SA bus operator lands $80 million UK contract
South Australian tourism and transit firm Kelsian has landed a major international contract, with its UK arm poised for further growth.
Adelaide-based global transport firm Kelsian Group has increased its international footprint after winning a bus franchising contract in the UK worth a potential $80 million dollars.
Kelsian CEO Graeme Legh said the growing international arm was a positive sign for the company, which ranks in the Top 20 of InDaily’s South Australian Business Index.
The city of Liverpool awarded the key bus franchising contract to Kelsian through its UK-based subsidiaries Tower Transit and Huyten Travel Limited.
Legh, who rose to his position in April 2025, said the UK represented “a compelling long-term growth opportunity, and this milestone establishes a strong foundation for further expansion”.
“The transition to franchised bus networks across regional UK is reshaping the market at scale, and we are well positioned to participate in that evolution,” he said.
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Kelsian Group is the owner of the largest bus operator in Australia, Transit Systems, which runs transport networks across Australia, including Torrens Transit and SeaLink in South Australia, employing around 1599 people across the state.
Globally, it owns transport networks in the UK, Singapore, the Channel Islands and America. In FY25, the company generated an estimated $2.2 billion dollars.
The contract was awarded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and will work under the same transport model that the Kelsian Group operates internationally. Commencing in 2027, it involves the operation and maintenance of a fleet of 72 buses across the region, operating from two leased bus depots.
In an announcement to shareholders, Kelsian’s UK Managing Director Samuel Ribeiro said the contract demonstrates trust and confidence.
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“We are pleased to have been awarded these contracts in Liverpool, which reflect the confidence in our ability to deliver reliable and safe transport solutions,” he said.
“We look forward to working in close partnership with the LCRCA to provide a high‑quality service for the communities of the Liverpool City Region.”
Ribeiro also mentioned the impacts of the current fuel crisis and how that would be managed under the contract.
“Similarly to Kelsian’s other public transport contracts around the globe, the LCRCA contracts include revenue indexation mechanisms, which protect the business from fluctuations in the cost base of our key cost inputs, including diesel fuel,” he said.
Graeme Legh was confident about Kesian’s continued prospects in regional UK and beyond.
He said, “Securing this contract under the Liverpool franchising model is a strong endorsement of Kelsian’s capability to operate in complex, regulated markets and reflects the depth of experience we have built across our international portfolio. We remain focused on partnering with governments and transport authorities to deliver reliable, safe and efficient services for communities, while driving sustainable, long-term value for our shareholders.”
Shares in Kelsian are up 1.51 per cent to $4.04 in morning trade today.
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