Stagecoach UK to create new bus company for Olympics

[Nawdic]

According to LOTS, London's premier bus and coach enthusiasts group, Stagecoach are planning to create a new bus company to the three divisions they already own in London, to exist only for the 2012 Olympics which is now less than 100 days away.
They plan to use 700 buses based at 2 existing and 2 new depots.

Should other London bus companies form their own group to rival this? Is this a waste of Stagecoach's/taxpayer's money?

Your thoughts.

[Hyronymus]

From a business point of view it's quite clever: if you fail to break-even it doesn't hurt Stagecoach directly, if it makes a profit they will brag about it. Not sure why they need 2 new bus depots though, are those demolished after the London games?

[Nawdic]

I have a feeling these 2 new depots are somewhere open in the Docklands area of London, I'll have to check it out.

[JamieLei]

I don't understand though. Services in London are contracted through the DfT. So unless the DfT creates new services, how will these operate?

Unless they're specifically for shuttling passengers to and from the M25 parkways that are envisioned.

[andel]

I don't understand though. Services in London are contracted through the DfT. So unless the DfT creates new services, how will these operate?

Unless they're specifically for shuttling passengers to and from the M25 parkways that are envisioned.

TfL Contract the services but the games are in Newham. there will be a need to provide transport from much of places like Kent, Herts and Essex - they may well be offering either registered services or unregistered pre-booked services

Remember, a depot doesn't have to be a shed, it can simply be a big yard.