McGill’s Group, the UK’s largest independent bus company, has unveiled plans for a new £25 million depot on a prime site close to Glasgow city centre, in a move that could deliver up to 850 jobs.
The planned investment follows the company’s acquisition this week of a 6.55-acre brownfield site on Kilbirnie Street in Tradeston, just 1.5 miles south of the city centre. The location benefits from excellent transport connectivity, with direct access to the M74, M8 and M77 motorway networks, a nearby subway station, pedestrian links to Eglinton Street and Albert Drive, and extensive staff parking already in place.
Owned by Scottish entrepreneurs Sandy and James Easdale, McGill’s Group has experienced rapid growth in recent years, strengthening its core bus networks across Glasgow, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde while building a major presence in the coach market and wider geographical bases across the whole of Scotland. This includes its own tour operator, Loch Lomond Travel, a thriving private hire division, and a fast-growing partnership with international long-haul operator FlixBus.
The new depot will provide a modern, strategically located hub to drive McGill’s continued expansion and will support further growth of its coach fleet to 300 vehicles. It will also be strategically important in the event that bus franchising is introduced in Strathclyde. The new base will not affect operations at any of McGill’s existing depot sites.
Ralph Roberts, Chairman of McGill’s Group, said:
“This is a strategic purchase that fits squarely within McGill’s three-year plan. In little over five years, we have added operations in Dundee, Stirling, Falkirk, Edinburgh, Livingston, Aberdeen, Inverness and now Glasgow. With a modern, low-carbon fleet and the backing of owners Sandy and James Easdale, McGill’s Group is in excellent health and firmly focused on revolutionising public transport in Scotland.”
(Pic: McGill’s)
