Go-Ahead pins its faith in ‘huge pent-up demand’

SHARES in bus and rail operator Go-Ahead have halved over the past year, with rail travel currently at just 15 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

But there are some cheerier prospects: the group this year intends to hire 1,100 apprentices – from drivers to engineers – with two thirds of them deployed on London buses.

Go-Ahead is ram ping up its hiring programme in an attempt to improve diversity in the male-dominated industry and replace retiring workers.

The move is also a vote of confidence in life returning to moribund town centres. Katy Taylor, director of strategy at Go- Ahead, says there is ‘massive pent-up demand’ for leisure travel and that the company believes commuting will return, simply with f ewer crowds on peak-time services.

Is a rail revival really possible?