Arriva Group reaches agreement for purchase of its businesses in Denmark, Serbia and Poland

Credit: Arriva Group

Arriva Group has announced that it has entered into an agreement for the sale of its businesses in Denmark and Serbia, as well as its bus business in Poland to Mutares – an international financial investor – completing its strategy, launched in 2021, to focus on its core markets in the UK and mainland Europe.

The sale agreement includes the purchase of:

• The entire Danish business, including the bus, water bus and rail businesses, its franchise in the car-sharing company SHARE NOW and UCplus, a nationwide education centre
• The entire Serbian business, which is the second largest private operator of buses in the country
• The Polish bus business, which operates city-based public transport contracts in Warsaw, and regional services in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie and Pomorskie regions. The Polish rail business unit is not part of the transaction and will remain part of the Arriva Group portfolio.

The transaction is expected to be completed towards the end of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions, including, amongst others, approval by the Deutsche Bahn Supervisory Board and the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport, as well as antitrust clearance by the respective local authorities.

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Arriva Group CEO, Mike Cooper said: “With a focus on Europe and the company’s expertise in the industry, I believe Mutares is well placed to support the continued development of these businesses going forward. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone in these businesses for their contribution to Arriva and to the important role they have played, and will continue to play, in their local communities.   I look forward to seeing them thrive and prosper under a new owner.”

A decision to refocus the Arriva Group portfolio had been taken in 2020/21 following a strategic review of the business, carried out in partnership with Arriva’s shareholder Deutsche Bahn, and is part of the company’s  strategy to maintain a strong and competitive business for the long-term.