First and Stagecoach lock horns for Greater Manchester battle

摘要

First's acquisition of East Yorkshire's loss-making Finglands business on 27 January has led to a new competitive battle between First and Stagecoach in the conurbation. After hiring Finglands' buses, First replaced them with its own vehicles on 9 March -new Wright StreetLite single-deckers and cascaded double-deckers - based at the former Finglands depot in Rusholme. From 27 April, it is substantially increasing its presence on the lucrative Wilmslow Road corridor, challenging the dominance of Stagecoach's own brand and Magic Bus services in parts of south Manchester with a large student population.