First sells Kings Lynn bus operations to Norfolk Green

"We should be better positioned to face the next round of public funding cuts than either of us would have been separately,” said Norfolk Green managing director Ben Colson.

"We should be better positioned to face the next round of public funding cuts than either of us would have been separately,” said Norfolk Green managing director Ben Colson.

FirstGroup has agreed to sell its Kings Lynn operations to local rival Norfolk Green, blaming the impact of reductions in concessionary fare payments from local authorities and the forthcoming cut in Bus Service Operators Grant from April 2012 for its decision. Although it is a small disposal, the deal could mark a major change in First’s approach to improving the performance of its bus division, under new chief executive Tim O’Toole. His predecessor Moir Lockhead had an iron clad...