FirstGroup buys Aberdeen's Peace Coaches to grow Scottish fleet

What's the deal? FirstGroup has acquired J.D.Peace & Co Aberdeen, known as Peace Coaches, in a deal announced in October 2026. Terms were not disclosed. Peace Coaches runs a 20-vehicle fleet providing home-to-school transport, private hire, and cruise ship shore excursions.

What's the endgame? The acquisition folds Peace Coaches into First BusDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →-owned King Coaches, deepening FirstGroup's presence in Aberdeenshire. It forms part of the company's push to build a diversified UK and Ireland coach portfolio, now approaching 600 vehicles and more than 700 staff.

What changes for customers? Not much, at least initially. Existing services, contracts, and bookings continue as normal, with Neil Simpson, general manager of King Coaches, overseeing the business.

FirstGroup framed the deal as a logical extension of its regional footprint. "We already have a strong coach operation in Aberdeen through King Coaches, so bringing Peace Coaches into the business is a natural next step for us in the region," said Gareth Davies, managing director for coaching at First Bus.

He pointed to Peace Coaches' expertise across school transport, private hire, and cruise work as complementary to King Coaches. Simpson echoed the continuity message: "For customers, it will be very much business as usual, while over time we'll look at how the two businesses can work together."

The signal: The deal reflects steady consolidation in the UK coach market, as larger operators absorb established local firms to expand route density and service lines. For FirstGroup, picking up regional specialists is a low-risk way to scale a growing coach arm without building from scratch.

Read more: busandcoachbuyer.com

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