FirstGroup waiting for new bus recovery grant funding news

Scottish transport giant FirstGroup has yet to secure an extension or replacement for bus recovery grant funding south of the border.

The Aberdeen-based company said in a trading update earlier today it was “engaging with” the Department for Transport regarding an extension to the scheme running in England until early April.

A recovery grant scheme in Wales is currently funded to the end of July 2022.

Although all travel restrictions in England ended on February 24, passenger volumes there remain “significantly below” pre-pandemic levels, FirstGroup said.

Further financial support is needed to “maintain services and support the economic recovery”, the firm added.

Earlier this month the Scottish Government announced a new £94 million bus grant scheme, which includes an additional £40m to support passenger volume recovery.

The new funding programme in Scotland starts on April 1, replacing pandemic support arrangements which end on that date.

There was no update from FirstGroup on the hunt for a new chief executive following the departure of Matthew Gregory last autumn.

Mr Gregory quit after the firm’s largest shareholder, Coast Capital, called for him to go in a row over the sale of its First Student and First Transit businesses in North America.

The company then went on to complete the disposal of its iconic Greyhound inter-city coach business, selling it to FlixMobility for £125m.

Passenger volumes are below pre-pandemic levels.