Arriva profits leap despite capital's roadworks chaos

Chief executive David Martin said the chaos on London's streets made it difficult to run a bus company but insisted business was good.

"In spite of continual roadworks across London, which makes it very difficult to run a consistent bus service, business is going well," he said.

"Our operations have performed well despite the ongoing disruptive impact of streetworks."

Arriva is one of the largest bus companies in London as well as the owner of The Original Tour sightseeing buses, which carry tourists around the capital.

It runs buses in other towns and cities around the country and in Europe and said profits in its UK Bus division jumped 20% to £45.5million in the first six months of the year.

It helped Arriva deliver a 40% rise in group pre-tax profits for the first half to £66.3million.

Revenues were up 59% to £1.44billion as the company benefited from price hikes on its buses and trains.

Particularly eye catching was the 10.3% surge in passengers on its intercity long-haul trains operation Cross Country, where an impressive - for Britain at least - 90.2% of trains ran on time. Cross Country runs services from Aberdeen to Penzance and Stansted to Cardiff.

"If you get the operational performance right, the revenues and passengers will follow," said Martin.

Arriva also runs trains in Wales and saw profits at its UK Trains operations leap from £1.1million to £14.8million in the first half.

Martin said that although rising fuel prices and the slowing economy would weigh on the transport industry, they also provided opportunities for growth as people struggling to make ends meet leave their cars at home, stop taking taxis, and jump on public transport.