Snow drives Britons to ditch cars and travel on buses, says Go-Ahead

By Graham Ruddick, City Reporter Published: 5:30PM GMT twenty-five February 2010

Go-Ahead Group

Keith Ludeman, arch executive, pronounced people had been catching the train to get to work since their cars were snowed in and roads were treacherous.

"Its the normal English impression of a Dunkirk suggestion prevailing," he explained.

Snow: heaviest layer in twenty years - ultimate ride headlines Snow: Latest headlines on intrusion to Britains ride network Go Aheads not costly but the shares are doubtful to go anywhere fast UK set for hottest day of the year Snow brings ride disharmony as Government urged to take movement over courage necessity

Go-Ahead carries around 1.6m train passengers each day and has some-more than 20pc of the London market. The association additionally runs the Southern, Southeastern and London Midland rail franchises, that Mr Ludeman says were disrupted by the snow, nonetheless Network Rail paid an undisclosed price to recompense for lines being unusable. The altogether outcome of the sleet is thus approaching to be "limited".

Mr Ludeman done the comments as Go-Ahead posted declines in enlarge and revenues for the second half of 2009, essentially since of a rebate of �113m in the subsidies paid by the Department for Transport for the rail franchises.

With first-half revenues down 4.5pc to �1.1bn, pre-tax enlarge fell from �40.3m to �12m. The association will compensate a 51p halt division 51p on Apr 1.

The tumble was notwithstanding like-for-like newcomer income augmenting 7.6pc on rail and 5pc in bus. Mr Ludeman pronounced the association was saying the presentation of "fragile immature shoots" , with an enlarge in optional trips being highlighted by expansion in the Gatwick Express rail use and Oxford train trips.

However, Sir Patrick Brown, chairman, said: "We sojourn discreet on the opinion for the UK economy and will go on to take government movement accordingly."