BUS giant Stagecoach, which carries thousands of East Lancashire passengers, has reported a bumper rise in profits.

The firm, which owns Ribble Buses and also operates services in Burnley, Pendle and Hyndburn, saw operating profits rise by more than 25 per cent to £274 million in the year to April 30.

As well as its bus operations Stagecoach owns National Transport Tokens which relocated to Glenfield Park, Blackburn, last year. It is also owns half of Virgin Rail, which operates services on the West Coast main line.

The latest figures, which were better than expected, were boosted by an extra £11.2 million from Virgin Rail in which Stagecoach bought a 49 per cent stake in October last year.

And Road King Infrastructure, the group's Chinese toll road operating business, added £10.7 million to the profit figure. The group also saw continued organic growth in its UK Bus division where passenger numbers and margins improved.

Operating profits in the UK Bus business grew to £81.7 million from £72.6 million.

Total group sales were £1.41 billion, up from £1.35 billion.

Stagecoach is to appear before a public disciplinary inquiry next month for operating unreliable services in the North West.

The firm will appear at Trafford Magistrates' Court in July and could lose the right to operate some or all of its local services, as well as facing a hefty fine. The reliability of the company was called into question following an investigation by the North West Traffic Commission and the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive earlier this year.

The investigation, carried out between February 22 and 26, reported buses belonging to Stagecoach Ribble and 12 operators across the North West running early and late as well as failing to run at all.

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