Announced last Friday (8 August) was that Cheadle-based independent operator Bullocks have sold their bus business to Stagecoach in Manchester. In their press release Stagecoach said that it planned to operate the business separately to their main services in the city, no doubt to prevent the brakes being applied by the OFT as has been the case with their recent Rapsons and Cavalier purchases.Stagecoach have given an assurance that Services 42, 42A, 157 & 310 will operate as they do now, though to stop confusion between existing Stagecoach Manchester Service 42, that operated by Bullocks will have a 'B' suffix applied. Ticket inter-availability will initially be prohibited, though Stagecoach will be issuing Bullocks' services tickets on their rolls.
Upon regulatory clearance, Stagecoach have announced that their intention is to fully integrate the Bullocks business with their own in the city and to extend their daily, weekly and monthly unlimited ticket range across the recently acquired business.Bullock's Coach Hire will continue to operate as an independent business and has not been included in the sale to Stagecoach.
