Rankings · traffic area C
Biggest coach and bus operators in North West of England
The 50 companies with the most vehicles authorised on PSV operator licences issued by the Traffic Commissioner for the North West of England, from the DVSA file dated 7 October 2026.
The biggest coach and bus operator in the North West of England traffic area is Arriva Merseyside Limited, with 775 vehicles authorised on its PSV licences issued there. The top 10 hold 38% of the area’s 11,268 vehicles.
- Number 1, vehicles
- 775
- Top 10 share of the area
- 38%
- Also in the national top 100
- 16
- Companies in the area
- 474
Top 10 in North West of England
- 1. Arriva Merseyside Limited (UK #10)775 vehicles, 7%
- 2. Greater Manchester Buses South Ltd (UK #16)670 vehicles, 6%
- 3. Go North West Limited (UK #21)600 vehicles, 5%
- 4. Metroline Manchester Limited (UK #31)500 vehicles, 4%
- 4. Stagecoach (North West) Limited (UK #31)500 vehicles, 4%
- 6. Ribble Motor Services Ltd (UK #34)478 vehicles, 4%
- 7. Blackpool Transport Services Ltd (UK #69)215 vehicles, 2%
- 8. Trent Motor Traction Company Limited(The) (UK #55)190 vehicles, 2%
- 9. Diamond Bus (North West) Limited (UK #78)175 vehicles, 2%
- 10. Vision Bus Ltd (UK #82)170 vehicles, 2%
Top 50
Only licences issued in North West of England count here, so a national group ranks by its North West of England fleet. Share = share of all vehicles on PSV licences in the area.
| Rank | Company | Vehicles | Trailers | Licences | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arriva Merseyside LimitedCompany 01990871DVSA earned recognition | 775 | 0 | 1 | 6.9% |
| 2 | Greater Manchester Buses South LtdCompany 02818654DVSA earned recognition | 670 | 0 | 1 | 5.9% |
| 3 | Go North West LimitedCompany 08205871DVSA earned recognition | 600 | 0 | 1 | 5.3% |
| 4 | Metroline Manchester LimitedCompany 15639063 | 500 | 0 | 1 | 4.4% |
| 4 | Stagecoach (North West) LimitedCompany 00123665DVSA earned recognition | 500 | 0 | 1 | 4.4% |
| 6 | Ribble Motor Services LtdCompany 03990677DVSA earned recognition | 478 | 0 | 1 | 4.2% |
| 7 | Blackpool Transport Services LtdCompany 02003020 | 215 | 0 | 1 | 1.9% |
| 8 | Trent Motor Traction Company Limited(The)Company 00131912 | 190 | 0 | 1 | 1.7% |
| 9 | Diamond Bus (North West) LimitedCompany 03037228 | 175 | 0 | 1 | 1.6% |
| 10 | Vision Bus LtdCompany 08982070 | 170 | 0 | 1 | 1.5% |
| 11 | Lancashire United LtdCompany 02546070 | 145 | 0 | 1 | 1.3% |
| 12 | R S Tyrer LimitedCompany 06871598 | 140 | 0 | 1 | 1.2% |
| 13 | Go North West (Merseyside) LimitedCompany 13275587 | 130 | 0 | 1 | 1.2% |
| 13 | Holmeswood Coaches LtdCompany 00442384 | 130 | 0 | 1 | 1.2% |
| 13 | Preston Bus LimitedCompany 02004022 | 130 | 0 | 1 | 1.2% |
| 13 | The Yorkshire Traction Co LtdCompany 02065401DVSA earned recognition | 130 | 0 | 1 | 1.2% |
| 17 | John Shaw and Son LtdCompany 01040704 | 125 | 0 | 1 | 1.1% |
| 17 | Warrington Borough Transport LimitedCompany 01990371 | 125 | 0 | 1 | 1.1% |
| 19 | Burnley & Pendle Travel LtdCompany 01777430 | 120 | 0 | 1 | 1.1% |
| 20 | Rossendale Transport LimitedCompany 02004970 | 118 | 0 | 1 | 1.0% |
| 21 | Arriva Midlands LtdCompany 02141078DVSA earned recognition | 100 | 0 | 1 | 0.9% |
| 21 | First Manchester LtdCompany 02818607DVSA earned recognition | 100 | 0 | 1 | 0.9% |
| 21 | Selwyns Travel LtdCompany 01385533 | 100 | 0 | 1 | 0.9% |
| 24 | Belle Vue (Manchester) LtdCompany 03272014 | 80 | 0 | 1 | 0.7% |
| 25 | Cumfybus LtdCompany 04458742 | 75 | 0 | 1 | 0.7% |
| 26 | D & G Bus LimitedCompany 06918592 | 70 | 0 | 1 | 0.6% |
| 26 | Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Traction Company LimitedCompany 02070429 | 70 | 0 | 1 | 0.6% |
| 28 | Alfa Coaches LtdCompany 03145729DVSA earned recognition | 65 | 0 | 1 | 0.6% |
| 28 | Arriva North West LtdCompany 00523376DVSA earned recognition | 65 | 0 | 1 | 0.6% |
| 30 | Johnson Bros (Tours) LtdCompany 02921086 | 63 | 0 | 1 | 0.6% |
| 31 | Gavin Murray LimitedCompany 00698935DVSA earned recognition | 61 | 0 | 1 | 0.5% |
| 32 | Als Coaches LtdCompany 05053885 | 58 | 0 | 1 | 0.5% |
| 33 | Reays Coaches LtdCompany 03910309 | 55 | 0 | 1 | 0.5% |
| 34 | Eric W.Bowers Coaches LimitedCompany 00548351 | 50 | 0 | 1 | 0.4% |
| 35 | Manchester Airport PLCCompany 01960988 | 45 | 0 | 1 | 0.4% |
| 36 | Andrews of Tideswell LtdCompany 01781097 | 40 | 0 | 1 | 0.4% |
| 37 | Moving People LtdCompany 05621834DVSA earned recognition | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 38 | Atlantic Travel GB LtdCompany 06460492 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 39 | Archway Travel LimitedCompany 08206115 | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 39 | Swans Travel LtdCompany 05098778 | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 41 | Hartley Travel LtdCompany 07019638 | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 41 | Huyton Travel LimitedCompany 01978539 | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 43 | Peoplesbus LimitedCompany 06522115 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 44 | Kirkby Lonsdale Coach Hire LimitedCompany 04561162 | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 45 | Andrew Wallbank LtdCompany 04805400 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 45 | Avacab LtdCompany 03793258 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 45 | Eavesway Travel LimitedCompany 03038028DVSA earned recognition | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 45 | Hats Group LtdCompany 03135655 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 45 | Hnh Transport LtdCompany 13987561 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 45 | Mountain Goat LtdCompany 02862284 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0.3% |
Biggest coach and bus operators in the UK (Great Britain), top 100
How we rank
From the DVSA operator licence file dated 7 October 2026. Each company is ranked by the vehicles authorised on its PSV operator licences issued in the North West of England traffic area. “Authorised” is the most vehicles the Traffic Commissioner allows the company to run, not a count of vehicles on the road on one day.
One row is one legal entity with its Companies House number. Companies in the same group are ranked separately. Public bodies, charities and other organisations are left out, and sole traders and partnerships are never ranked by name. Earned recognition is DVSA’s list; the Companies House status is shown when it is not “active”.
DVSA file 7 Oct 2026Source: DVSA operator licence data, file dated , read . We last checked DVSA for a newer file on 11 October 2026. How we read it
Company facts: Companies House register at . Contains Companies House data.Earned recognition: DVSA’s list updated .
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.