CTN operator Rippleglen is looking to capitalise on increasing commuter numbers by investing in more transit stores located in bus and train stations.

The Birmingham-based retailer currently has 165 stores, 11 of which are either bus or train station sites.

Rippleglen MD Mike Colley told The Grocer the company was looking to move further in this direction by adding three more transit stores this year and two or three more each year going forward.

The company has identified a number of sites and could begin development in the next few months.

"We are looking to move our outlets to where the public is moving," said Colley. "Changes in society at the moment will mean more and more people will use public transport such as rail and buses so we want to be there to cater for them."

The stores were designed for shoppers in a hurry, he said, with a focus on newspapers, soft drinks, snacks, treats and over-the-counter medicines.Availability of popular lines was key, while stores would also have room for free movement.

Rippleglen was also aiming to become a significant player in hospital c-stores, Colley said. It did not have any hospital sites at present but had appointed an agent to identify potential locations and formed a special team to drive the project forward.

The moves formed part of a wider strategy to become less reliant on traditional high street CTN-style stores and tobacco sales in general. Colley predicted that the combination of the workplace smoking ban and the raising of the legal age for buying tobacco from 16 to 18 could result in the volume of cigarette sales falling by up to 10%.

Evidence from Scotland and Ireland, where smoking bans were in place, would suggest that sales would bounce back but they would remain below current levels, he added.

Rippleglen operates four fascias, with those in ­stations trading under the Arden News brand.