Citybus and New World First Bus merger plan approved by Executive Council

The Executive Council on Tuesday approved bus giant Bravo Transport to merge its subsidiaries Citybus and New World First Bus under one franchise, with the merger lasting for 10 years before a reapplication is necessary.  

The new franchise will be named Citybus Limited and will run from July next year until 2033.  

A government spokesperson noted in a statement that the merger will not result in any fare changes for existing routes.  

The statement pointed out that the two existing franchises’ service areas are largely overlapping, and the merger will “facilitate continuous improvement and rationalization of the franchised bus network on Hong Kong Island.”  

It added that the move will enable the bus company to deploy its resources more flexibly to enhance existing services or introduce new services and provide more comprehensive public transport ancillary facilities to keep up with the times.  

The owner of the two bus companies, Bravo Transport, said the merger will open a new chapter in the SAR’s public transport industry and will provide a bus network covering the whole of Hong Kong.  

Separately, the council also granted two new 10-year franchises to Long Win Bus Company Limited and Citybus Limited, both of which will begin upon the expiry of their current franchises on May 1, 2023, and run until May 1, 2033.