British bus company wants a slice of the Singapore bus market

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http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/british-bus-company-go-ahead-despite-inexperience-asia?singlepage=true

Go-Ahead London is one of several foreign players that have declared interest in a slice of the Singapore bus market.

This after the Government announced earlier this year that the public bus industry would be restructured under a bus contracting model.

Operators would bid for a package of routes through competitive tendering.

Go-Ahead London is unfazed by its lack of experience in the region, despite claims by local players that they know the market here better and have the know-how to deliver better service.

“... Obviously, we don’t have that local experience, but we’ve put together a team with that sort of local experience that will help us... ” said Mr John Trayner, managing director of Go-Ahead London, one of the largest operators in the London.

It began operations in London in 1994, after it purchased bus company London Central.

Singapore would be its first foray into an Asian country. The company has set up an office here and has hired Singaporeans who used to work for incumbent operators SBS Transit and SMRT to advise it on its bid.

The firm also has operations in other countries, most recently in Chicago, Ghana and Sweden, and is currently bidding for rail contracts in Germany.

The tender closes in January.