Smethwickian
Member
Apologies if this has already been mentioned, but I think the decision was only published yesterday afternoon.
The OFT has decided that comeptition issues are not sufficient to refer Arriva's acquisition of Liyell Ltd (trading as Midland) to the Competition Commission.
See: http://www.oft.gov.uk/OFTwork/mergers/decisions/2013/arriva-midlands-north for link to full document - far too long to post here in full, I'm afraid.
If I've read it correctly, while the report does agree there are a couple of small areas in South Staffs where Arriva is reducing current commercial or tendering competition, it accepts that Arriva's main aim is to expand into the West Midlands where there are other competitors against the dominant NXWM.
As a bus passenger in the West Midlands, I would tend to welcome sensible consolidation. The best chance of reliable, effective competition against such a dominant operator as NXWM is from reasonably sized and reasonably well-resourced companies, including other groups such as Arriva and Rotala - certainly not the one-or-two-bus fly-by-nights operating a clapped-out converted bread van to an erratic and unreliable timetable.
I believe such properly-run companies can offer competition where appropriate, but are also more likely to co-operate with co-ordination and ticketing where appropriate.
The OFT has decided that comeptition issues are not sufficient to refer Arriva's acquisition of Liyell Ltd (trading as Midland) to the Competition Commission.
See: http://www.oft.gov.uk/OFTwork/mergers/decisions/2013/arriva-midlands-north for link to full document - far too long to post here in full, I'm afraid.
If I've read it correctly, while the report does agree there are a couple of small areas in South Staffs where Arriva is reducing current commercial or tendering competition, it accepts that Arriva's main aim is to expand into the West Midlands where there are other competitors against the dominant NXWM.
As a bus passenger in the West Midlands, I would tend to welcome sensible consolidation. The best chance of reliable, effective competition against such a dominant operator as NXWM is from reasonably sized and reasonably well-resourced companies, including other groups such as Arriva and Rotala - certainly not the one-or-two-bus fly-by-nights operating a clapped-out converted bread van to an erratic and unreliable timetable.
I believe such properly-run companies can offer competition where appropriate, but are also more likely to co-operate with co-ordination and ticketing where appropriate.