A look back on the first twenty years of the iconic Stagecoach brand, with a wealth of previously unpublished images.

The fascinating story of Stagecoach's expansion beyond Scotland. With rare, previously unseen photographs.

The Commission's transport merger inquiry examines the implications for market competition from the joint venture undertaken between Stagecoach Bus Ltd and Braddell plc in relation to the Scottish bus and coach businesses operating under the brands of megabus, Motivator and Scottish Citylink. The report concludes that the joint venture is likely to result in a substantial lessening of competition (SLC) in the supply of scheduled coach services in the Saltire Cross route group (Glasgow-Aberdeen and Edinburgh-Inverness coach routes crossing at Perth) and recommends a divestment remedy to address the SLC identified.

Looking at the famous operator, Stagecoach Western Scottish Buses, with previously unpublished photos.

Previously unpublished photographs from popular bus author David Devoy, this tells a fascinating story that shows just how far the Scottish bus industry has come.

Rare and unpublished images from this iconic period in Scotland's transport history.

Buses are a key local service, but usage has been in decline since the 1950s. The Transport Act 1985 introduced deregulation, but that has failed to reverse that decline. The report examines the particular problems local authorities face in developing and implementing effective bus strategies. It is clear to the Committee that, for many areas, including all major metropolitan areas outside London, the current regime is not working. The Committee recommends more flexibility, and is particularly attracted by Quality Contracts. These would replace open competition with a licensed regime. Operators bid for exclusive rights to run bus services on a route or group of routes, on the basis of a local authority service specification. Independent Traffic Commissioners are another development that the Committee welcomes, and would like to see them have a higher profile and more resources and powers, especially to enforce Quality Contracts and penalise operators who do not meet their obligations. Others areas covered in the report are: securing socially necessary services outside the PTAs; congestion and bus priority; concessionary fares; and the image of the bus.