ABERDEEN-BASED transport operator FirstGroup heralded full-year rail revenue growth of 10 per cent as it said it was on track to deliver a £29 million improvement package demanded by the UK government.
First, which also reported a 5 per cent rise in passenger revenue at its UK bus arm, said it was "on course" to achieve improvements agreed with the Department for Transport.
The franchise operator, which also controls ScotRail, was last month for
ced into moves to increase capacity and fund cheaper tickets at First Great Western, which runs services to Reading, Bristol, South Wales and the West Country. FirstGroup is also promising faster upgrades of carriage interiors and information screens at stations.
In January, passengers were hit by above-inflation price rises across the network, and FGW's poor performance prompted fare strikes by some customers.
Group finance director Nick Chevin said: "The board remains confident of the prospects for the group in all of the markets in which it operates and is committed to annual dividend growth of 10 per cent for at least three years."
The firm added that all of the operating divisions of FirstGroup America were performing in line with management expectations and said it was pleased with its progress in winning new business part-way through the US bus bidding season.
First's UK bus business boasts a 9,000-strong fleet, carrying three million passengers a day.
The full article contains 240 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
