Editing Mobico Group (section)

===2000s===
During January 2000, National Express expanded into the American market by acquiring ATC, a public transportation operator.<ref>{{cite web |title=National Express Buys ATC |url=http://www.metro-magazine.com/management-operations/news/280050/national-express-buys-atc |access-date=25 May 2015}}</ref> In July 2000, [[Prism Rail]] was purchased, though which the [[c2c]], [[Wales & Borders]], [[Wessex Trains]] and [[West Anglia Great Northern]] franchises were added to National Express' portfolio.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/4458960/National-Express-buys-Prism-for-166m.html |title = National Express buys Prism for £166m |work = [[The Daily Telegraph]] |date = 19 July 2000}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.theguardian.com/business/2000/jul/19/5 |title = National Express buys Prism for £166m |work = [[The Guardian]] |date = 19 July 2000}}</ref>

In December 2002, National Express handed in its rail franchises in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], Australia, having been unable to renegotiate financial terms with the [[Government of Victoria|State Government]].<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2836793/National-Express-walks-out-of-Australian-rail-service.html |title = National Express walks out of Australian rail service |work = The Daily Telegraph |date = 17 December 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2894001/Nat-Express-pulls-back-Down-Under.html |title = Nat Express pull back Down Under |work = The Daily Telegraph |date = 3 September 2004}}</ref>

During February 2004, the London bus operations of [[Connex Bus UK|Connex]] were purchased and rebranded [[Travel London]].<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2878193/National-Express-buys-200-London-buses.html |title = National Express buys 200 London buses |work = The Daily Telegraph |date = 27 February 2004}}</ref> In April 2004, [[National Express East Anglia]] commenced operating the [[East Anglia franchise|Greater Anglia rail franchise]].<ref>{{cite web |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040104233341/http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/20031222_greater_anglia_preferred_bidder.tt2 |url-status = live |archive-date = 4 January 2004 |url = http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/20031222_greater_anglia_preferred_bidder.tt2 |title = National Express Group Announced as Preferred Bidder for New Greater Anglia Franchise |publisher = Strategic Rail Authority |date = 22 December 2003}}</ref> In September 2004, National Express sold its [[Melbourne]] bus operations to [[Ventura Bus Lines]], and [[Brisbane]] and [[Perth]] bus operations to [[Veolia Transport|Connex]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/09/03/1093939139187.html?from=storylhs |title = National Express sells buses |publisher = [[The Age]] |date = 22 September 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.finance.veolia.com/press-release-118.html |title = Connex pursues further development in Australia |publisher = Connex |date = 7 September 2004}}</ref> After being placed in administration in January 2005, Westbus was sold to [[ComfortDelGro Australia|ComfortDelGro Cabcharge]] in August 2005.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/new-westbus-owners-guarantee-jobs-services/2005/08/22/1124562790165.html |title = New Westbus owners guarantee jobs, services |work = [[Sydney Morning Herald]] |date = 22 August 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.cdcbus.com.au/Company-Profile.html |title = ComfortDelGro Cabcharge: company profile |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413022815/http://www.cdcbus.com.au/Company-Profile.html |archive-date=13 April 2015 |publisher = ComfortDelGro Cabcharge}}</ref>

In June 2005, the London bus arm of [[Tellings-Golden Miller]] was purchased by National Express, after which it was rebranded as Travel London.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.investegate.co.uk/article.aspx?id=200506010715009779M |title = National Express Group purchases the London Bus Division of Tellings Golden Miller |publisher = National Express |date = 1 June 2005}}</ref> During July 2005, National Express sold ATC to Connex.<ref>{{cite web |title=Connex, transportation division of Veolia Environnement, announces major acquisition |url=http://www.finance.veolia.com/press-release-53.html |access-date=25 May 2015}}</ref> In October 2005, the company agreed to buy most of the operations of privately owned Spanish transport operator [[ALSA (bus company)|ALSA]], which operates bus and coach services in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, and long-distance coach services to other parts of Europe. Alsa's operations in South America and China were retained by the previous owners.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4329540.stm |title = National Express in Spanish Deal |work = [[BBC News]] |date = 11 October 2005}}</ref>

In April 2007, National Express acquired Continental Auto, the second-largest bus and coach operator in Spain.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.nationalexpressgroup.com/media/corporatenews.aspx?newsyear=2007&newsitem=89 |title = National Express acquires Continental Auto |publisher = National Express |date = 27 April 2007}}</ref>

[[File:Dot2dot 1018.JPG|thumb|[[Dot2Dot]] [[Volkswagen]] in [[London]] in April 2008]]
During November 2007, South East England coach operator [[The Kings Ferry]] was purchased<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.nationalexpressgroup.com/media/corporatenews.aspx?newsyear=2007&newsitem=12 |title = The Group buys Kings Ferry Travel Group |publisher = National Express |date = 12 November 2007}}</ref> and an airport to hotel shuttle service in London branded [[Dot2Dot]] was launched.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.nationalexpressgroup.com/media/corporatenews.aspx?newsyear=2007&newsitem=68 |title = Launch of dot2dot |publisher = National Express |date = 12 November 2007}}</ref> Dot2Dot did not prove to be commercially viable and thus ceased operations in November 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=2157&categoryid=0 |title = National Express gives up on Dot2Dot |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120820010045/http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=2157&categoryid=0 |archive-date=20 August 2012 |publisher = Bus & Coach Professional |date = 3 November 2008}}</ref>

In November 2007, National Express announced plans to re-brand all of their operations under a new unified National Express identity. It was intended to achieve greater recognition for all the group companies, to coincide with recent acquisitions and after current rail operations had improved in reliability to warrant association with the established express coach image. It coincided with the appointment of a group director for all UK operations and relocation of the head office from [[London]] to [[Birmingham]], bringing all operations under a single strategic management structure. Day-to-day management remained within individual companies.<ref>{{cite news|last=Jameson |first=Angela |date=12 November 2007 |title=Army of franchises gets new uniform |work=The Times |location=London |url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article2852541.ece |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612032222/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article2852541.ece |archive-date=12 June 2011 |access-date=14 September 2023}}</ref>

During February 2007, the Department for Transport announced that National Express, along with [[Arriva]], [[FirstGroup|First]], and [[Virgin Rail Group]], had been shortlisted to lodge bids for the [[InterCity East Coast]] franchise.<ref>{{cite news |title=Four in East Coast rail shortlist |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6378159.stm |date=20 February 2007 |work=BBC News Online |access-date=18 October 2012 |archive-date=22 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070222081041/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6378159.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> In August 2007, the Department for Transport awarded the Intercity East Coast franchise to National Express, leading to the creation of National Express East Coast (NXEC) shortly thereafter.<ref>{{cite press release |url= http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchises/icecf1/nxecawardedcontract |publisher=[[Department for Transport]] |title=National Express awarded contract for growth on InterCity East Coast |access-date=14 August 2007 |date=14 August 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071219165508/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchises/icecf1/nxecawardedcontract |archive-date = 19 December 2007}}</ref><ref name="BBC6945367">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6945367.stm |title=National Express wins rail route |date=14 August 2007 |access-date=1 July 2009 |work=BBC News Online |archive-date=22 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222000026/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6945367.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> Under the terms of its franchise agreement, National Express committed to paying a £1.4-billion premium to the Department of Transport over a time span of seven years and four months. However, numerous rail analysts promptly voiced concerns that the company had paid too much for the franchise, and had effectively repeated GNER's mistake in order to secure the franchise.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://adamsmith.org/blog/transport/on-the-buses-200909044062/ |title=On the buses |first=Nigel |last=Hawkins |publisher=Adam Smith Institute |date=4 September 2009 |access-date=18 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805170748/http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/transport/on-the-buses-200909044062 |archive-date=5 August 2012}}</ref><ref name = "grail rail2015">{{cite magazine |url = https://www.railmagazine.com/operations/franchises/from-poisoned-chalice-to-holy-grail |title = From poisoned chalice to Holy Grail? |date = 7 January 2015 |magazine=Rail }}</ref> On 9 December 2007, [[National Express East Coast]] commenced operations, taking over from [[Great North Eastern Railway]].<ref name = "bbc dec2007">{{cite web |url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/content/articles/2007/12/06/gner_national_express_rebrand_feature.shtml |title = The loco's new clothes |work= BBC News |publisher = BBC |date = 6 December 2007}}</ref>

In May 2009, National Express sold Travel London and [[Travel Surrey]] to [[Abellio (transport company)|Abellio]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.nationalexpressgroup.com/media/corporatenews.aspx?newsyear=2009&newsitem=43 |title = National Express Group plc agreement to sell Travel London |publisher = National Express |date = 21 May 2009}}</ref>