HTL Buses acquired by Tower Transit

[CN12 AWU]

Reading on another forum (DartSLF.com) that Tower Transit have acquired Huyton Travel eg HTL Buses in Huyton Liverpool

Can't find anything official to back it up but one of there forum admin works or has worked there said it was indeed true

I read they currently have no uk have so if true I wonder if this is to do with Merseyside Bus Franchising for Tower Transit to make there mark

 

[SLTRegular]

Yikes. Transit Systems in Australia are diabolical only Go ahead are worse than them.

 

[CN12 AWU]

Yikes. Transit Systems in Australia are diabolical only Go ahead are worse than them.

It seems odd why when they have no UK site like others said HTL seems a random choice if it is true

Supposedly it is but can't find proof from either firm

 

[DaveLondon]

I think they run the buses in Jersey.

 

[stadler]

Tower Transit sold off their London bus business a couple of years ago (and i think they sold Whippet in Cambridgeshire too) so it seems odd that they want to return again to the UK so soon.

 

[nick291]

Very odd when as others have said they sold off their London operations/Whippet in Cambridgeshire and only operate in the CI for UK operations. Not entirely sure what their end goal is exactly?

 

[JKP]

I think they run the buses in Jersey.

Their 10 year contract to run buses on Jersey starts April 2025.

 

[CN12 AWU]

HTL Buses

Here is a link to DartSLF.com/forum page the user 'CX06 EBK' on there I believe works or worked for them so fact he says it's true I suspect is right

 

[markymark2000]

While it may seem like an odd purchase, for some reason quite a few people want to get in on Merseyside franchising. FirstBus has a manager in place ready for Merseyside bidding, Whippets owner Ascendal has stated that they want in on the action. Tower Transit seemingly also want in and they think that having an existing depot/operation will help them with that. Whether this purchase helps or not, depends on the particulars of the Merseyside franchising as things do seem to keep changing.

Rumours from staff within HTL suggest that the business has been open for sale with another big operator looking around the depot a month or so ago, looking to buy the place.

 

[Mollman]

While it may seem like an odd purchase, for some reason quite a few people want to get in on Merseyside franchising. FirstBus has a manager in place ready for Merseyside bidding, Whippets owner Ascendal has stated that they want in on the action. Tower Transit seemingly also want in and they think that having an existing depot/operation will help them with that. Whether this purchase helps or not, depends on the particulars of the Merseyside franchising as things do seem to keep changing.

Rumours from staff within HTL suggest that the business has been open for sale with another big operator looking around the depot a month or so ago, looking to buy the place.

I wouldn't be surprised if it has been for sale given that Liverpool City Region CA seemed to have chosen a franchising path which will make it even harder for SMEs than in Greater Manchester

 

[Mwanesh]

I think they run the buses in Jersey.

Stagecoach will run the Jersey buses from April i think

 

[markymark2000]

Stagecoach will run the Jersey buses from April i think

That will be Guernsey, not Jersey.

 

[Ghostbus]

Franchising is a licence to print money for opcos, just like the railways. No surprise it attracts speculative interest far and wide. They came from all corners of the globe to run London buses.

 

[DaveLondon]

Their 10 year contract to run buses on Jersey starts April 2025.

I think it is a renewal as I think they run it currently.

Franchising is a licence to print money for opcos, just like the railways. No surprise it attracts speculative interest far and wide. They came from all corners of the globe to run London buses.

Not so much these days as margins tight.

That will be Guernsey, not Jersey.

I thiought Stagecoach had Guernsey. Did I get that wrong?

 

[Mal]

I think they run the buses in Jersey.

Libertybus (Jersey) and buses gg (Guernsey) are both owned by Kelsian.

 

[DaveLondon]

Libertybus (Jersey) and buses gg (Guernsey) are both owned by Kelsian.

Yes which is Tower Transit and currently operate services on both islands. They lost Guernsey to Stagecoach in recent tendering and retained Jersey.

 

[Cesarcollie]

Franchising is a licence to print money for opcos, just like the railways. No surprise it attracts speculative interest far and wide. They came from all corners of the globe to run London buses.

Do you have evidence to back this up?

 

[Mwanesh]

That will be Guernsey, not Jersey.

I always confuse the 2

Franchising is a licence to print money for opcos, just like the railways. No surprise it attracts speculative interest far and wide. They came from all corners of the globe to run London buses.

Franchising is not a licence to print money.It removes the risk and lumps it on the taxpayer.

 

[73001]

I always confuse the 2


Franchising is not a licence to print money.It removes the risk and lumps it on the taxpayer.

Yes, more a "licence to make a small but guaranteed profit with very little risk".
HTL were too small to run / bid for any of the big areas of the LCR franchise so would probably have had to bid mainly for schools if they were to stay in operation (which being a minibus operator generally, isn't as likely). Makes sense for the owner in the same way the Peoplesbus sale to Stagecoach does.

 

[CN12 AWU]

Wonder if it is true (still seen nothing official to say tower Transit has bough them) but wonder if HTL will be rebranded as Tower Transit shortly or left running in its current state

Has any official public proof of this become available yet?

 

[Leyland Bus]

Has now appeared on Route One so must have been officially announced...

Huyton Travel bought by Tower Transit as franchising approaches - routeone

Merseyside operator Huyton Travel has been bought by Kelsian Group subsidiary Tower Transit, bringing it into the Liverpool City Region.

www.route-one.net

Merseyside SME operator Huyton Travel has been bought by Kelsian Group subsidiary Tower Transit. The deal brings over 30 buses and gives the buyer an entrance to the Liverpool City Region bus market ahead of the rollout of franchising there.

Huyton Travel was founded in 1985 by John Yates Sr and delivers what Tower Transit says are “tailored transport solutions in the Merseyside region.”

It has invested heavily in modern Euro VI vehicles over recent years via a focus on what the buyer adds are core values of quality, reliability and customer satisfaction. The business is now led by John and Paul Yates, who will continue to support operations going forward.

Tower Transit Managing Director Samuel Ribeiro says: “We are thrilled to welcome Huyton Travel to our group, a company that has been a cornerstone of public transport in the Liverpool City Region for 40 years.

“We believe that combining Huyton’s extensive local expertise and established reputation with Tower Transit’s international track record and experience in bus franchising will create a strong foundation for success amid the ongoing bus reforms planned by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.”

The purchase additionally establishes a strategic partnership between Tower Transit and Abacus UK Training. It will remain part of the Huyton depot and continue to train PCV drivers, thus playing a key role in what the buyer says is developing the future Huyton Travel driver workforce.

Speaking about the sale, Huyton Travel Managing Director John Yates says: “We are pleased to have found in Tower Transit and Kelsian Group a company that shares the same family-owned principles upon which Huyton Travel was built. We are confident that together, we can strengthen Huyton’s future, particularly in the upcoming bus franchising process.

“This partnership will also provide long-tern success and stability for our incredible management team, drivers and engineers, enabling them to continue delivering high-quality services across Merseyside and beyond.”

Mr Ribeiro adds that Tower Transit will maintain existing teams at the business and that a smooth transition is the priority.

He notes that Tower Transit and Kelsian have extensive experience in buses across multiple continents and that its strengths in a regulated environment are illustrated by the award in 2024 of a 10-year franchise contract for bus services in Jersey.

 

[Ghostbus]

Speaking about the sale, Huyton Travel Managing Director John Yates says: “We are pleased to have found in Tower Transit and Kelsian Group a company that shares the same family-owned principles upon which Huyton Travel was built. We are confident that together, we can strengthen Huyton’s future, particularly in the upcoming bus franchising process.

I can't really square "family owned" with the basic business model of companies with global reach, buying, selling and merging franchised bus operations. The only interested Transit has surely, is in gaining contracts with fixed terms and predictable returns on investment. Nothing like the sort of thing that usually drives a family owned business, such as innovation, brand loyalty and basic entrepreneurial spirit manifesting not in rapid changes in size/market, but gradual improvement, such as long term investment in people and assets, driving organic growth.

 

[Leedsbusman]

I can't really square "family owned" with the basic business model of companies with global reach, buying, selling and merging franchised bus operations. The only interested Transit has surely, is in gaining contracts with fixed terms and predictable returns on investment. Nothing like the sort of thing that usually drives a family owned business, such as innovation, brand loyalty and basic entrepreneurial spirit manifesting not in rapid changes in size/market, but gradual improvement, such as long term investment in people and assets, driving organic growth.

That’s a fairly generous view on family firms. Many are like that in the bus industry but many others are just average tendered service operators with no innovation, loyalty or entrepreneurship. Those qualities can also manifest themselves in non family owned businesses. It’s rather down to the people making the decisions rather than the nature of the company ownership.

 

[Mal]

As an occasional user of HTL routes, I never know what colour bus will turn up. The majority are green but there are still plenty of buses in liveries of the previous owner as well as some new white buses. I understand that there may not be the money to paint them into green, but surely they could stick an 'HTL buses' name onto the front and side?

 

[317 forever]

I wonder whether Tower Transit will be other independents in the area, to increase their toehold ahead of franchising?

Examples include Hattons Travel and A2B Travel.

 

[Ghostbus]

I wonder whether Tower Transit will be other independents in the area, to increase their toehold ahead of franchising?

Examples include Hattons Travel and A2B Travel.

They've got a depot, an O-license and a registered office. They don't really need more than that.