Privatisation of London Bus Services - List of Independent Operators

List of Independent Operators

In the period before the sell off of the main business units, London saw operation by several private companies who gained tenders for routes. Many of these either ceased trading, or were ultimately purchased by large groups, some of which also bought some of the ex-London Buses units. Below is a list of private operators, some of which still operate.

• Armchair ― acquired by Metroline
• Atlas Bus (Pan Atlas) ― merged with London Coaches, later acquired by Metroline
• Blue Triangle ― London operations acquired by Go-Ahead Group
• Boro'line ― London operations acquired by Kentish Bus
• BTS (Borehamwood Travel Services) ― acquired by Blazefield Group and renamed London Sovereign
• Capital Citybus ― now First Capital
• Capital Connections
• Capital Logistics ― acquired by Tellings-Golden Miller
• Carousel Buses ― acquired by Go-Ahead Group
• Centra
• Cityrama ― sightseeing company acquired by Ensignbus
• Connex bus ― London operations sold to Travel London
• Connexions
• Crystals ― Dartford-based operator acquired by Tellings-Golden Miller
• CT Plus (Hackney Community Transport)
• Docklands Buses ― acquired by Go-Ahead Group
• Ealing Community Transport
• Eastender Bus
• Ensignbus ― London operations sold to Hong Kong Citybus and renamed Ensign Citybus, then Capital Citybus
• Frontrunner ― London operations sold to Ensignbus
• Grey-Green ― now Arriva London North East
• Harris Bus ― operations reorganised into East Thames Buses
• Kentish Bus (originally London Country South East) ― now Arriva Kent Thameside
• Lea Valley ― Hoddesdon-based operations of County Bus (now Arriva East Herts & Essex)
• Limebourne ― acquired by Connex bus
• London Buslines ― now part of First Centrewest
• London Coaches ― London operations acquired by Metroline; other operations acquired by Arriva
• London Country North West ― acquired by Luton & District
• London Country North East ― divided into County Bus and Sovereign Bus
• London Easylink ― operations acquired by East Thames Buses
• LondonLinks ― merger of London operations of London & Country and Kentish Bus
• London & Country (originally London Country South West) – now Arriva Guildford & West Surrey
• London Sovereign ― sold by Blazefield Group to Transdev London
• London Suburban ― acquired by MTL
• Metropolitan Omnibus (London) Ltd t/a London Traveller – purchased by Thorpes
• Luton & District ― now Arriva The Shires
• Metrobus ― acquired by Go-Ahead Group
• Mitcham Belle ― acquired by Centra
• Nostalgiabus
• NCP Challenger ― renamed NSL, later acquired by Transdev (London Sovereign)
• Quality Line (Epsom Buses) ― acquired by RATP Group
• R&I Buses ― acquired by MTL
• Sampsons ― Hoddesdon-based operator acquired by County Bus
• Scanbus
• Southdown PSV
• Sullivan Buses
• Tellings-Golden Miller ― London operations sold to Travel London
• Thames bus
• Thameside ― Grays-based operations of County Bus (now Arriva East Herts & Essex), later transferred to Arriva Southern Counties
• Thamesway Buses (Eastern National) ― now part of First Essex
• Thorpes ― acquired by Metroline
• Timebus
• Town Link ― Harlow-based operations of County Bus (now Arriva East Herts & Essex)
• Town and Country
• Travel London ― acquired by Abellio in 2009 and rebranded Abellio London
• Wings Buses ― Hayes-based operator acquired by Tellings Golden-Miller, now part of Abellio London