Purchase of Own Securities

FirstGroup PLC
18 December 2001

18 December 2001

                                FirstGroup plc


             Buyback of 121,694 ordinary shares for cancellation

FirstGroup announces that on 18 December 2001 it purchased for cancellation
100,000 ordinary shares of 5p each at a price of 265p per share and a further
21,694 ordinary shares of 5p each at a price of 264p per share.

Since FirstGroup started to buyback its ordinary shares on 16 November 2001 it
has repurchased for cancellation a total of 1,121,694 ordinary shares leaving
420,009,253 ordinary shares in issue.