GHA Coaches in administration following winding-up petition from HMRC

A coach company which operated services in Shropshire entered administration yesterday after receiving a winding-up petition from HMRC for unpaid taxes.

The Ruabon-based operator, which has a depot in the Castle Foregate area of Shrewsbury, went into administration after it failed to secure an emergency funding package following the winding-up petition.

Workers found out the company has entered administration yesterday by text message. Today they met with administrators from Grant Thornton UK LLP to be officially told were being made redundant.

GHA Coaches was one of the largest independently owned bus and coach operators in the UK operating 230 vehicles from six depots and employed 320 people.

They operated several services in Shrewsbury and Shropshire after winning contracts from Shropshire Council. In recent weeks the company had come under criticism regarding the reliability of bus services it operates in the county. Last week the operator made a public apology for the ‘poor level of service’ it had provided.

Shropshire Council said they were informed on Wednesday evening that GHA Coaches entered into administration with immediate effect.

Arriva has stepped in to run some of the services affected:

- 436 Bridgnorth to Shrewsbury
- 576 Oswestry to Shrewsbury
- 96 Telford to Shrewsbury
- 511 Whitchurch to Shrewsbury

Lakeside Coaches will operate the service BA1028 – Kinton to Corbet School with Caradoc Coaches operating the MW1057 – Cound to William Brookes School.

Local Bus Service not operating
- 101 Bridgnorth Town service
- 205 Whitchurch Town Service

Special Education school transport not operating
- X11574 Harlescott/Castlefields to Severndale School
- X11471 Shrewsbury (Coton Hill) to Severndale School
- X11603 Whitchurch to Severndale School

Shropshire Council say they will look at potential alternative arrangements for affected services as soon as possible.