The company responsible for public transport in Brighton and Hove has announced a big rise in profits.

The company made a pre-tax profit of £91.3 million in the 12 months to July 3, compared with £65.5 million a year ago. Total turnover rose 13 per cent to £1.2 billion.

Go-Ahead runs one in five of London's red buses, all the buses in Brighton and is responsible for the Southern and Thameslink train services.

The company said its new financial year had started well as more London motorists turn to public transport following the introduction of the congestion charge.

Chief executive Martin Ballinger, who steps down at the end of the year, said the group expected to maintain current growth rates as it bids for new franchises and pressure for more bus services in congested London grows.

He said: "We expect other franchises to be coming out and anything which has a London commuter smell to it is something which interests us."

In December last year its Southern train business won the right to continue running services from London to Sussex until the end of 2009.

It announced infrastructure improvements including a new link from Brighton to Ashford, enabling easier rail access to Eurostar routes, and the continuing £856 million investment in 700 new carriages to replace the old slam-door stock.

Monday September 20, 2004