 

[Bristol LHS]

I’d like to see a revival of Arriva, concentrating on improving in their main areas first and potentially attempting to branch out a bit.

The areas where investment in search of commercial growth makes sense are pretty limited though. Their big ops in Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire and the North East are all heading to franchising. Wales too? So what’s left - Kent, Leicestershire, Tees Valley, The Shires, Selby(!) None of it in great shape. The Shires maybe, you could imagine Martijn Gilbert being able to tease some growth from places like Milton Keynes and Luton. But their future surely lies in developing an ability to win franchises, which they haven’t proven so far, and I don’t think sits easily with Gilbert’s strengths in consumer-facing marketing/branding/innovation?

 

[Russel]

The areas where investment in search of commercial growth makes sense are pretty limited though. Their big ops in Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire and the North East are all heading to franchising. Wales too? So what’s left - Kent, Leicestershire, Tees Valley, The Shires, Selby(!) None of it in great shape. The Shires maybe, you could imagine Martijn Gilbert being able to tease some growth from places like Milton Keynes and Luton. But their future surely lies in developing an ability to win franchises, which they haven’t proven so far, and I don’t think sits easily with Gilbert’s strengths in consumer-facing marketing/branding/innovation?

Don't forget the Midlands, Derby, Tamworth, Telford, all crying out for investment.

 

[Kaliwax]

Lots of new buses on order for North East this year.

I believe Maidstone are due some new E400MMCs, I think Gillingham are due brand new e200mmcs, not stock spec like the recent ones, but arriva spec

New Evoras due at Derby and Shrewsbury. Evoras due for Arriva Midlands North as well

Thurmaston getting 10 more electroliners and GB Kites, to make it Arriva's first fully electric depot outside London

Places like Harlow getting 2nd hand buses to improve their fleet

 

[Russel]

Lots of new buses on order for North East this year.

I believe Maidstone are due some new E400MMCs, I think Gillingham are due brand new e200mmcs, not stock spec like the recent ones, but arriva spec

New Evoras due at Derby and Shrewsbury. Evoras due for Arriva Midlands North as well

Thurmaston getting 10 more electroliners and GB Kites, to make it Arriva's first fully electric depot outside London

Places like Harlow getting 2nd hand buses to improve their fleet

Which Midlands North depot is getting Evoras?

 

[Kaliwax]

Streetdecks due for Arriva Cymru and Wales had 3 stock e200mmcs as well

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jan 2026 ==

Which Midlands North depot is getting Evoras?

Don't know but fleet numbers 3234-3241

 

[chungusgoat1]

Which Midlands North depot is getting Evoras?

Shrewsbury

 

[SSmith2009]

Lots of new buses on order for North East this year.

I believe Maidstone are due some new E400MMCs, I think Gillingham are due brand new e200mmcs, not stock spec like the recent ones, but arriva spec

New Evoras due at Derby and Shrewsbury. Evoras due for Arriva Midlands North as well

Thurmaston getting 10 more electroliners and GB Kites, to make it Arriva's first fully electric depot outside London

Places like Harlow getting 2nd hand buses to improve their fleet

Understand it's a total of 56 GB Kites too see off the entire single deck fleet based at Thurmaston and of benefit to both Hinckley and Coalville, recent swaps have allowed newer buses to be moved over including 6 deckers for the 158/X84.

 

[Kaliwax]

Just realised Shrewsbury is Midlands North They will be the ones getting the evoras there.

 

[Russel]

Shrewsbury

Was hoping you'd say Tamworth.

Arriva seem to have forgotten Tamworth depot is one of theirs!

 

[mattb7tl]

Well they are putting a lot of investment in Yorkshire which I didn't expect so maybe they've got some kind of plan, maybe focussing on areas where there's easy growth?

No such thing.

They are just swapping out end of life and expensive vehicles so the operation can keep functioning. That is maintenance capex. The previous owners saw this as optional requiring the new owners to catch up on their neglect.

Arriva has made a lot of positive improvements since the takeover. I have noticed substantial improvements in interior condition, exterior condition, and driver retention. They are also hands down the best operator in the region for having functional next stop announcements and screens.

They could also retain their existing operations as they do not even have a quarter of the market share in the region (<22.5% IIRC). The CMA describes a working monopoly as any firm with more than 25% of industry sales.

 

[Simon75]

Just realised Shrewsbury is Midlands North They will be the ones getting the evoras there.

Any idea when they will be getting new buses ? The 64 Hanley to Shrewsbury often needs a bigger bus , especially between Shrewsbury and Market Drayton

 

[Ballyheigue]

No such thing.

They are just swapping out end of life and expensive vehicles so the operation can keep functioning. That is maintenance capex. The previous owners saw this as optional requiring the new owners to catch up on their neglect.

Arriva has made a lot of positive improvements since the takeover. I have noticed substantial improvements in interior condition, exterior condition, and driver retention. They are also hands down the best operator in the region for having functional next stop announcements and screens.

They could also retain their existing operations as they do not even have a quarter of the market share in the region (<22.5% IIRC). The CMA describes a working monopoly as any firm with more than 25% of industry sales.

I'd see it as more of an investment in Yorkshire as they could have simply kept the old one's going, replacing any broken beyond repair ones for old stock that's still of use, a bit like what has happened with many of the transfers from Yorkshire as quite a few have transferred to other areas for further use. I think initially they're looking for further growth in West Yorkshire as well as showing West Yorkshire Combined Authority that they're serious contenders when it comes to franchising.

 

[Kaliwax]

Any idea when they will be getting new buses ? The 64 Hanley to Shrewsbury often needs a bigger bus , especially between Shrewsbury and Market Drayton

I think they have already arrived and getting painted and refurbished at Leicester

 

[SSmith2009]

I think they have already arrived and getting painted and refurbished at Leicester

it will be MRC at Derby's depot

 

[Russel]

I think they have already arrived and getting painted and refurbished at Leicester

So they are second hand?

 

[Kuyoyo]

So they are second hand?

Dealer Stock

 

[Russel]

Dealer Stock

Ah okay, the word refurbished suggested second hand.

 

[chungusgoat1]

Any idea when they will be getting new buses ? The 64 Hanley to Shrewsbury often needs a bigger bus , especially between Shrewsbury and Market Drayton

the new evoras are for the local services with some of the versas staying on the interurban stuff

 

[Wolfie]

The livery being clean and easy to maintain sounds great in theory, in reality, the fleet is a disgrace.

I suspect that is highly dependent on location. For example the fleet in Telford is definitely aging but is always well presented and seems reasonably reliable (the biggest issue being driver shortages - BREXIT definitely did not help).

 

[overthewater]

Apart from the minor ( cough) mistake if one of the press releases I quote, It still seems like a very mix bag when it comes to Arriva, I still can't tell what direction the company is trying archive, however there does seem to be some light in the tunnel.

 

[Russel]

Apart from the minor ( cough) mistake if one of the press releases I quote, It still seems like a very mix bag when it comes to Arriva, I still can't tell what direction the company is trying archive, however there does seem to be some light in the tunnel.

Agreed, it does appear things are moving in the right direction at last, if rather slowly.

 

[Kaliwax]

Agreed, it does appear things are moving in the right direction at last, if rather slowly.

Telford have just got 2 2nd hand E200MMCs 3158 (YX70 OHS) and 3159 (YX70 OKD), from Mistral Group, looks like they've been painted, and hopefully should be out soon,