TRANSPORT company Go-Ahead expanded its airports division yesterday with a £1.2m acquisition.

Go-Ahead boosted its car parking business at UK airports with the acquisition of Chauffered Parking Services (CPS).

It hopes the move will generate savings at its airport car parking operation Meteor.

CPS, which has an annual turnover of £2.2m, provides parking services such as car valeting and transfers to other airports.

The core business involves customers driving to the airport, where their car is parked for them by a chauffeur. The vehicle is then delivered to the terminal on their return.

Meteor - the third largest parking company in the UK - already manages 41,000 spaces at Heathrow, Stansted, Edinburgh and Southampton airports on behalf of BAA.

It also won an exclusive contract to provide parking services at Newcastle Airport.

The acquisition of CPS gives it a presence at Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham airports, as well as valet parking services at Heathrow.

Details of the deal emerged as CPS secured a five-year concession to provide services to all terminals at Heathrow.

The move will further strengthen Go-Ahead's position in the South-East transport market.

Meteor managing director Stephen Turner said his company had exceeded forecasts since becoming part of the Go-Ahead Group two years ago.

He said: "The acquisition of CPS brings Meteor to airports where it is not already represented.

"It also enables CPS to develop its business quickly in response to the requirements for quality, official valet parking at further airports."

Meteor also has an Internet-based pre-booking parking service and manages more than 6,000 spaces for organisations such as London Underground, local authorities, NHS trusts and hotels.

Go-Ahead operates rail franchises across the commuter belts in the South-East and bus services in London, Oxford, Newcastle, Brighton, Crawley and Bournemouth.

Its aviation division, aviance UK, carries out ground handling at 17 airports, including Gatwick.

Chief executive Martin Ballinger, who built the company up after buying the northern bus services when transport was privatised, will retire at the end of the year.