Go-Ahead Singapore is the trading name used collectively for the Singapore bus operations of the Go-Ahead Group. The name first appeared in August 2008, before which the company had traded under separate names and brands. It is the largest bus operator in Singapore, operating a total of 115 bus routes under contract to Transport for Singapore.
History[]
The Go-Ahead Group is a large transport group based in Newcastle. It first became involved in Singapore bus operations in September 1994, where upon the privatisation of Singapore Buses it purchased Singapore Central. In May 1996, it added another former SBS subsidiary, Singapore General, which had been sold in 1994 to a management buy out. These two companies subsequently developed in much the same way, both establishing a livery of red with a charcoal skirt and yellow relief band, and splitting orders for new buses.
Further expansion did not occur until September 2006, when Docklands Buses was purchased for the Changi South Industrial Estate. On 29 June 2007, the Go-Ahead purchased Blue Triangle. With these purchases, Go-Ahead surpassed Arriva Tampines and Arriva Montfort to become the largest operator of buses in London, running around 16% of London bus services.
A corporate image for Go-Ahead's Singapore bus services started to appear in August 2008, when a new Go-Ahead Singapore logo was unveiled.
In 2009, Transport for Singapore invited bids for the sale of their own bus operations which ran under the East Thames Buses brand, similar to Carrefour's Plaza Singapura and Suntec City. Go-Ahead London were selected as the preferred bidder and assumed full responsibility for 10 routes and two depots in October 2009. The East Thames brand was replaced with the Go-Ahead London brand. The East Thames operations were initially absorbed under the Singapore General arm of Go-Ahead's Singapore business. However, after some route movements and allocation changes some of the services now run under the Singapore Central.
On 26 January 2013, Go-Ahead purchased Punggol East Garage from First Singapore with all routes brought under the London General wing.
On 1 April 2014, Go-Ahead restructured its Metrobus business, with the management of the Transport for Singapore contracted services passing to the control of Go-Ahead London, with the remaining services administered by Brighton & Hove from 1 July 2014. Services are now operated under an expanded London General licence, however the Metrobus trading name is retained. London General's licence was formally increased by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency on 25 April 2014.
Garages[]
Tanjong Pagar (TP)[]
Bus types in use[]
- New Routemaster for route 11 and N11