David Martin (Interim Executive Chairman) Graham Sutherland (Chief Executive)
Products
Bus, coach, rail & tram
Revenue
£4,755.0 million (2023)[1]
Operating income
£153.9 million (2023)[1]
Net income
£95.3 million (2023)[1]
Number of employees
29,983 (2023)[1]
Subsidiaries
See below
Website
www.firstgroupplc.com
FirstGroup plc is a British multi-national transport group, which is based in Aberdeen in the north-east of Scotland.[2] The company operates transport services in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.[3]
The creation of what became FirstGroup is closely tied to the deregulation of bus services in the United Kingdom during the 1980s. During April 1995, two acquisitive private bus operators, Badgerline and GRT Bus Group, merged together to create FirstBus. The new company initially operated a fleet of 5,600 buses to provide services to numerous regions across England, Wales and Scotland. Throughout the late 1990s, FirstBus continued its policy of growth by acquisition. To this end, it acquired several former council owned operations and companies formerly owned by English, Welsh and Scottish nationalised operators.
During December 1997, the company was renamed FirstGroup to reflect its recent entry into Britain's recently privatised railways. Around this time, it had a 24.5% shareholding in Great Western Holdings that was awarded the Great Western and North Western franchises, as well as a 100% shareholding in First Great Eastern. FirstGroup made its first overseas foray in September 1998 via a 26% shareholding in the joint venture New World First Bus that provided bus services in Hong Kong. In September 1999, FirstGroup purchased the American company Ryder Public Transport Services.[4] During May 2000, it began operating the London Tramlink concession. During August 2003, FirstGroup purchased GB Railways, which owned Anglia Railways and GB Railfreight and held 80% of the shares in Hull Trains.
In February 2007, FirstGroup agreed to buy the US-based bus operator Laidlaw, along with a controlling stake in Greyhound Lines, the largest bus operator in North America. During June 2009, FirstGroup made a unsuccessful takeover bid for rival transport operator National Express. In June 2010, FirstGroup sold its rail freight business First GBRf to the Eurotunnel Group, exiting the rail freight sector as a result. During October 2016, First Transit commenced operating the A-train, its first rail operation in the United States. In August 2017, FirstGroup's joint venture with MTR Corporation commenced operating the South Western franchise. In May 2020, FirstGroup announced it would retain its UK bus operations and sell off its activities in North America. During June 2022, FirstGroup rejected a £1.2bn takeover offer from US private equity company I Squared Capital.
^ abcd"Annual Report and Accounts 2023" (PDF). FirstGroup. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
^Companies House extract company no SC157176 FirstGroup plc
^"FirstGroup plc Ord 5p". London Stock Exchange. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012.
^"FirstGroup to Buy Ryder Unit". Europolitics. 8 September 1999. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013.
FirstGroup plc is a British multi-national transport group, which is based in Aberdeen in the north-east of Scotland. The company operates transport services...
division of FirstGroup, First Student was sold to EQT Infrastructure on 21 July 2021. In 1999, Ryder sold its school bus division to FirstGroup for $940...
of firstFirstGroup, a British transportation company operating buses, trains, coaches and trams First Racing, a former racing team Search for "first" on...
It was acquired by Ryder in 1986. First Transit was formed in 1999 when FirstGroup acquired Ryder. In 2007, First Transit acquired Cognisa, a company...
First Aberdeen is the main bus company operator in Aberdeen, Scotland. It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup. Aberdeen Corporation Tramways was formed on 26...
Trains, Silverlink, Southern, London Midland, First TransPennine Express and TransPennine Express (FirstGroup). The Class 350/1 units were originally part...
August 2017 FirstGroup and Trenitalia pull out of East Midlands franchise contest International Railway Journal 23 April 2018 FirstGroup and Trenitalia...
s/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/533363/swf-itt.pdf [dead link] "FirstGroup replaces Virgin to run West Coast route". BBC Sport. 14 August 2019. Retrieved...
First Group – UK bus[permanent dead link] firstgroup.com Bus firm Stagecoach snaps up service from FirstGroup BBC News 12 November 2012 £4.5 million bus...
First Bus can mean: New World First Bus, third largest bus operator in Hong Kong FirstBus, a United Kingdom bus company that was renamed FirstGroup in...
First Beeline Buses Limited, trading as First Beeline, is a bus operator providing services in and around Slough. It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup. In...
First TransPennine Express was a British train operating company jointly owned by FirstGroup and Keolis which operated the TransPennine Express franchise...
Authority (SRA) awarded Stagecoach a new franchise after it beat bids from FirstGroup/NedRailways and Sea Containers. The 2001 franchises awarded were (as promulgated)...
railway operator in England owned by the multinational transport company FirstGroup. It operates long-distance passenger services between Hull Paragon / Beverley...
became a 100% FirstGroup subsidiary when the 24.5% shareholder bought out its partners. The TOCs were renamed First Great Western and First North Western...
Avanti West Coast is a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup (70%) and Trenitalia (30%) that operates the West Coast Partnership. During...
school bus service in both the United States and Canada. In February 2007, FirstGroup, a bus and rail transportation operator in the United Kingdom with subsidiaries...
ACQUIRED BY FIRSTGROUP" (Press release). U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. February 9, 2007. Harrison, Pete (February 8, 2007). "FirstGroup to buy Greyhound...
First North Western was a train operating company in England owned by FirstGroup that operated the North West Regional Railways franchise from March 1997...
delivered. The first StreetLites entered service in October 2010 with Anglian Bus. Arriva, FirstGroup, Go-Ahead Group, Rotala and Stagecoach Group have all...
a position on the board of FirstGroup. He was headhunted for the position of CEO of Simon Cowell's Syco Entertainment Group. For the preceding three years...
Dunelm Group plc, trading as Dunelm, is a British home furnishings retailer operating in the United Kingdom. One of the largest homeware retailers in...
Global Information
£4,755.0 million (2023)[1]
£95.3 million (2023)[1]