Western set for buyout
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• Western Scottish Omnibuses, the largest and last Scottish Bus Group subsidiary to be privatised, is set to be sold to its in-house management-led buyout team (CM 8-14 Aug).
The team, headed by Western's managing director Alan Wilson, was last week named preferred bidder for the firm which has 1,800 staff, 11 depots and 640 vehicles.
On the sale's completion day, which is expected in early October, the northern part of the firm will be taken over by its own staff, and operated under the Clydeside 2000 banner.
In its first year of ownership Clydeside hopes to increase its £17m turnover by 15%, which it hopes will allow the lossmaking firm to make a small profit.
Bedfordshire-based Luton & District might provide up to 15% of the finance for the Clyde
side operation which has about 1,000 staff, six depots and 360 vehicles. And Graham Cumming, who retains his position as L&D chief executive, is to take responsibility for the Paisley-based firm before a managing director is appointed.