Stagecoach in cartel inquiry

STAGECOACH, the transport group, was yesterday referred to the Restrictive Practices Court over its involvement in an alleged school bus cartel.

The Office of Fair Trading called on the Court to prohibit a market-sharing and price-fixing agreement made between May and July 1997, covering the school bus run in Kingston-upon-Hull, in North-east England, allegedly involving 13 operators including Stagecoach's Cleveland Transit.

Stagecoach said: "Stagecoach is not aware that it has had any involvement in price-fixing in Hull." It said it would co-operate with any inquiry.