Go Ahead Group

Type	Public
Traded as	:
Industry	Public transport
Founded	1987
Headquarters	Newcastle upon Tyne
Area served	Germany Singapore United Kingdom
Key people	Andrew Allner (Chairman) David Brown (CEO)
Products	Bus and rail services
Revenue	£3,215.2 million (June 2015)
Operating income	£96.8 million (June 2015)
Net income	£59.3 million (June 2015)
Number of employees	26,160 (June 2015)
Website	www.go-ahead.com

The Go-Ahead Group plc is a provider of passenger transport in the UK, with over one billion journeys made on its bus and trains services each year. It is a FTSE 250 Index group listed on the .

The Go-Ahead Group plc began as Go-Ahead Northern Limited in February 1987 on the privatisation of the National Bus Company, when a partial management buyout led by Martin Ballinger and Chris Moyes purchased its Gateshead-based northern division, known as the Northern General Transport Company.

Early expansion saw the acquisition of certain smaller competing bus operators in North East England (principally Gypsy Queen in 1989 and Low Fell Coaches in June 1992). Go-Ahead Northern Ltd also became a National Express sub-contractor operating services to the Midlands, North East, North West and South West England. At the same time, Go-Ahead Leisure purchased a number of pubs, which were sold in February 1996.

Despite bidding for a number of other larger bus operators in the intervening period, Go-Ahead's first major acquisition was Brighton & Hove in November 1993, followed by the Oxford Bus Company and Wycombe Bus Company in March 1994. In May 1997 the Brighton & Hove operation expanded with the acquisition of the former municipal operator Brighton Transport. In September 1999 Metrobus, a large operator operating in London, Surrey and Sussex was acquired.

Initially an unlisted public company owned 90% by management, in May 1994 Go-Ahead was floated on the . In October 1994 Go-Ahead purchased London Central during the privatisation of London Buses.