One of Scotland's largest bus companies has been urged to reduce fares for passengers in the wake of bridge tolls in Tayside and Fife being scrapped next week.

By Martin Flanagan PERTH-BASED Stagecoach is pumping more than GBP 70 million into a major expansion of its bus fleet on the back of a strong performance from the transport group's bus division in the first half of its financial year.

By VAN DEN BERGH, Roeland BRITISH transport entrepreneur Brian Souter has re-entered the Wellington bus business, with Souter Holdings buying Mana Coach Services from merchant bank Bancorp. The price has not been revealed.

By TIM SHARP BUSINESS DIARY THE departure of Martin Currie's head of communications, Ross Leckie, to concentrate on his burgeoning film career leaves a unique hole in the ranks of fund management PR.

By TIM SHARP STAGECOACH chief executive Brian Souter urged the bus industry to demand environmentally-friendly engines from manufacturers on the day as he unveiled an order for 584 diesel buses. Souter is convinced that environmental concerns are a major driver for future demand.