SINGAPORE - Go-Ahead Singapore's managing director Nigel Wood has left due to "personal reasons", said the bus operator in a statement to the media earlier this evening.

The company's spokesman said that this took place on Nov 4, and that Mr Wood has resumed his position with Go-Ahead London as its general manager.

The news comes just two months after the British-based company, the island's fourth bus operator, launched bus services here.

In September, Go-Ahead had turned to borrowing bus drivers from SBS Transit and SMRT Buses after it was hit by about 20 resignations due to its unpopular practice of driving multiple routes, called interlining.

Go-Ahead has since mid-October resumed running its own staff bus service .

Mr David Cutts, Go-Ahead Singapore's deputy chairman, is now running the company. He is being supported by a group of directors, said the company spokesman.

An announcement will be made regarding who will take on Mr Wood's vacated position, added the spokesman.

The company said that Mr Wood "laid the foundation of the business in Loyang and made a positive contribution throughout his tenure".

Its spokesman added that its ongoing recruitment of bus captains is "making good progress".

"The company is also operating a very high volume and standard of mileage," she said.

Last November, Go-Ahead - the biggest bus operator in London with a 25 per cent market share in the English capital, clinched a Government tender to run 25 bus routes in Pasir Ris and Punggol, called the Loyang package.

It put in a bid of $497.7 million for five years, meaning Go-Ahead will run the services for five years for that amount of money from the Government.