Metroline was formed in 1989 as a subsidiary of the publicly owned London Buses Limited. This was a prelude to the deregulation of bus services in London and the eventual privatisation of the company. In the event, the plans for deregulation were shelved in 1993.

Key dates

October 1994 - Metroline privatised in the form of a management and employee buyout.

July 1997 - Metroline floats on the stock exchange. Metroline Travel becomes the bus operating subsidiary of Metroline plc.

August 1998 - the purchase of MTL London from MTL completed, almost doubling the size of the bus operation. Metroline plc purchases Scottish Citylink from National Express.

February 2000 - DelGro Corporation, a Singaporean based investment company focused on transport businesses,offers to purchase Metroline.

March 2000 - The sale of the company to Delgro confirmed.

January 2001 - Aerdart, a Dublin based bus company was formed making Metroline the first UK operator to enter the Irish bus market.

April 2003 - DelGro Corp merges with Comfort Group, forming ComfortDelGro.

August 2004 - Metroline announces the purchase of privately owned London bus operator, F E Thorpe and Sons Ltd

November 2004 - Metroline announces the purchase of E H Mundy Holdings Ltd which operates buses and coaches in London under Armchair Passenger Transport Company Ltd.