Editing Mobico Group (section)

===1990s===
Starting in early 1990s, National Express' financial performance began to deteriorate; this led to a new management team taking over the company in July 1991 which had the backing of [[ECI Partners]], a mid-market private equity firm. The new team refocused the group on its core activities, leading to the sale of Crosville Wales to [[British Bus]].<ref>{{cite web |archive-url = http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120119211207/http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1996/fulltext/392c3.pdf|archive-date=19 January 2012 |url = http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1996/fulltext/392c3.pdf |title = Competition Commission report 1996 |publisher = competition-commission.org.uk |page = paragraphs 3.5 to 3.7 |url-status = usurped|no-pp=yes}}</ref> During October 1991, it purchased Speedlink, an operator of coach services between [[Gatwick Airport|Gatwick]] and [[Heathrow Airport]]s.<ref name=MMC0294/> In December 1992, National Express Group plc was floated on the [[London Stock Exchange]].<ref name=history/>

In 1993, [[Scottish Citylink]], [[Eurolines]] and [[East Midlands Airport]] were acquired.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url = http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120119211207/http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1996/fulltext/392c3.pdf |archive-date=19 January 2012|url = http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1996/fulltext/392c3.pdf |title = Competition Commission report 1996 |publisher = competition-commission.org.uk |url-status = usurped |page = 31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.east-midlands-airport-guide.co.uk/history.html |title = History of East Midlands Airport |publisher = East Midlands Airport}}</ref> During April 1995, National Express purchased [[National Express West Midlands|West Midlands Travel]], the formerly council-owned bus network of [[Birmingham]] and the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]];<ref name=history/> it was rebranded [[National Express West Midlands|Travel West Midlands]] in September 1996. This move began the brand family of ''Travel ...'' local bus operations. [[Bournemouth Airport]] was acquired in April 1995.<ref>[http://www.bournemouthairport.com/bohweb.nsf/Content/OurHistory Bournemouth Airport History] Bournemouth Airport {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424212541/http://www.bournemouthairport.com/bohweb.nsf/Content/OurHistory |date=24 April 2011 }}</ref>

During April 1996, National Express commenced operating its first UK railway franchises, [[Gatwick Express]] and [[Midland Mainline (train operating company)|Midland Mainline]]. One year later, three other franchises were awarded, these being [[Silverlink]], [[Central Trains]] and [[ScotRail (National Express)|ScotRail]]. To comply with a [[Competition Commission|Monopolies & Mergers Commission]] ruling on it winning the [[ScotRail (brand)|ScotRail franchise]], National Express sold the [[Scottish Citylink]] operation to [[Metroline]] in August 1998.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.localgov.co.uk/index.cfm?method=news.detail&id=4286&printable=1&style=_blue |title = National Express told to sell Citylink |publisher = local.gov.uk |date = 29 May 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.metroline.co.uk/about-us/history.html |title = History of Metroline |publisher = Metroline}}</ref>

In February 1997, Taybus Public Transport was acquired and rebranded [[Xplore Dundee|Travel Dundee]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://locationminibus.fr/assets/content/travel-dundee-celebrating-10-years.jpg |title = Travel Dundee – celebrating 10 years |publisher = Travel Dundee |date = 23 February 2007 |access-date = 13 March 2019}}</ref>

During September 1998, Crabtree-Harmon, the seventh-largest student transportation bus company in the United States was acquired, with 82 school bus contracts mainly in [[Missouri]], but also in other Midwest states including [[Colorado]], [[Iowa]], [[Kansas]], [[Oklahoma]] and [[Utah]]. During February 1999, Robinson Bus Service was purchased; it was followed in August 1999 by [[Durham School Services|Durham Transportation]]. These acquisitions placed National Express as one of the top three United States school bus operators.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/national-express-buys-us-school-bus-firm-1113273.html |title = National Express buys US school bus firm |work = [[The Independent]] |date = 17 August 1999}}</ref>

In May 1999, National Express purchased Australia's largest private bus operator, [[National Bus Company (Australia)|National Bus Company]].<ref>{{cite web |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130125233434/http://www2.hemscott.com/scripts/AFXnewstory.dll/text?EPIC=NEX&SerialNumber=1142&NewsType=AFR&Indate=10/05/1999 |url-status = live |archive-date = 25 January 2013 |url = http://www2.hemscott.com/scripts/AFXnewstory.dll/text?EPIC=NEX&SerialNumber=1142&NewsType=AFR&Indate=10/05/1999 |title = Acquisition of Australian urban bus operator National Bus Company |publisher = National Express |date = 10 May 1999}}</ref> National Bus Company had bus operations in [[Brisbane]], [[Melbourne]] and [[Perth]], and also held a 57% shareholding in [[Westbus]], [[Sydney]]'s largest bus operator. Westbus also had a London coach operation.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.westbus.co.uk/our-coaches-history.php |title = Westbus UK: History |publisher = Westbus UK}}</ref> In August 1999, National Express was awarded the [[M-Train|M>Train]], [[M-Tram|M>Tram]] and [[V/Line#National Express|V/Line Passenger]] rail franchises in the Australian state of [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/national-express-group-awarded-three-franchises-to-operate-passenger-train-and-tram-services-in-melbourne-and-the-state-of-victoria-in-australia-156491325.html |title = National Express Group Awarded Three Franchises |publisher = National Express |date = June 1999}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/national-express-takes-root-in-melbourne.html |title = Nation Express takes root in Melbourne |publisher = [[Railway Gazette International]] |date = 1 October 2000}}</ref>