Go Ahead Group has appointed Ed Wills as the Managing Director for Go-Ahead’s new bus operation in Dublin.

Under contract to the National Transport Authority, Go-Ahead Dublin has started operating 24 routes in the Outer Dublin area. The routes run from a new bus depot in Ballymount and serve the suburban north and south side of the city. 125 buses and 350 drivers will provide the services.

Commenting on the announcement, David Brown, Chief Executive of Go Ahead Plc, said: “After eight years with Go South Coast, Ed brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Dublin operation. We have an excellent team bringing local knowledge and international expertise to support the Dublin NTA as it transforms the local transport landscape.”

Go-Ahead’s arrival in Dublin is part of a strategy to expand internationally. The company already operates bus services in Singapore and will shortly begin running trains in Germany. In its home market in Britain, Go-Ahead is the largest operator of buses in London and runs 8% of buses across the country, in addition to several rail franchises. More than a billion journeys take place on Go-Ahead’s public transport annually.