Beverley Bell on drink Buses in crisis say and drive risks p4 campaigners p6
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Wednesday December 18, 2013 Issue 1118 | £2.95 www.coachandbusweek.com
FOCUS ON
Riding East Yorkshire We visit EYMS p16 and interview Peter Shipp and his top team
MINIBUS The essential read
tors for Minibus Opera
Inadequate funding – a road to ruin?
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stories notice two key eader will undoubted potential news pages show support in this issue’s all transport authority Transport withdrawal of Special Needs for West Midlands Scottish Government is the y transport (WMSNT) while to aid communit to funding of £1m could be close providing grant effect on WMSNT The necessary Scotland. in socially especially for a catastrophic – even an ef�icient �ills in the gaps service which
December 2013
INSIDE...
this week MINIBUS
In Scotland it seek to address. the system cannot spur activity from local public transport allocation is designed to link for funding some sort of transport seems like the in a bid to maintain ies. With the larger operators community sector dwindles the and isolated communit many of its small rural services as support fundingy minibus once or from than a communit backing away be nothing more for people who need shopping only lifeline may is bad enough as a chocolate use which – much but as twice a week any appointments attend. While or to attend medicalin education or with a job to and very ies is desirable teapot to anyone communit y for rural form of support if, long term, communit for have to wonder as customer demand welcome, you will run into trouble for. Such operations organisations services are called to run under Section have more and regular with this would grow to the emerging to cope and potentially they could begin to full time staff and 22 at the minimum incur. It need to employ point where they commercial operators currently vicious circle. face the overheads promoting another seems like it’s Martin Cole MINIBUS
December 18,
Editor
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BUS WEEK MINIBUS
The day we went to Van p8 Hool with Mid Anglian ops
Stagecoach still achieving organic p10 growth both in the UK and abroad
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Here’s to 2014
I
t’s the season of goodwill – or so we’re told. I’m pleased to say several of you have been practising just that. In this week’s issue (p8) you will �ind a a story about G-Line Holidays giving its support to a charitable toy collection organised by the local radio station – in addition to taking part in a fair celebrating the lights at a local village being switched on. As one of those involved rightly told me when I spoke to her, “It’s great PR” and perhaps most importantly, a lot of laughs were had. Please do not be afraid to tell me about you coaching news – such as getting a news coach, new work, Uncle Fred’s retirement etc. All you have to do is drop me an email or pick up the phone. I can write a story and run it past you before it goes to print. I’m a �irm believer in highlighting best practice – and it’s great to be able to share ‘nice stories’ with you. On a separate note, I’ve heard whispers about coaches being broken into at a particular part of town at a popular resort. I shall refrain from naming names at this stage as I’ve not had the chance to do my homework but I would be most interested to hear your experiences. Please do drop me a line and perhaps together we can crack it, to paraphrase the crime advert from some years ago. With this issue being the last one
CONTENTS
for Minibus Operat ors
Inadequate funding – a road to ruin?
R
eaders will undoubted notice two in this issue’s news pages show key stories potential withdrawal of all transport authority for West Midlands support (WMSNT) while Special Needs Transport the Scottish Government providing grant funding of £1m is to aid community in Scotland. The effect on WMSNT transport catastrophic – could be close especially for a socially necessary to service which �ills in the gaps even an ef�icient
December 2013
local public transport system cannot seems like the seek to address. funding allocation In Scotland it community sector is designed to spur activity from many of its small in a bid to maintain some sort the of transport link and isolated communities backing away for . With the from only lifeline may rural services as support funding larger operators be nothing more twice a week – than a community dwindles the which minibus once or to attend medical is bad enough for people who need shopping or teapot to anyone appointments but as much use in education or as with a job to attend.a chocolate form of support for rural communities While any welcome, you is desirable and have to wonder very if, long organisations will run into trouble term, community more and regular as services are called customer demand for emerging to cope with this would for. Such operations 22 at the minimum have to run under Section point where they and potentially they could grow to the need to employ face the overheads full time commercial operators staff and begin to seems like it’s currently incur. promoting another It vicious circle. Martin Cole MINIBUS
Editor
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we will produce in 2013, my colleagues and I would like thank you all for your support this year and look forward to 2014. Yes, shock horror, we’re having a holiday (or at least members of the Editorial team are). We will be back at our desks early in the new year – although I shall be keeping an eye on my work emails as that’s just me being me. Anyway, we would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. ...And to those of you who speak to my mother tongue (Welsh), I would like to say ‘Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda.’ As this issue was about to go to the printer, VDL informed us that the last of an iconic coach had been delivered to a customers – the Bova Futura Classic. With their bulbous front ends, I know they were not everyone’s cup of tea but they were certainly distinctive. The Futura is up there with the Van Hool T8 – an enduring classic – & the legend lives on with the New Futura. Put simply, change the headlights, slap an Irish registration plate on the old one, with a decent paint job, and hey presto you’ve got a great looking workhorse. Gareth Evans Editor
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The latest from across the coach and bus industry at home & abroad
10
Gareth Evans talks to Peter Shipp, EYMS Group Chairman
Financial reports from Stagecoach Group and Go-Ahead Group
News
The essential read
this week...
THIS WEEK Coach & Bus Week, First Floor, 3 The Office Village, Cygnet Park, Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX
MINIBUS
36
Face to Face
Big Picture
24
An EYMS mini-Pointer Dart at a railway crossing in Beverley
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Derek Bradley, EYMS; Chief Engineer talks to Martin Cole
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A compilation of the EYMS fleet and its distribution around nine depots
What’s happening across the country’s regions. Plus Events Diary
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Training Manager Darren Kendrew talks to James Day
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A lighthearted look at the industry, plus Office Diary column
An oversight of the current EYMS operation and its origins
Gareth Evans talks to Bob Rackley EYMS Commercial Manager
All the latest people moves from across the industry
Financial News Regional News
EYMS: introduction
EYMS Engineering
EYMS Fleet
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EYMS Training
EYMS Commercial
Last Stop
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NEWS B R I E F LY l THE NEXT ISSUE OF CBW is on sale on January 8, 2014. From all of us at Coach & Bus Week, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. l THE OFFICE OF THE TRAFFIC COMMISSIONER and Central Licensing Office will be closed at certain times over the holiday period. Both close at 1400hrs on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, remaining closed on December 27. All offices operate a normal service up to and including December 23, 2013. The VOSA Customer Service Centre also closes at the same time on Christmas Eve, though it is open on December 27 from 0730 until 1600hrs. Operators should note that online services, including self service functions and O-licence search facilities, are available over the holiday period, although licence discs will not be issued while the Central Licensing Office is closed. l A TOTAL OF 17 PEOPLE have been charged over ‘cash for crash’ fraud involving buses. The crashes took place in and around Chester between 2010 and 2012 when more than 215 people claimed they had suffered ‘whip lash’ on seven different bus collisions. All the men and women have been bailed with the majority appearing at Manchester Magistrates Court on December 19 and others on December 20. l LONDON GENERAL’S two BYD (Build Your Dreams) eBus electric buses are expected to enter service on central London routes 507 and 521 this week. BYD claims that an eBus is able to run 155 miles on a single charge in urban conditions. Energy consumption is less than 100kWh per 60 miles. l LYE-BASED PROSPECT COACHES has teamed up with Halesowen College students to help brighten the lives of vulnerable people with the creation of a planting display at the Hope Centre, Andrew Road. The coach operator donated £75 to buy the plants. College course leader Hazel Hodgson said: “The students have very much enjoyed doing the planting and thanks to Prospect Coaches for their kind donation.”
Senior TC calls for better drink & drugs management Risk management should be an “urgent priority” for operators The Senior Traffic Commissioner for Great Britain, Beverley Bell, has issued a reminder to operator licence holders about the importance of managing the risks around drink and drug driving. Mrs Bell, who is also the Traffic Commissioner (TC) for the North West of England, told an audience of industry professionals the matter should be an “urgent priority” for every licence holder. She also warned PCV and HGV drivers about their conduct and the standards they must uphold to prove they are fit to hold vocational driving entitlements. Mrs Bell told O-licence holders it was critical to have an occupational road risk policy in place. This would help them to manage the risks around drink and drug driving, she added, and to make those procedures absolutely clear to all employees, but especially drivers. She also called on drivers to remember their professional responsibilities when they get into a commercial vehicle. “TCs are clear about the professional standards we expect to see from drivers – it is not appropriate for any driver to be under the influence of drink or drugs while operating a large goods vehicle, bus or coach. “Operators play a key role in this and need to have an occupational road risk policy in place to deal
with instances where drink or drug driving is identified. “It is critical for O-licence holders to ensure that drivers are aware of the professional standards and the operator’s policy. O-licence holders should also plan for the risk of a driver failing to uphold those standards.” Mrs Bell added that it was timely to remind drivers of the impact of any reported offences on their vocational licences. “A key part of our role is to examine whether a driver remains fit to hold a licence after being convicted of an offence or reported for adverse conduct. “Any driver who is reported for
drink or drug driving will put their vocational driving licence at risk. Drivers need to be aware that this is not limited to the court’s power of disqualification. “Where a professional driver is disqualified by a court, they have to reapply for their vocational licence if they want to drive professionally again. This application will be considered by their local TC. TCs have the power to suspend, revoke and disqualify professional drivers.” Mrs Bell reminded operators it is best practice to randomly test drivers and pointed to increased enforcement by the police over the Christmas period.”
claimed money after doing work for the Welsh government and the council – which included hometo-school transport and Bws Bro, a community bus service between Llandudno Junction and Denbigh. In total, £33,866 was over-claimed from the Welsh government, and £20,844 from Conwy Council. Conwy Council began an inquiry into over-payments in September 2012 after it discovered “serious misgivings” about the way the charity was run. A joint audit report on CCT commissioned by the local authority and the Community Transport Association Wales, found a number of serious
misgivings in the organisation, both financial and governancerelated. An audit report said: “The investigation has identified that the CCT manager has overseen the submission of false claims for the Cerrigydrudion to Llanrwst on-demand service. Following a period of suspension, the individual has been dismissed. “Diary evidence indicates that this service has not operated since November 2009 but invoices have been submitted on a monthly basis for this service to Conwy council up until March 2012. The total repayment due has been calculated at £10,184.”
Conwy Community Transport shuts down A North Wales community transport operation which has been mired in controversy for wrongly claiming funds from the local authority and Welsh Government ceased all operations on Friday (December 13). Last month it was revealed in an audit report to Conwy Council that more than £19,000 had been claimed by Conwy Community Transport (CCT) for a route which had stopped two years previously, and for billing twice for another one. The investigation into the Llandudno Junction-based charity began in September 2012, when it was discovered CCT had over-
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Beverley Bell: “TCs are clear about the professional standards we expect.”
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Voith – the capital gearbox choice Automatic gearboxes manufactured by Voith Turbo are now installed in buses operating in the capital cities of England, Scotland and Wales. Cardiff Bus is the latest bus operator to choose Voith gearboxes for 10 new ADL Enviro 200s which came into service in the Cardiff and Vale area in the last couple of weeks. Voith gearboxes have been used in London and Edinburgh buses for some years. Gareth Mole, Cardiff Bus Engineering Director, said: “We decided it was sensible to consider what transmissions other bus operators were using, and what was being recommended. We talked to manufacturers and operators, listening to what they were saying, and it was clear that some were changing their purchasing strategies. Considering this, and looking closely at wholelife costs rather than just the purchase price, we felt the right way forward in the long-term was
Cardiff Bus is the latest operator to install Voith gearboxes to adopt the same approach.” John Domigan, Voith Turbo’s Sales and Marketing Manager, said: “Excellent results from independent fuel trials in recent months have been a major factor in winning new business in the UK this year. “There is a growing awareness that our fuel consumption results, coupled with our reputation for reliability and longevity, play a crucial part in keeping operator
OBITUARY
costs to a minimum over the lifecycle of buses.” In January Voith Turbo disclosed it will now be supplying all three UK bus manufacturers following an order from Optare. The fourspeed DIWA 824.5 is being �itted to SlimLine Solos at the speci�ic request of Stagecoach. In April National Express selected Voith Turbo’s four-speed automatic gearboxes for the �irst time. And in July Voith Turbo announced it had won a contract from Wrightbus for the DIWA 854.5 automatic gearbox for 179 Streetlite midibuses for FirstGroup. Voith’s DIWA system comes from Differential Wandler – German for differential torque converter which incorporates a retarder. The DIWA’s �irst gear replaces the �irst two gears on a conventional automatic transmission cutting fuel consumption. It also reduces gear shifts at lower speeds giving a more comfortable ride for passengers.
VINCENT MCKENNA It is with great sadness that we have to report the sudden death of Vincent McKenna, Chairman and founder of McKenna Brothers, on Tuesday, December 10, 2013, aged 62. All our thoughts at CBW are with his friends, family and colleagues at this very sad time. Vincent’s funeral will be held on Thursday, December 19 at St Aidans Church, Sudden Castleton, Rochdale at 1300hrs.
FirstGroup rejects investor call to leave United States FirstGroup has rejected a call by a major investor to retreat from the United States in order to focus on its UK operations. New York-based Sandell Asset Management, which holds a 3.1% stake in the UK-listed company, wants FirstGroup to of�load its US inter-city bus service Greyhound and spin off the rest of its North
American arm, which includes school bus services for six million students. It believes the changes would strengthen the group’s balance sheet and better prepare the company for the upcoming round of UK rail franchise bids, as well as enabling it to invest in the turnaround of its UK bus arm. But FirstGroup said the
proposals were ‘not compelling and containing structural �laws.’ The group said it remained committed to existing plans announced in May under which it will pour £1.6bn into a four-year investment programme and tackle debts of nearly £2bn. FirstGroup shares rose 3% after Sandell said it would lobby
other shareholders to support proposals. Chief executive Tom Sandell said: “Our established track record in company analysis and our sector expertise tells us that FirstGroup can turn around its historic poor performance by focusing on its UK rail and bus businesses.”
Sandell Asset Management called for First to offload its US inter-city Greyhound bus service.
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NEWS › BUSES
‘Buses in Crisis,’ says Campaign for Better Transport Report highlights a net reduction of £10m in funding, a 3.6% spending cut The Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) has released its third consecutive report looking into supported bus provision across England, with the foreboding title ‘Buses in Crisis.’ The key finding of the research was that £17.5m has been cut from local authority budgets for supported bus services in England, which when combined with a £7.5m increase in spending by some local authorities meant the net reduction in funding was £10m in 2013-2014. The figure represents a 3.6% cut in spending overall. Almost half (46%) of local authorities have cut spending on supported services, while 36% have removed some services entirely. A total of 147 services have been withdrawn across the country. The CBT said the context of the report is one of severe bus cuts and the continued managed
decline of funding for supported bus services, claiming there could be even worse to come next year, with many areas, urban as well as rural, consulting on drastic cuts in funding and services. “As we have said, buses tend to be treated as a local issue, left to local authorities,” the report said. “But the trends we have found matter nationally and the governments in London and Cardiff should be concerned – further cuts in bus funding and services will undermine core Government policies to promote growth, reduce unemployment and tackle welfare dependency. “As our research has shown, if bus services continue to be cut many people currently unemployed will simply be unable to access jobs, education or training, and many older people will suffer social isolation. “This suggests a new approach is needed to support buses and local public transport.” The CBT made a number of suggestions. These included a focus on access, with any bus policy
needing to take as its starting point the importance of access to key facilities and services, pooled and ring-fenced funding, with funding for minimum standards of access to employment areas and key facilities and services paid for by pooling funding from across government, especially from the government departments which most benefit from having good bus services, and a long term investment plan – having a five year investment plan for buses which would give the industry and local authorities certainty and help plan investment in vehicles and infrastructure. The report concluded: “This new approach would need to be linked to a long term vision for public transport, which will be crucial in securing services for the many people who rely upon them every day. The Government should recognise the importance of buses and look at ways to fund them properly, so as to avoid the problems we have identified and keep the country moving.”
313
Number of vehicles in the EYMS fleet
Southern Vectis backs drink & drug drive campaign NCT predicts
Southern Vectis has backed a police Drink Drive campaign following a request from the family of Evey Staley who tragically died aged 10 in a car accident caused by a drunk and drugged driver. One of their double deck buses has the rear designed with the message Remember Evey and the purple ribbon logo adopted by police in tribute to the youngster. Matt Kitchin, General Manager at Southern Vectis said: “We felt compelled to support the campaign. Not only will we keep the Remember Evey message on the bus but we will carry the Police’s drink drive posters on at least 20 of our fleet. “We are also planning a purple day, in memory of Evey, when they will work with the police to further highlight the campaign. Our Drivers will wear purple ribbons and clothing and police officers will speak to customers about the consequences of drink and drug driving.” Alan Staley, Evey’s Uncle, said he was grateful and impressed with the support from Southern Vectis.
improvements after works
(Front l-r); Bethany Staley (cousin), Hayley Staley (aunt), Alan Staley (uncle), Ann Staley (grandmother) and Ellie Staley (sister). Back row (l-r): Matt Kitchin of Southern Vectis, Ian Yeo of the ambulance service Sgt Dave Sanderson of Roads Policing unit.
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The Aspley Lane junction is set to re-open tomorrow, following improvement works which began in July this year. Nottingham City Transport is predicting significant benefits to customers on its popular Turquoise Line 77 as a result of the road changes, and has commended Nottingham City Council for the smoothrunning of the whole operation. “This is a very busy area of the city and at peak times it used to be particularly difficult for our buses to pull out and manoeuvre around the roundabout,” explained NCT Marketing Manager, Anthony Carver-Smith. “The original roundabout has now been replaced by a signalled junction, enabling our Turquoise Line 77 buses to cross it in a much easier.” www.coachandbusweek.com
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98.1%
The first time pass rate for MoTs at EYMS year-to-date
1987
The year in which EYMS was privatised following a management buyout
SHARE WATCH
Rural services are increasingly under threat from cuts
Industry share prices at the close of the Stock Exchange on Monday, December 16. Optare saw the greatest proportional rise, while Synectics saw the greatest proportional drop. Most figures obtained from www.iii.co.uk
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Arriva on CIM Shortlist Arriva UK Bus has been shortlisted for two accolades at the 2013 Chartered Institute of Marketing Excellence Awards. The awards, due to be announced at a ceremony at in London on February 12, 2014, celebrate the outstanding work undertaken across the marketing sector during the past 12 months. As the only UK bus provider nominated, Arriva is in contention for both the Automotive/Transport award for its 2013 Catch the Bus Week campaign, and in the Customer Engagement category for the launch of its new premium bus service, Sapphire. Cora Robinson, Head of Marketing for Arriva UK Bus, said: “We have invested heavily in implementing a series of robust integrated marketing campaigns this year which have really served to highlight the bene�its of bus travel.” www.coachandbusweek.com
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More WiFi at Stagecoach East Scotland Stagecoach East Scotland has announced that free WiFi will be offered on more buses and coaches in the coming weeks. The company has already �itted the Express City Connect routes with the free facility and having introduced more coaches and new routes into the network last month, are installing free WiFi on these too. This means all Express City Connect routes, X24, X26, X27, X52, X54, X57, X58, X59, X60 & X61 will feature free WiFi before the end of the year, as well as routes 53, 55 and 57 into Edinburgh. In addition, the operator is also making some improvements to the current vehicles operating the Jet 747 route, including a refurbishment and �itting the free WiFi. John Harper, Engineering Director for Stagecoach East Scotland, said: “We’re constantly improving our �leet and in the case of the 747 vehicles, the upgrades will refresh the interior and exterior ensuring they provide a great travel experience. By adding
the free WiFi to this route, and the remaining Express services, we hope to give our customers yet more reasons to relax and enjoy the journey, letting our drivers worry about the traf�ic, while passengers can catch up with friends, work or the latest news during their journey. “By making these improvements to the Jet 747 vehicles, we’ll need to take them off the road for a while, so we’ve borrowed some new Jet liveried vehicles to help �ill in.” Stagecoach has con�irmed more than 15,000 people use the free WiFi on the Express network per month, and this is expected to rise once the full Express coach �leet and the Edinburgh Airport bound Jet 747’s are �itted too. The company is currently going through the process of adding the WiFi kits to the vehicles and expect the work to be complete by the end of December. The Taylink 99 route, between St Andrews and Dundee also features free WiFi, as well as a number of commuter routes in the Tayside area.
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FTSE 100
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NEWS › COACHES RO A D WATC H n THERE WILL BE A ONE-NIGHT CLOSURE of the westbound A14 at Spaldwick (Junction 18) on December 20 to allow for narrow lanes to be removed. The road is due to be closed between 2200 and 0500hrs. Traffic is to be diverted via the A1(M) to Peterborough to join the A605 westbound and rejoin the A14 at junction 13. n RESURFACING AND DRAINAGE REPAIRS are currently being carried out on the M602 in Salford. The work affects parts of both carriageways and slip roads between Junction 1 at Eccles and Junction 3 at Regent Road. The task is being carried out overnight between 2200 and 0500hrs on weeknights, and between 2200 and 0700 at weekends. There will be some overnight closures of slip roads and carriageways around Junctions 2 and 3 and occasional overnight closures of the link roads to the M60 from Junction 1. The work is scheduled to be complete by April 13 – and will be postponed over the Christmas and the New Year period. n SAFETY BARRIER WORKS are currently underway on the M18 in between Junction 4 (Armthorpe) and Junction 5 (North Ings). One lane in both directions is shut, with hard shoulder running and narrower lanes. A 50 mph speed limit is in force until January. n OVERNIGHT CLOSURES are currently in place on the A303 between Sparkford island and Ilminster interchange. It’s due to be completed by January 11. n RESURFACING OF THE A21/ A25 INTERCHANGE means the exit slip road for the A25 eastbound on the Londonbound carriageway will be closed for two nights from Friday (December 20) between 2000 and 0600hrs. There will be a 50mph speed limit on approach to the closure. n DRIVERS wanting to access the eastbound A25 at the A21/A25 Interchange, will be diverted via the M25 Junction 4, the A21 to exit at the A25 Junction.
Mid Anglia coach ops visit Van Hool
Members of the party enjoyed their trip – as seen here during the obligatory group photo
Members of the Mid Anglia Coach Operators Association (MACOA) visited the extensive Van Hool factory in Lier, Belgium on December 3. They included representatives from DH Harrods, Don Fraser Coaches, Kenzie’s, Dews, Mil-Ken, Dons of Dunmow, Panther Travel, Fowler’s Travel, Greys of Ely, Richmond’s and Fenn Holidays. Simon Dew, of Dews Coaches, kindly liaised with Moseley in the South’s Allan Vaulter to arrange the trip. The operators travelled in a very well appointed 10-metre Van Hool coach, kindly provided by
Cyril Kenzie of Kenzie’s Coaches. Richard Grey, the association’s Secretary, who is also MD of Greys of Ely, told CBW: “It was my first time there. I think a lot of people hold Van Hool in very high esteem – and rightly so. We were privileged to enjoy a full tour of the extensive factory complex. It was truly eye-opening to see the level of detail – everything is done inhouse – and as a result, operators end up with a very bespoke product.” Richard concluded: “We would like to say a special thank you to our hosts Bart Roefs and Daan Peeters from Van Hool and Lee Brunt from Moseley PCV and Marcus Worth from Moseley in the South.”
Marcus Worth, General Manager at Moseley South, told CBW: “They were a very nice, professional group of operators, who conducted themselves in exemplary fashion. Van Hool put on a lovely tour – the hospitality was fantastic as always. It was very well organised. They all seemed to enjoy it – there was a very positive atmosphere. They were a smashing group.” Marcus added: “While most operators hailed from Moseley PCV’s territory, my role was as something of an ambassador for the Moseley Associated Companies. For me personally, it was a great opportunity to catch up with operators I admire, such as Andrew Richmond and Cyril Kenzie.”
G-Line Holidays of St Anne’s on Sea, Lancashire has really got into the Christmas spirit by sponsoring the Secret Santa toy appeal run by its local radio station. Mo Knowles, who joined the firm as Business Development Manager in October, told CBW: “It’s been going mad. Our drivers have been great. Everyone is full of support for it. We’ve had posters on coaches and asking passengers to buy an extra present while doing their Christmas shopping.” Indeed, on one private hire, the Blackpool Victoria Hospital Walking Club created a Secret Santa collection of their very own. When they were out on a G-Line Holidays shopping trip recently, their group organiser Bob Bradley apparently used some strong arm tactics to donate a gift before they
boarded the coach. Mo added: “There are five sponsors for Radio Wave’s Secret Santa Appeal on the Fylde Coast, which include a bakery and a carpet retailer. While they are static, we said that because we’re in the transport industry, for any schools or business groups who want to organise a collection but are unable to take the presents to the central point, we offered to collect them. We can go that extra mile, so to speak.” In a similar vain, G-Line took part in the inaugural Christmas Fair and Lights Switch at Knott End’s on Saturday, November 30. Mo continued: “Organised by the Methodist Church, the event was designed to boost the village community – it was previously a case of the lights being turn on and
that was pretty much it. “I was Mother Christmas. Representing our company, I brought along a Berlingo, which we normally use on our doorto-door pick ups. I handed out sweets, biscuits and brochures. I also posed for pictures with the children. I told them Father Christmas is a busy man and is always disappearing. It was great fun – we had a lot of laughs.” Perhaps Mo hit the nail on the head when she concluded: “I know we didn’t sell any holidays but it was certainly worth doing. It’s great PR.”
Operator group trip to highlyregarded Belgian coach builder described as “eye-opening”
G-Line Holidays successfully toys with Christmas collection
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Visit G-Line’s website at www.g-lineholidays.co.uk . Find out more about the appeal at www.wave965.com/local/ secret-santa-toy-appeal/ .
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NX festive coach bookings up Five days is the most common length of time to visit family members at Christmas, suggests data revealed by National Express (NX). Most people spend Christmas week with their family – but reserve the weekends at either end for friends and downtime at home. Advanced bookings figures from the firm show Monday, December 23, and Friday, December 27 are by far and away the most popular days for travel, each with thousands more passenger journeys taken than any other day. Indeed, over 50% more bookings have already been taken for each of these days compared to the third busiest day (December 28). This suggests that most people prefer to keep time
visiting family within Christmas week itself, keeping the festive weekends to themselves. Nationally, advanced bookings for travel over the festive period (December 23 – January 1) are up 10% year-on-year as increasing numbers choose cost-effective coach travel to get around conveniently at Christmas. Outside of London, NX said the most popular destinations are Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, Bournemouth and Cardiff. Coach services to airports are also proving hugely popular. Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick Airports are all included in the list of the top 10 most popular destinations.
Mayday Travel boosts Belt Up Week
The tour enjoyed celebrity backing from Atomic Kitten Natasha Hamilton School children across a slice of England and Wales were reminded of the importance of wearing a seat belt last week, with the help of some characters from the animation The Croods – a specially branded tour coach. It comes after figures showed that 10% of parents fail to check if their children are wearing a seatbelt. As a result, children learned the Croods Cross Code last week – which includes some important messages of road safety. It’s all part of Belt Up Week, a campaign led by safety charity Brake, which aims to educate children about the importance of road safety and always wearing a seatbelt. The tour used Mercedes-Benz Tourismo coach ‘BN08OOV’ operated by Croydon-based Mayday Travel, which carried special vinyls for the purpose. www.coachandbusweek.com
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James Nolan, Advertising Manager at Mayday Travel told CBW: “Our coach was employed for the duration of the campaign from December 9 – 13. It took in Hornsey, Whitney, Dudley, Coventry, Warrington, Chorley, Nottingham, Cardiff, Swansea and the London area.” Publicist Matthew Davis was delighted with Mayday’s service. “We used Mayday Travel for a week-long national corporate tour and we found the service absolutely fantastic,” he said. “Driver Mark Beharie was a real pleasure to work with and went far and beyond the requirements of his service. I highly recommend Mayday. The firm accommodated all our tricky requirements, was flexible to last minute changes and fulfilled every client request. I will never look elsewhere for coaches.”
TRAINING UPDATE
‘Tis the season to be jolly? Lauren Claiden of AA DriveTech looks at driving during the Christmas season, and coping with the merrymakers
F
or a PCV driver, the Christmas period is a time of apprehension, if not dread. A multitude of challenges, some small, some severe, seem to arise at this time of year. It has long been established that the number of deaths in the UK rises during the winter. Seasonal illnesses, brought on by viruses, typically cause the death rate to climb. Maybe less well documented is the direct link between the Christmas period and road casualties. This could be that people change their normal routines, as they venture out to enjoy the seasonal festivities and late night shopping. This subtle increase in road traffic and passengers can adversely affect timetables and place bus drivers under additional pressure. Even with all the publicity and public awareness campaigns, drink driving is still a major contributory factor to death on our roads. With 290 people killed last year, compared with 230 in 2011 (source – DfT), it’s still a massive issue especially during the festive period. For example; if someone in front of you makes any sudden or irrational movements, or displays an inconsistency with their speed control, it’s distinctly possible they could be intoxicated. Similarly, managers should be mindful that their own staff may have had too much festive cheer especially the night before. Up and down the country, high streets are hectic with last minute shoppers racing across roads with little or no regard for the traffic around them. Merrymakers, and disruptive
drunk passengers, all have to be dealt with by the driver in particular. Drivers should be trained in how to deal with situations that could get out of hand if treated inappropriately, and how to resolve any disputes which may arise. Having drivers with the confidence and ability to deal with the public should be one of the cornerstones of training for any organisation. For example; the Fitness & Wellbeing workshop by AA DriveTech, is designed to take drivers through a selection of interactive scenarios and exercises to provide positive learning with regard to First Aid skills and safe procedures that need to be applied at the scene of an incident; big or small. Likewise, a Customer Service workshop could help deal with ‘challenging’ passengers. Our workshops, which are approved by JAUPT for DCPC, are designed with the driver in mind. Training helps drivers manage the stress of Christmas and gives them coping strategies on how to deal with the most difficult situations and people. Surely, drivers should be safe to enjoy the spirit of the season as much as everyone else?
How AA DriveTech can help? AA DriveTech is the posttest training arm of the AA with extensive experience of delivering top quality, value for money and useful training to professional drivers. The company offers training courses both at a client’s business premises as well as ‘open’ courses via a UK-wide network of training venues which any driver can attend.
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NEWS › FINANCIAL
Stagecoach continues organic growth Revenue growth in North America remains highest of all divisions Stagecoach continued to grow its regional UK bus division for the six months to October 31 with revenue up 3.3% to £504.3m compared to the same six months in 2012. Operating profit was 15.2%. Revenue at its London division fell by 0.9% to £115.4m with an operating profit of 8.3%, but rapid growth continues in North America where there was a 17.2% increase to £238.3m, returning an 8.2% profit, and UK rail was also up 3.3% at £619.5 – operating profit 2.9%. Group revenue was £1,473.9m and profit before taxation £105.6m. Adjusted earnings per share were up 2.8% to 14.6p while the interim dividend per share is 11.5% to 2.9p. Net debt was down £43.4m to £494.6m. The regional UK bus division’s results “reflect a continuation of its successful strategy to grow revenue and passenger volumes organically,” said Martin Griffiths, Stagecoach CEO. “The previous year’s financial results for the six months ended October 31, 2012 included revenue of £18.8m and operating profit of around £4m arising from the successful delivery of contracts to provide transport
for the media and athletes at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Excluding that £4m operating profit, the division has increased operating profit by £4.1m or 5.6% in the six months ended October 31 2013.” He explained: “Our sectionleading regional bus services have gone from strength to strength despite lower public spending and austerity measures. We have the lowest fares and highest customer satisfaction of any major bus operator, which is helping get Britain back on board the bus. Smart ticketing and other developments in new technology are helping make our services more convenient and offer further potential to encourage people to switch from the car to public transport.” Talking about the London bus division, Martin said: “From October 1 2013, the business no longer receives BSOG, but this is offset by a corresponding uplift in the contract prices paid to the business by Transport for London. The impact of this change will be an increase in both our reported revenues and costs, and a decline in profit margin but no overall change in profit. Excluding the effect of this change, revenue declined by 1.6%. The reduction in revenue during the period includes
Stagecoach Manchester recently won the top accolade at the UK Bus Awards the effect of non-recurring revenue related to the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, and is in line with our expectations.” Small disposals were made in North America. RAZ was sold to DMC Transport LLC for US$0.8m while several small operators were sold in Canada to Pacific Western Transportation for C$4.6m. That included the last remaining school bus operations based in Peterborough and Whitby, a local transit contract business, and services providing transport to and from Pearson International Airport in Toronto. “Revenue growth in North America remains the highest of any of our divisions,” said Martin. “We remain on track to deliver a significant increase in operating profit in the North American
division in 2013/14, we would not expect to see such a significant increase in 2014/15 as we absorb the operating losses associated with the additional vehicle miles recently added and the further new mileage that we plan to add over the next 12 months. We are confident in the sustainability of the megabus.com business model and the investment in new mileage should add to the long-term value of the business.” Talking about its Scottish Citylink joint venture, Martin said: “the megabusGold and sleepercoach services have performed well in the first half of the year... We have demonstrated there is a clear market for premium travel products and we believe this has exciting potential for markets in other countries.”
Go-Ahead on target for £100m bus operating profit by 2015/2016 Go-Ahead has released its preclose trading update for the six months ending December 28, 2013, ahead of its half year results which will be released on February 20, 2013. Go-Ahead’s bus operations outside London saw a 2.5% growth in revenue and a 1% growth in passenger numbers. During the second quarter, Go North East submitted its response to Tyne and Wear’s Integrated Transport Authority’s consultation on bus services in the area. The operator claims independent surveys show passengers in Tyne and Wear are the most satisfied of any UK metropolitan area, and the company recommend partnership working as the right outcome for both bus passengers and tax
payers in the North East. Go-Ahead’s London operations saw a 4% growth in revenue (7% underlying excluding the Olympics) and a 1% increase in total mileage. The group’s rail division saw revenue growth continuing into the second quarter across all three franchises (Southern, Southeastern and London Midland). Southern delivered a better than expected performance in the second quarter and as a result a slightly stronger full year result is expected for the Group. Southern is still expected to enter revenue support at the 80% level during the second half of the financial year. Go-Ahead’s discussions with the Department for Transport regarding the proposed extension
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of the Southeastern contract are continuing. After allowing for this change in methodology, underlying passenger journey growth is around 2% in all three franchises. The Group said it remains in a good financial position with strong cash generation and a solid balance sheet, underpinning the dividend policy and allowing flexibility to pursue value-adding opportunities. David Brown, Group CEO of Go-Ahead, said: “I am pleased with the continued robust performance across our operations. Our bus and rail divisions have both seen commercial revenue growth in the year to date. Performance in our Southern franchise was better than anticipated, and as a result our
forecasts for the full year to June 28, 2014 are slightly ahead of our previous expectations. “Our bus operations continue to perform well and we remain confident in our target to achieve bus operating profit of £100m by 2015/2016. “The performance of all three rail franchises has been good in the year to date. “Our continued development of smart and mobile ticketing across our bus business is progressing well and in an industry first, we were delighted to launch “the key” on our Southern services, enabling passengers to travel on our trains and Transport for London services using just their smartcard. “We look forward to submitting a strong bid for the Thameslink
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NEWS › REGIONAL SOUTH WEST ILFRACOMBE’S long-derelict bus station is on its way to becoming a car park, following the town council’s approval of contracts for the site’s demolition worth more than £50,000. Last month the authority secured the station, which has been an abandoned eyesore for more than 10 years, announcing it would serve as a car park until a longer-term use had been agreed. According to the North Devon Journal, at a council meeting last week, councillors approved giving a £27,981 contract to LA Moore to remove asbestos and other work which Councillor Paul Crabb said amounted to “removing all the nastiness.” A further £24,850 will be given to Notts to remove other waste and a third, smaller contract for resurfacing work will be awarded in January 2014.
SOUTH EAST
HAMPSHIRE COUNCIL has warned ‘use it or lose it’ after agreeing to provide £480,000 of funding over six years into subsidising a bus service to Hill Head, after First announced its intention to scrap that part of the route in January. Cllr Sean Woodward signed off a tender for a bus between Hill Head and Fareham, to replace key elements of the 5A, 6 and 21 services. Cllr Woodward said: “The county council has limited resources to support public transport and it is essential the community make full use of the service. “I am happy to ask the tax payer to support the service for a few months to give the community a chance to show the value of the bus service by using it more, but it is simply not possible for the council to step in every time a commercial service is stopped because low passenger numbers make it uneconomical to run. “Therefore, I hope we will see an increase in passenger numbers, and the service return to commercial viability. “I have asked for a review of the service in six months time, to ensure that the service is being well used, and the subsidy represents good value for money. “It is now up to the community to use the buses and make the routes work commercially again.” Hill Head borough ward councillor, Arthur Mandry, said: “It is good news the council has
KEY
WALES
filled the gap left by First and the resurrection of this service is very welcome. However, the county council is spending a huge amount of money and to do that without reviewing it would be irresponsible.”
LONDON
OPERATORS serving Three Rivers have been told to ‘take better care of disabled customers.’ At a meeting of Three Rivers District Council, politicians unanimously agreed to pass a motion tackling what it called the unacceptable treatment some disabled residents are subjected to by the local bus service. Complaints had included buses failing to stop for wheelchair users, buses refusing to provide ramp access for disabled people to access the bus and drivers claiming there is no room for a wheelchair, even when there is. Another complaint is that buses fail to stop for residents with assistance dogs. Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Shaw said: “I’m appalled to hear the first hand experiences of people with disabilities who have not been given a fair chance to use public transport. “These service providers need to take better care of disabled customers.” Approval of the motion means the district council’s Chief Executive will contact local operators requesting they take the issue seriously, as well as Hertfordshire County
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regional weekly ticket across Merseyside. The operator agreed the move after a successful summer trial. A weekly child ticket is also available at £10. The introduction of the tickets comes six months after councillors criticised Arriva for rising fares and not advertising discounted rates widely enough. Previously passengers in St Helens would have had to buy a North West Saver priced at £19, but the Merseyside only ticket is £4 cheaper. In April local politicians expressed concern that workers on nil hours contracts – often called into work to do several hours a day at peak times – were seeing large chunks of their wages eroded by travel costs.
SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND REP OF IRELAND NORTH WALES MIDLANDS EAST LONDON SOUTH EAST SOUTH WEST
Council asking it to use its influence to support Three Rivers’ efforts.
NORTH
GRIMSBY BUS STATION will close in the New Year as work to redevelop the Riverhead area gets underway. As part of the £6m project which aims to transform Grimsby town centre, the site closes from 0730hrs on Monday, January 6, with all bus services operating from recently constructed temporary stops and shelters in Town Hall Street, East Street and Town Hall Square. Pedestrian routes to the temporary stops from Freshney Place shopping centre will be well signposted. In the first week of the closure, staff from the council and Stagecoach are on hand to direct the travelling public to their relevant stop.
ARRIVA NORTH EAST’S Tyne Valley Zone now extends west from the Tyne and Wear Zone to Hexham. The change means passengers can buy a two zone Triple ticket for use between Hexham and Newcastle (and onward into Tyne and Wear) at a discount, the firm said. Its Tyne and Wear Zone boundary has been extended south to Barley Mow, allowing use of its X2 service between Newcastle and Barley Mow and its X24 route between Barley Mow and MetroCentre. ARRIVA MERSEYSIDE has decided to permanently introduce a £15
A BUS SERVICE between Barmouth and Wrexham has been given public funding for the next six months. The contract for the X94 bus service was awarded to GHA Coaches, Gwynedd Council confirmed. Arriva announced it was dropping the service in October. Aled Davies, Gwynedd Council Head of Regulatory Services said: “Having discussed the tenders in detail with the Welsh Government and neighbouring councils, GHA Coaches has been awarded the X94 bus service contract between Barmouth and Wrexham. “The contract will run for a period of six months from 23 December 2013.”
SCOTLAND
NEW TIMETABLES have been introduced for a number of bus services in the East Lothian – including improved connections to rail services into Edinburgh. The routes are: the 120, which runs between Dunbar and North Berwick; 128 from Haddington to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary; 129 Port Seton - Ocean Terminal; and 130 which runs from Spott village to Stenton via Dunbar train station. The services are operated by Eve Coaches of Dunbar. TRAM TESTS have begun in Edinburgh’s city centre in preparation for the opening of the light rail system next year. An initial run was conducted along Prices Street to York Place in the early hours of the morning
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Join the discussion on Twitter by following us at @cbwtweets and find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/coachandbusweek on December 5. Engineers walked the first tram along the route checking for faults before the first passengers use the £776m system in May 2014. More frequent tests will now be carried out in the new year. Transport Minister Keith Brown said: “Seeing the trams operating in the city centre is a sign of real progress for the project, following the delays and frustration of the past. “This is another major step towards next May when the trams will be up and running for passengers. “Along with the redevelopment of Haymarket and Waverley stations, Edinburgh will very soon have the tram system it has long been promised.”
MIDLANDS
PASSENGERS on about 700 Derby bus journeys per day are benefiting from a new free WiFi service. The service has now been introduced on The Sixes, The Harlequin, The Mickleover operated by trent barton and the 60, X38, 33 and 36 services run
by Arriva. Both trent barton and Arriva had already installed some free WiFi on some of their other services. The new service has been created as part of Connected – a Government-funded travel scheme which aims to encourage greener travel. To mark the occasion, a new web-based game called Bus Munch has been developed. Based on the retro game Pac Man, players must help the bus collect coloured dots and WiFi symbols, while avoiding pollution clouds. People can play the game at derbyconnected.com/play, and those registering their scores can win free bus tickets each week. Cllr Asaf Afzal said: “I’m pleased Derby already has a high number of people who use the bus, and we want to build on that, and encourage more people to try public transport. “With free WiFi, passengers can make the most of their travel time – download an e-book, watch a film, arrange an evening out, do online shopping, check e-mails, stay on top of work or study, or play games.”
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
What is expected to be the last Friends of King Alfred Bus Running Day will take place in Winchester on New Year’s Day, 2014
2014 n January 1 Friends of King Alfred Bus Running Day. Winchester. Free bus rides & transport enthusiasts bazaar. www.fokab.org.uk n January 1 Oxford Bus Museum New Years Day & free vintage bus rides. 01993 861 617. www.
oxfordbusmuseum.org.uk
n January 23 CPT Annual Dinner. The Grange Tower Bridge Hotel, London. 020 7240 3131. www.cpt-uk.org n January 25 Excursions 2014 Alexandra Palace, London www.excursions.org.uk n February 1, 2014 LTCOA Dinner Dance The Royal Garden Hotel, Knightsbridge. Call Sue Reynolds on 07932 158999 or email ltcoa@btinternet.com n March 4–7 QV Associates’ course Introduction to Bus & Crew Scheduling. Birmingham. 01905 613527. www.qv-associates.com/
qvcourses.htm A DRIVER WITH FIRST ABERDEEN took the spirit of Christmas to residents of a local nursing home at the weekend. Ian Walker provided some of the residents at Grandholm Nursing Home in Bridge of Don with a surprise trip to see the Christmas lights in the city centre, after First Aberdeen donated the use of one of its buses. The 61 year old First Aberdeen driver transported residents, some of whom are aged 100 or more, along Union Street to take in the festive celebrations. Once on board the residents showed their appreciation by singing Christmas carols along the journey. Ian, who has been a driver with First Aberdeen for 21 years, said: “The residents at Grandholm seemed to thoroughly enjoy the trip and I’m pleased that First Aberdeen and I could help spread a bit of Christmas cheer.” Talking about the trip Caliegh Bean, Manager at Grandholm Nursing Home, said: “The excursion has been a great Christmas gift and has really lifted the spirits of many of our residents. I’d like to say a huge thank you to Ian Walker and First Aberdeen for giving us a day to remember.” 14 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013 012_014_CBW1118_Regional News.indd 14
n March 19-20 Young Bus Managers Network Conference. Reading. www.youngbusmanagers.
org.uk
n March 25–28 QV Associates’ course Route & Timetable Planning Birmingham. 01905 613527. www.qv-
associates.com/qvcourses.htm
n April 5 South East Bus Festival. Kent Showground, Maidstone. www. facebook.com/southeastbusfestival n April 10 UK Coach Awards. Mercure Piccadilly Hotel, Manchester. www.ukcoachawards.co.uk
n April 29-May 1 The Commercial Vehicle Show NEC, Birmingham. 01634 261262 www.cvshow.com n May 10-11 UK Coach Rally. Alton Towers. 01753 631170. www.coachdisplays.co.uk n May 12-14 ALBUM Conference. Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh. www.album-bus.co.uk n June 15 Welsh Coach Rally, Swansea. ntfwswansea.co.uk Contact Ashley Lovering 07814 958379 n July 6-7 North Norfolk Railway Bus Rally. Heritage bus service both days, transport Festival on Sunday. Email bus@johnrstewart. co.uk for an entry form. n July 12–13 Routemaster 60. Finsbury Park, London. Organised by the Routemaster Association, the event will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the unveiling of RM1. www.routemaster.org.uk n July 20 Alton Bus Rally. Anstey Park, Alton, Hants. www. altonbusrally.org.uk n September 10-11 Low Carbon Vehicle Event, Millbrook, Bedfordshire. 01509 635 750. www. cenex-lcv.co.uk n September 21 Showbus 2014. Imperial War Museum, Duxford. www.showbus.com n September 25 - October 2 IAA Commercial Vehicle Show. Hannover, Germany. www.iaa.de
Send your event details to gareth.evans@ coachandbusweek.com
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BUCKINGHAM 3 & 2 • Ideal for 3 & 2 configurations • Ergonomic design for maximum support, comfort and legroom • Tried & tested: fitted into many new coaches as OEM • Full range of legs and fitting options make the Buckingham ideal for upseating to 70+ seats • Lighter weight makes easier for installation Prime Passenger Seating Limited 7 Canalwood Industrial Estate, Chirk, Wrexham LL14 5RL Telephone: 01691 898 665 Fax: 01691 770 798 Email: johnm@primeps.com
www.primeps.com
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INTRODUCTION › EYMS
Traditional services Gareth Evans sets the scene for this week’s superfeature on East Yorkshire Motor Services
E
YMS – or East Yorkshire Motor Services – is something of a household name in the bus and coach industry. The burgundy and cream-liveried bus �leet is widely looked upon with fondness by professionals and enthusiasts alike. The �irm is headed by Peter Shipp, a true gentleman of the industry, respected at all levels, not least by his friendly team of staff. As you’ll read on p18, Peter has been interested in the bus and coach industry since his earliest days – and now boasts a collection of over 1,200 models, some of which take pride of place in his �irst �loor of�ice at the �irm’s Anlaby Road headquarters. Believe it or not, there is a lot more to Peter than buses – for he is a Christian, a loyal member of his local church and a dedicated supporter of charitable work, including the NSPCC, Save the Children and UNICEF. In the coming weeks, EYMS is about to go under the spotlight on our TV screens – in the shape of a Channel 5 �ly on the wall documentary. To this end, Peter told me: “The production company asked how we could be described in a nutshell. I replied – ‘The largest family-owned and run independent bus company in the UK.’” The eight-part series is expected to be broadcast in February and March. For those considering following a similar path, Peter revealed the production company had given him some limited editorial control, and were in his words, “an amenable bunch.” EYMS operates a �leet of over 300 buses
and coaches throughout Hull, East Yorkshire, the North Yorkshire coast and the North York Moors. In North Yorkshire, the �irm operates as Scarborough & District. EYMS Group Limited is the holding group for East Yorkshire Motor Services, Scarborough & District and East Yorkshire Coaches, along with Manchester-based Finglands and Whittle Coach and Bus Ltd of Kidderminster. Also within the Group is EYMS Bus & Coach Training and the company’s advertising and design studio, The Design Movement. Against the backdrop and the general decline in economic and retail activity EYMS has maintained the quality of its operations, avoided any signi�icant bus service cuts, and employed as many staff at the end of 2012 as at the start. On a turnover of £38.4m the Group produced a net pro�it of £0.913m, down from £1.223m in 2011, a reduction coincidentally almost exactly equal to the reduction in the amount of grant received from Government through the Bus Service Operator Grant (BSOG) which was cut by 20% in April 2012. The East Yorkshire company itself had a turnover in 2012 of £29.657m – marginally up from £29.549m in 2011, with an underlying operating pro�it of £1.139m compared to £1.204m in the previous year. There were of course pluses and minuses in income and expenditure in different areas of the business but after taking account of the BSOG cut, the company has broadly held its own in such a
FACTOIDS ● Individual coaches used on National Express (NX) duties can accumulate up to 130,000 miles per annum. ● East Yokshire as a whole (incl. NX & coach work) uses six million litres of fuel each year. A 1p rise in the price of fuel costs the business an additional £1,000 a week. ● An average EY bus runs 30,000 miles per annum – while those allocated to route 121, the firm’s longest, clock up to 80,000. ● Scarborough depot operates 1.7 million miles per annum. ● All EYMS buses are fitted with internal and external Synectics CCTV. The company also employs an in-house CCTV technician. ● There are six regular drivers on the Scarborough open top services. ● A recent achievement of the ‘eEnergysaving task group’ which includes staff from all disciplines, is the improvement of the firm’s recycling activities by separating rubbish collected from buses by cleaners. ● The East Yorkshire is one of the only two of the 70 or so former National Bus Company subsidiaries to remain independent.
The coach fleet sports this attractive riviera blue and primrose livery. John Young 16 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013 016_017_CBW1118_EYMS Intro.indd 16
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Bus no.717 is seen in Bridlington. John Young
dif�icult economic climate. In 2002 fuel cost net of grant represented 9.0% of total operating costs at EYMS. With the increasing cost of fuel itself and the big duty rises, in 2012 the �igure was 15.5%. As discussed earlier, there is mutual respect between Peter and his team. Indeed, he said: “The majority of our 900 staff (700 at East Yorkshire) are loyal, conscientious, supportive and hard-working despite three years of low pay increases which must be putting pressure on their household budgets. “A good indication of staff dedication is the very low absence rate throughout the Group which has for several years been better than national averages and has continued to improve. The 2012 absence rate (for all reasons including long term sickness) was just 3.0% at East Yorkshire, down from 3.1% in 2011 and continuing the improving trend which has been seen since 2006 when the �igure was 5.0%.” So what’s in store with this issue? As with our previous superfeatures, we’ve aimed to provide you the reader with a snapshot of the �irm and some of the people who are involved with it. We’ve been fortunate to gain a ‘Face to Face’ interview with Peter (p18). The questions put to him include those suggested by some of you on Facebook and Twitter, such as those about Whittles and National Holidays. As you’ll read on p24, we’ve spoken to Engineering Manager Derek Bradley. He is perhaps best described as a typical engineer – a
practical no nonsense-sort of thinker, who is down to earth and highly dedicated with it. The two signs which adorn a prominent spot on his of�ice wall probably say it all – ‘Old age & treachery will overcome youth & skill’ and ‘Beware of those who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.’ He’s very much a people person and when I met him, was keen to stress the importance of making time to talk to everyone at all levels when management, particularly so on the engineering side. In the wider industry, EYMS’ training division gained a reputation for delivering excellence. Thus, you’ll read on p28 about how this vital arm of the business is being driven forward in more ways than one by the ever-enthusiastic Darren Kendrew. Now Training Manager, he joined the �irm in 1989 and like Peter, says how working in the coach and bus industry ful�illed a boyhood dream. Another experienced busman who forms a key part of the EYMS team is Bob Rackley. Having joined the �irm 18 years ago, he remains in the post of Commercial Manager. He shares his experiences of such matters as call centres, smartcards and concessionary fares on p32. This week’s Big Picture (p36) is perhaps be�itting for EYMS - it’s something a little different in that it depicts a Mini Pointer Dart at a level crossing but at the same time is ‘traditional’ in that the angle is a front three-quarter shot. Last but by no means least, we’ve brought you the ‘Fleet Pro�ile’ on p38 – which ranges from single decker buses to touring coaches. ■
The East Yorkshire business itself turned over £29.657m in 2012
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A LOOK BACK IN TIME
EYMS can trace its roots back to December 1919, when Ernest John Lee bought a 14-seater Ford Model T bus for a service between Elloughton and Hull. In 1922, a Mr Beaulah entered into a partnership with Mr Lee and formed Lee & Beaulah. Two years later, Hull & District Motor Services Ltd was set up by H. A. Harvey to run a service between Kirk Ella and Hull. On October 5, 1926 the British Automobile Traction Co. Ltd. registered the name East Yorkshire Motor Services Ltd to take over Lee & Beaulah and Hull & District Motor Services Ltd. While EYMS is today famous for its burgundy and cream-livery, but its vehicles were originally painted indigo and primrose. The livery was changed in the early 1970s to the colours of the National Bus Company, red and white – and to blue and white for a short time until the firm was forced into line. This was followed by the colours which are familiar today. The coach fleet is different again – being riviera blue with primrose. EYMS was privatised in February 1987, becoming a subsidiary of EYMS Group Ltd. which had been formed by its seven-strong management team. Since this time it has gone from strength to strength, acquiring many small bus businesses in and around Hull These included Connor & Graham, Cottingham Mini Coaches and Primrose Valley Coaches. The Group’s first move to expand outside the area came with the acqusition of Finglands Coachways of Manchester in 1992 and Whittle Coach & Bus of Kidderminster in 2004. In October 2013 EYMS sold the Fingland’s coach operation to Bullocks of Cheadle. Today EYMS is owned by Peter Shipp, who has been with the company since 1980. The head office and main depot are located on Anlaby Road in Hull, where they have been based since 1929. There are also depots in Beverley, Bridlington, Driffield, Elloughton, Hornsea, Pocklington, Scarborough and Withernsea.
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FACE TO FACE › PETER SHIPP
Pride & joy I
t’s the end of November when I meet Peter in Hull, days after the city was awarded the city of culture for 2017. “It’s the talk of the town,” he says. He may be a child of the South West but the Humber has clearly �lowed in his spirit for so many years that I dare say he now regards Hull as his home city. “Needless to say, we will play a big part in it. We’re very community-focussed here,” he enthuses. “We enjoy getting involved in charity events. Our annual Big Bus Day is hugely popular – we had 5,600 visitors in 2013 and we raised £2,500 in aid of the NSPCC.” The temperature is decidedly cold outside, such that my snuggly Scania jacket comes into its own – but Peter’s spacious of�ice is anything but chilly. Decorated in neutral colours, an unmistakeable feature of the comfortable surroundings are the cases displaying his model buses either side of the chimney breast. His cheerful PA Doreen, kindly offers me a coffee – after which Peter brings out a box of NSPCC chocolates, providing an indication if ever it were needed, of his charitable support. I’ve always regarded Peter as a gentleman of our industry – he’s something of a statesman. A friendly fellow, approachability is one of his hallmarks. He likes a chuckle too. It may be my inaugural visit to the EYMS head of�ice, but I can see in an instant that like caffeine, friendly banter is certainly not in short supply at Anlaby Road. Peter enjoys mutual rapport and respect with his team – he’s clearly proud of them.
Career
Peter blames his lifelong interest in buses on his family’s lack of a car – and his eventual career in the bus industry on his prospective fatherin-law. Peter grew up in Torquay where the crimson and ivory buses of the original Devon General company held sway. Until he passed his driving test at the age of 17, his family did not have a car and the railway station was three miles away,
Gareth Evans talks to Peter Shipp, Chairman & Chief Executive of EYMS Group about succession, concessionary fares, Whittles and Finglands so almost everywhere they went, including on holiday, was by bus or Grey Cars or Royal Blue coaches and a young Peter spent many happy hours collecting bus numbers sitting on his garden wall. His �irst recollection of actually travelling on a bus was when he was about two when after falling in the boating pond in Torquay, he had to return home on the back seat of a Devon General decker dripping wet. Somewhat later, when at Torquay Boys’ Grammar School, many happy hours were spent travelling to and from school on ‘the 54’ which had the added attraction that Torquay Girls’ Grammar School was further along the route, so there was always some interesting company on the top deck. Despite his enthusiast interest, Peter had never seriously considered a career in the bus industry, but was prompted to apply for what was then the BET (British Electric Traction) Senior Management Training Scheme by the person who was to become his father-in-law – Sue and Peter having known each other since Peter was photographed standing next to Sue’s pram in 1945. Their eventual marriage in 1971 has thus lasted 42 years. Sue’s dad was a machine tool company representative who often visited Midland Red and heard about the BET training scheme, so made the suggestion to Peter who quickly followed it up. Too young to join immediately on leaving
“It appears to me that as soon as local authorities hear of an accident, reducing the speed limit seems to be the default course of action.”
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Grammar School, it was suggested that he applied to Devon General to get some experience and apply to BET again later. “I was then in the extremely enviable position of writing my �irst job application letter, getting an interview with the General Manager, Tom Strange, and walking out of his of�ice with the offer of a four-year junior training scheme post in 1967,” Peter recalled. “So in the end I did six years’ training. This included two years on the Senior Management Scheme at North Western Road Car in Stockport, after which my career took off with increasingly senior management positions at Southdown, Northern General and �inally EYMS in 1980.” His time at Southdown saw him progress from Brighton Traf�ic Superintendent, to Assistant Divisional Manager and then Divisional Manager. Peter tends to see the humour in many situations – “You have to laugh or sometimes you’d cry” – and claims to be fairly placid and even-tempered. So much so, that shock waves went round Southdown when, as Assistant Divisional Manager hearing a disciplinary appeal, Peter “blew his top” and threw his pencil across the desk when the culprit continued to deny what he had been doing when caught red-handed. Having joined EYMS as Traf�ic Manager, he became Commercial Director and was one of the Management Buy-out (MBO) team which formed EYMS Group Ltd to buy the �irm under the NBC privatisation programme. Naturally, Peter ranks the MBO as one of the highlights of his career – and even more so when the last of the other six members of the MBO team left in 1997, he became sole shareholder of the �irm. “At last I achieved what I suppose was my www.coachandbusweek.com
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The coming of UK North and the BSOG cut helped turn Finglands into a loss-maker
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FACE TO FACE › PETER SHIPP ambition of having my name on the side of a bus,” enthused Peter – who incidentally still has the PCV licence which he gained in 1964. “The main �leet just has the usual legal details, but I have succumbed to a bit of ego in having my own name above this on the heritage buses which now form part of the EYMS (Group) 400-strong bus and coach �leet.” He continued: “I count myself extremely lucky to have had a long and reasonably successful career in an industry which I love and which has some wonderful and interesting people in it who get on with each other very well, even when they are competitors. My time at EYMS
hobby. In his own words, he is “certainly no sportsman.” That said, Peter and his wife Sue support the NSPCC and UNICEF amongst others. Both are members of the Anglican Church at Elloughton, where they live in the oldest house in the village. Peter was Churchwarden for 17 years until a few years ago. Both are on the Parochial Church Council and Sue runs the Sunday School – now called ‘Connections’ – as she has done since the mid 1980s. Passionate about their family, the pair enjoy holidays by car, train and cruise ship, often with all or some of the Shipp clan.
“We bought Whittle’s in 2004. It’s proved more difficult than we thought but we’re persevering with it. My middle son David, has been there for over 12 months”
has been particularly pleasant because the staff here are just great and apart from one little hiccup in 1988, when we had to endure a two-week strike because of a renegade young union branch of�icer, we have enjoyed excellent relations with staff at all levels and it is really nice to walk around Hull and have almost every bus driver waving to you as they pass. “And of course to be paid for travelling on your own buses with the concessionary pass is the icing on the cake!” Peter, now 70, who is a lifelong bus enthusiast also counts himself extremely lucky to have a career in the industry – a career which reached 50 years in July 2012. He doesn’t have many hobbies as such – he regards work as his
Succession
A question which is undoubtedly a ‘must ask’ is whether Peter has any plans to retire. “I keep being told there are milestones to reach before I retire – such as my son David’s 25-year service badge in two years’ time and union secretary Stan Mumby with his 40-year badge in �ive years’ time.” On that note, Peter said the trade union is “very supportive.” “We’ve had a little hiccup with this year’s pay award but that’s been sorted. They know there’s a balance between a pay award and continued employment.” He added: “Our staff are very loyal and supportive. My wife and I will continue to work. My wife owns a pre-school. She was a teacher
until we had the kids. She loves it. Like me, she’s said that if the day comes when she decides she’s had enough, that will be it.” Turning to his family, he said: “My sons Jonathan and David do not have the same interest in buses as I do but they’re de�initely good as managers. My daughter Emma worked in the of�ice for a while but is now doing a performing arts course at Hull College “Our eldest son Jonathan is Depot Supervisor at Elloughton, while David heads up Whittle’s. He was our Assistant Operations Manager for some time. We have a pretty static staff here so the promotion prospects are limited. Therefore I asked him to go there.” As to retiring Peter, joked: “Sue says – ‘If you think you’re retiring and bringing home your 1,200 model buses for me to dust – forget it!’”
Whittle’s
While this superfeature focusses on EYMS – as opposed to the Group, there is undoubtedly interest in the �irm’s other operations in the Midlands (Whittles) and Manchester (Finglands). Asked about the future of Kidderminsterbased Whittle’s, Peter replied: “We bought it from Ron Whittle in 2004. It’s proved more dif�icult than we thought but we’re persevering with it. We had a couple of managers who were not so effective. My middle child, David, now 40 has been down there for over 12 months. “Recruitment is particularly hard down there. My wife hails from South Birmingham and says it’s always been dif�icult to �ind staff in that part of the world. It’s a chicken and eggs scenario – do we increase wages and get good staff? The company is currently loss-making. “We’ve always tended to recruit people without PCVs as they typically stick around. We
Peter revealed that while the bus side at Whittles is loss-making, the private hire and coach touring operation is “doing well” 20 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013 018_022_CBW1118_PeterShip.indd 20
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Peter is not slow to mention the positive relationships he enjoys with councils in East Yorkshire
Whittle’s bus fleet sports a green and white livery, as seen here in Kidderminster. Tony Hunter
Peter stands proudly alongside part of his 1,200-strong collection of model buses and coaches
don’t often recruit PCV holders as they can be wanderers. I admit the staff issue has caused us problems. That said, the National Express contract work has boosted the business – it’s undoubtedly helped to support the Whittles business. The private hire and coach touring side is also doing well.” Peter painted a bleak picture of the �irm’s bus operations, highlighting the external pressure. “Worcestershire is considering withdrawing all tendered services on the basis it is thought operators will take on most of the network commercially. However, the problem is the routes are tendered for a reason. That’s a common problem – people outside the bus industry have no idea about how it works. “Worcestershire doesn’t seem to appreciate that if the idea is implemented, it will result in wholescale service withdrawals. Even some of the current tenders are losing money as costs have increased while rates have not risen at the same pace. “On the other hand, we’ve had a grant from Worcestershire to upgrade ticket machines – which may well be in vain if the major service cuts go ahead.”
“Then along came UK North, which wrecked the business. Weekly fares on both Stagecoach and Finglands plummeted from £5 to £2. The problem is, of course, once you’re that low, it’s extremely hard to recover. Stagecoach increased its frequencies to try to compete against UK North – a key bene�it being a turn up and go service for the public. However, when UK North disappeared, the passenger numbers were still there – although the fares were very low. “A combination of that and reduced BSOG has unfortunately turned Finglands into a
As has been reported in the pages of this magazine in recent months, EYMS Group’s Manchester operation is in the process of being disposed of. Asked if he had any regrets about how things have worked out with the business, Peter replied: “Yes I do, but circumstances have forced it. When we bought it in 1992, it was one of the top 10 most pro�itable operators pro rata to its size. The business comprised a lot of private school work – which involved longer distances with concessionary fares.
loss-making business. The coaching side was recently sold to Bullocks, an excellent company. We tried several avenues but after Stagecoach bought Bluebird, it was felt the game had changed and First agreed to buy the bus operations – which remains subject to OFT approval.” However, Peter warned: “If we are unable to sell to First, we will be left with no choice but to close it down.” In a similar point of re�lection, does Peter have any regrets about selling East Yorkshire Travel,
Finglands & National Holidays
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I still feel the national concessionary fares scheme is the worst thing to have happened to the bus industry in all my 50 years of experience
including National Holidays to the Godfrey Burley Group? “On balance no. While it was pro�itable, for the volumes, it was time to sell it. Also, how we would have run it is different to how it’s being operated now. National Holidays undoubtedly bene�its from being part of Shearings.”
Concessionary fares
Like many of his fellow busmen, the issue of concessionary fares is a particularly big bugbear of Peter. “40% of our passengers are OAPs and in Bridlington that �igure is 70%. As a business, you’re stuffed if you don’t get paid properly. I stand by my remark at its introduction – it’s a sorry mess. We only get paid about half fare – and then there are the genuine half-fare passengers, i.e. children. “A lot of passengers tell us they’ll pay half fare but the problem is the government would almost certainly reduce reimbursement so we wouldn’t be any better off. In East Riding and Hull City, we have a �ixed pot which works well for both parties. There’s a cap and collar arrangement. The problem with a �ixed pot is that we get the same �igure regardless of miles run – which hits our new X4 Hull to York service for example. “Our service 4 in Scarborough loses money – it’s now supported by the local authority. Two years ago on our route 48 in Hull, some of our passengers agreed not to present their pass on the outward journey and to pay a single fare to save the service. However, the DfT jumped on us and threatened us with legal action. “I still feel the national concessionary fares scheme is the worst thing to have happened to the bus industry in all my 50 years of experience. I’m not blaming the local
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FACE TO FACE › PETER SHIPP authorities – they’ve got big funding issues. The DfT formula is deeply �lawed but they won’t �ind money to carry out proper research for obvious reasons.” Another frustration for Peter is roadworks. “In and around Hull, we’ve currently got 17 major sets at the same time involving occasional closures, one-way and convoy systems.”
Service delivery
“We’ve done a lot of good work to establish relationships with local authorities at East Riding, Hull City and North Yorkshire,” enthused Peter. “We can talk at both of�icer and councillor level. However, particularly in Hull, council staff numbers have been signi�icantly cut, which has resulted in not enough resources being available to adequately control and manage road works. Hull is the third largest city in Yorkshire yet the public transport department is so stretched. In stark contrast, East Riding is thankfully not under resourced. “Touchwood, Hull City and East Riding have not made signi�icant reductions in the level of concessionary fares reimbursement. I think they appreciate pro�its stay around here. The authorities appreciate there are no distant shareholders to and to be fair to the local authorities, I think they do the best they can for bus operators. “Evening and Sunday frequencies have reduced but the network in both authorities is better than pre-Beeching days. We’ve developed and maintained it.” Just then, Peter showed me a map of the bus network in pre-Beeching days. He points to railways lines and knows their closure dates off by heart. He continued: “For the ALBUM response to the Senior Traf�ic Commisioner’s punctuality consultation I started making a list of things which cause delays – but it’ll never be �inished.” Citing one such factor, he explained: “Speed limits are increasingly a problem. A prime example is on our Hull to Scarborough corridor, which is one of our main routes. We’re getting squeezed in terms of time. We’re now looking at the possibility of cycling the vehicles on the route with a local service but that’s not without its problems either. “The current return trip time is three hours, with a clockface timetable which sees departures at 25 past each hour from either end. Drif�ield depot in the middle of the route runs the 121 service. It only needs a small delay and the service quickly goes pear-shaped.” “It appears to me that as soon as local authorities hear of an accident, reducing the speed limit seems to be the default course of action.” Peter said cyclists are also an increasing issue. “Especially when they ride two abreast on rural roads. Buses can get stuck at 12mph for miles at a time.” Not one to merely moan about something, Peter never seems shy to tackle an issue. “I wrote to PACT, the Parliamentary Advisory Council on Transport Safety, asking them to look at the causes of pedestrian accidents. A lot of the causes are not currently recorded by the police. People with music blaring in their ears 22 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013
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Peter has warned that if the OFT does not sanction Finglands’ sale to First, it will be shut down is a particular hazard as they lose track of their surroundings. As an operator, we can work with schools to increase awareness. “We’ve also done some ‘swap with me’ events with our local Institute for the Blind. It’s great – we’ve got them to sit in bus cabs too. “We’ve also worked with Shopmobility. If people can travel to town without a wheelchair, they can hire a mobility scooter or chair at the bus station. It’s one less potential delay for the bus and it’s also helping to maintain people’s independence.” While the EYMS’ renowned training division is featured on p28 of this issue, Peter is rightly proud of it. “Darren and his team have really brought it up way beyond scratch – I’m delighted with it. Allied with that is GreenRoad and defensive driver training.”
Industry bodies
In his role as something of an industry statesman, Peter sits on several bodies. To this end he chairs ROSCO (Road Operators’ Safety Council), a role he has proudly had since 1994. Asked how he got involved with ROSCO, Peter replied: “I think it was a case of being volunteered as the CPT representative. It’s come on a bit. For a long time ROSCO was about recognising drivers for their safe driving. There’s a lot of networking opportunities for training and health & safety managers. We’re
also working with BUSK.” Peter has also been a member of the CPT Council since 2003, and more recently the CPT Bus Commission, and is member of the executive committee of ALBUM. On that note, he organised the 2010 ALBUM conference. “It took a lot of time but it was fun. It all came together with relative ease once the sponsorship was agreed.” In addition to chairing the East Riding Transport Partnership, he is a member of the Ryedale Transport and Access Partnership. A past President of the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Shipping, Peter is still an active member of the Chamber’s Council. For the record, Peter boasts a particular interest in PR. To this end, he has been vocal in lobbying for the bus industry through the trade and local media, especially in recent years, MPs and the former Minister Norman Baker MP. Indeed, Peter was fortunate to have face-to-face meetings with Norman and three of his predecessors, and a couple of years ago gave evidence to the Transport Select Committee which considered funding for buses after the CSR. He enjoys an excellent relationship with the local media. “We’ve done a lot of work with the Hull Daily Mail. The Assistant Editor said he likes the fact we reply to letters and communicate with our passengers via the paper. They also give us a proper right of reply.” ■ www.coachandbusweek.com
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FACE TO FACE › DEREK BRADLEY
Maintaining a balance
D
erek Bradley, Chief Engineer at East Yorkshire Motor Services (EYMS), came out of a very recent retirement to take over the reins of the engineering side of the business. Best described as a ‘seasoned professional’ Derek has a real passion for the job combined with a wealth of experience gained from a career which began with Yorkshire Traction and has since included spells with United Auto, South Yorkshire PTE, East Yorkshire (in the 1980s), Lincolnshire RoadCar and Stagecoach. Having quietly retired from the mainstream hustle and bustle of life under Stagecoach, where he had been since it acquired Yorkshire Traction and the Lincolnshire RoadCar subsidiary where Derek was based, one could wonder just what it was providing such a draw as to warrant a return to work. “Well, it certainly wasn’t the money,” he said with his characteristic wry smile. “This is the �irst time I’ve ever had a good quality company 24 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013
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car – and it gets me away from the wife for a few hours.” It’s the sort of typical comment you’d get from Derek – there’s a serious element underlying it but you know it’s a half-truth at best and it’s meant to amuse. Although I’ve never met Mrs Bradley I do know Derek’s passion outside of work is his beloved Ducati HyperStrada. So, if all he wanted to do was escape her clutches he’d be on his bike and gone for the day. Humour, however, plays a strong part in Derek’s make up and he uses it effectively in building up relationships with staff at all levels. Far from being soft, Derek is very demanding and expects people to do their jobs as they’ve been instructed to. Humour helps things along but he can be very direct and forthright when required. Ensuring things are done on time and correctly have stood him in good stead over the years and earned respect from many quarters. None more so than following the tragic fatal accident in Skegness, some years ago, where a Lincs Roadcar double decker struck and killed
Martin Cole talks to EYMS Chief Engineer Derek Bradley about his philosophy, experiences and systems
�ive pedestrians. Derek said: “It was a terrible two-and-a-half years not knowing what the outcome would be and that you could be going to prison if the vehicle was found to be faulty. VOSA were never involved, it was immediately a police investigation and they went over that bus with a toothcomb. They looked at the whole operation and maintenance records to see if we had any history of not doing things by the book. They soon concluded it was a thoroughly professionally run business. We actually built up quite a good relationship with the police as we spent so much time with them, but always at the back of your mind is what can happen if things go wrong. I knew deep down we should have little to worry about. Our buses were regularly maintained and in good condition – but there’s that fear you or one of your staff may have missed something which could have contributed to someone’s death. If the police had found something we could have been up on
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An older step-entrance Optare Prisma awaits attention in the Anlaby Road depot in Hull
Open-top double deckers still provide a strong attraction at coastal resorts in the tourist season manslaughter charges. It was a huge relief when we were cleared.”
Responsibilities
Derek’s remit covers nine depots. Eight are spaced across the region and he is also responsible for the Whittle’s subsidiary at Kidderminster – which caters for a total of 37 vehicles split almost 50/50 between buses and coaches. The EYMS �leet currently stands at 313 vehicles. Of these, 25 are coaches, 14 of which are operated on busy National Express diagrams. The main engineering facility, effectively the central works, is based in Hull’s Anlaby Road depot. This accommodates 149 vehicles – over a third of the EYMS �leet. It also caters for groupwide vehicle test preparation, has its own ATF lane, and facilities for bodyshop/trim and paint shop – which uses traditional brush and roller painting rather than spray painting. The other sizeable depot in the group is at Scarborough and smaller regional depots are www.coachandbusweek.com
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based at Bridlington, Pocklington, Beverley, Elloughton, Drif�ield, Withernsea and Hornsea. Each of the smaller depots has two �itters on site but they are shared with neighbouring depots when required. Just outside Withernsea is a small outstation at Waxholme which basically provides hard standing for four vehicles. These are dedicated to school work with one spare bus provided by Withernsea if required. Two �itters allocated to Withernsea share their time with Waxholme as necessary. Reporting to Derek are Depot Engineers covering the north and south regions. Richard Horbury (north) is based at Scarborough and also responsible for Bridlington, Pocklington and Drif�ield. John Taylor (south) deals with the PSV maintenance side at Hull and is responsible for Withernsea, Hornsea and Elloughton. Derek maintains direct responsibility for the bodyshop and paint facility at Hull. Four preserved buses are garaged at Hull and when (if) there is any spare time, staff can carry
on with converting a double decker damaged by a tree strike into an open-top sightseeing bus. The current occupant of the conversion bay has its roof removed and most of the interior stripped – but has lacked any serious attention for a while. Derek keeps a very close eye on vehicle availability and has worked hard on reducing unscheduled downtime. He said: “Keeping things running smoothly is a priority. We try and be as lean as possible with spare capacity because it is expensive having vehicles around just for sake of providing cover. Generally any spare buses we have at Hull are used as replacements around the group while buses from the other depots are here for maintenance or testing, but it gets very tight if there are breakdowns to cover as well. “We have an engine down on one of the hybrids at present and it has had to go away as we don’t want our guys electrocuted by touching anything they shouldn’t. Other VOR problems can quickly use up the spare
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FACE TO FACE › DEREK BRADLEY capacity so we try and keep everything running reliably. When I started here there seemed to be a bit of a problem with engine failures. No oil sampling was going on and it seemed like they had been trying to get too much out of extending the oil drain periods. I’ve reinstated sampling and keep a close check on the results – so now if the oil shows it needs changing we change it immediately. Reliability has since improved.”
Monitoring
With Derek, keeping things running smoothly and ef�iciently is all about regimes and sticking to them. One simple example involves vehicle cleaning. Scarborough was turned over to contract cleaning some time ago but a new system is being introduced at the remaining depots. Derek said: “Costs for cleaning at some depots had soared and contract cleaning at Scarborough was seen as a way of controlling the expense there. At the other depots we are reverting to using top quality product with a metered supply system. The �irst installation has shown we can effectively clean our buses for not much money per week at all. “Having barrels of cleaning chemical around the place without a metered dispensing system leads to staff overdosing their wash buckets and often to the point where the concentration is suf�icient to damage the paintwork. These days the chemicals are highly concentrated and you need very little quantity to work effectively. Without proper metering it’s too easy for someone to use a cupful when a teaspoon full is all the chemical you require. So it can become very expensive in terms of material cost and you are going to have to repaint vehicles much earlier to keep them looking attractive. “Spare parts for vehicles are so much more expensive too. I can’t believe how much the prices have increased over the last couple of years. Fortunately we have a very effective Parts Manager in John Ellis. He is exceptionally good at his job and ensures we get good value for money. He certainly takes a lot of weight off my shoulders.” Ten double deckers in the EYMS �leet are Enviro400H hybrids which were part funded through the Green Bus Fund. Although one of these had lost an engine Derek con�irmed after a period of bedding in they had settled down and were generally very reliable. He remains far from convinced they are the way forward. They function as they should but the costs outweigh the bene�its when they are so expensive initially and completely unviable without grant support. He also has concerns about a switch to CNG which are based mainly around the cost of the infrastructure required to support them. EYMS has also looked into using fuel additives to reduce its overall fuel consumption but has yet to come to a de�initive position. Derek said: “I’ve no of�icial comment to make at present. We’ve tried very hard to give it a fair trial but it was introduced almost the same time as GreenRoad and its dif�icult to say de�initively whether it is responsible for any fuel saving or not. We had it withdrawn from the depots in Scarborough in a bid to see if there was any marked change. It will be reinstated to see if it has any immediate effect. Until we’ve had a full 12 months and gained conclusive results from long-term data, one way 26 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013 024_027_CBW1118_EYMS Engineering.indd 26
This Caetano Levante-bodied Volvo B12B is one of 14 coaches dedicated to National Express work
The garage at Withernsea is home to 18 buses
An open-topper in the making - time permitting www.coachandbusweek.com
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Parts are so expensive now, I can’t believe how much they’ve gone up – Derek Bradley
One of the 10 ADL Enviro400H hybrids which operate on Route 57
Tree damage to the roof rendered this double decker as a suitable candidate for conversion to open top operation www.coachandbusweek.com
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or the other, it wouldn’t be fair to comment.” While Derek feels GreenRoad driver behaviour monitoring has had a very positive effect in reducing fuel consumption and reducing accident damage, he asked Training Manager Darren Kendrew to provide an overview of how EYMS had adopted it and was beginning to �ind it increasingly useful. Darren said: “The system began to produce savings almost immediately after it was installed. We tried it as a staged introduction at Hornsea and Elloughton depots initially and it coincided with us having introduced SAFED training. This helped us achieve better fuel economy from the word go, both from improved driving and much less engine idling time. It has since been rolled out across the group with the Whittle’s operation coming on board at the beginning of this year to complete the group-wide adoption of the technology. “We keep �inding more and more to gain from the system all the time. Close monitoring of the results indicates variances between the different depots which show the effect of local terrain or congestion but in all cases the results are positive. Improved driving has also meant a signi�icant risk reduction so there are fewer incidents requiring repairs and eases our insurance burden. “GreenRoad is developing the product all the time and it has allowed us to track vehicles to �ind their speci�ic location and now this can include driver details as well. We can print
out performance reports which are ideal for debrie�ing drivers after a period of training so they can see exactly how they are improving – or where they need to concentrate their attention. Overall monitoring helps us to identify if there are drivers who may require speci�ic training. Any incidents of harsh braking, acceleration, sharp cornering or over-revving are also noted, so it means we have a de�initive record of the driving activity and we can deal more easily with any complaints or use the information for detailed accident analysis. “Drivers can now log-into the system with their smartphones at anytime to get a record of their own personal history and performance. We produce a monthly report for each depot so they can see how they are doing collectively. We don’t have any personal incentive schemes running for the most ef�icient drivers but EYMS agreed all employees would bene�it from the savings made which would be directed towards pay increases. “GreenRoad itself monitors the data from all its customers and has created a rating scheme called Fleet Elite Status. To qualify for the title a driver must have driven for at least 500 hours and maintained a safety score lower than �ive over the 12-months from January to December. I’m extremely proud to say at the end of 2012 EYMS had 23 drivers achieve Fleet Elite Status. This shows EYMS’ drivers are among the best anywhere. GreenRoad says less than 5% of drivers, overall, achieve the Elite ranking. It presents all those gaining the achievement with a certi�icate and a pin-badge. Our Elite drivers have worn this with pride. Other drivers are now also very keen to hit the mark. Although we have attached no �inancial incentive to gaining Fleet Elite Status we did make a gesture of recognition by giving them shopping vouchers. “Our group performance has been very good under GreenRoad. It hit a glitch at the start of this year as the Whittle’s operation came aboard but it has now settled down and we are back on course.
Conclusion
Concluding the day at EYMS, Derek spoke brie�ly about the 10 hybrids running on Route 57 in Hull. He said: ”Now they have settled down they are doing quite well. The only problems are with things unrelated to hybrid technology. The electrics aboard the vehicle have been reliable, it’s the silly things which let them down. We’ve had a fan stop working in one of them, a propshaft issue on another and any number of problems with AdBlue sensors. Fortunately we’ve been very well looked after by our local ADL engineer Simon Norton. He’s given us brilliant service and been on top of everything as soon as he could. He’s worked some long hours, even over holiday periods’ to keep the hybrids on the road. “As for performance – they all go very well but fuel consumption varies considerably and they are not really delivering the savings we’d hoped see. The terrain over the route is a little �lat to take much advantage from regenerative braking and it may be a bit too congested to get the best performance from them. “They certainly present a challenge,” he mused. “In fact I think James Freeman said it very well in your magazine the other week – ‘Hybrids are dif�icult to manage.’” ■
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INSIGHT › TRAINING
EYMS Bus & Coach Training has a very high first-time pass rate for licence acquisition courses
A
s well as its coach and bus operations, EYMS is well known for offering training services. The subsidiary, EYMS Bus & Coach Training, provides comprehensive training across EYMS Group in Hull, East Riding, Scarborough and North Yorkshire, as well as Finglands Coachways in Manchester and Whittle Coach and Bus in Worcestershire. Many EYMS drivers hold NVQ level 2 certi�icates and have achieved awards from the Road Operators Safety Council (ROSCO), of which EYMS is an active member. Darren Kendrew is the Training Manager at EYMS and Finglands. He heads up a team of eight trainers, who report to him. New drivers coming into the company can be trained up to licence acquisition if they are new to the profession along with company required training, or given speci�ic training on the commercial side of the business, including customer care skills, ticket machines use etc, if they already hold a PCV licence. “Anyone coming in with a licence gets induction training as required,” Darren said. “We make sure they’re aware of what we need from them operationally and commercially, and give them Driver CPC training if required.” On top of internal Driver CPC courses, EYMS offers them commercially, as well as other commercial training and private PCV licence 28 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013
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Proactive about training Darren Kendrew, Training Manager at EYMS Group, speaks to James Day about the legacy of regular training at the company
acquisition. The company is on-going with work for the Department for Work and Pensions and trained individuals at several other coach and bus operators. “We’re an established name in the community,” Darren added.
A history of training
EYMS has always been proactive about driver training, which has been an aspect of the business back as far as the 1920s and 30s. The operator makes sure all of its drivers are well versed in customer care, defensive driving and Driver’s Hours regulations.
In 2005 and 2006 the company established a number of courses in preparation for Driver CPC, which were subsequently given formal accreditation. It currently is an approved trainer for the DfT for coach and bus SAFED training. EYMS offers a suite of Driver CPC courses which are suf�icient for a driver not to need to repeat a course when completing their entire 35 hours of training with EYMS. Courses on offer include seven-hour one-day courses and a number of half-day courses which can be mixed and matched. They are as follows: Seven hour courses: ● SAFED course developing fuel ef�icient driving; www.coachandbusweek.com
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defensive driving course. EYMS has two dedicated training rooms in Hull, along with another in Bridlington. It has four full-size training vehicles and a further dedicated vehicle for assessments, with access to C1 class vehicles as required. “We’ve also got the resources for manual licence acquisition available to us as required, although we likely wont need it in the near future with the new licence acquisition rules coming in,” Darren added. “If an operator can provide somewhere for us to deliver the training to them then we can visit their premises, but the bulk of our clients are happy to come to us.”
Driver CPC
For its own drivers, EYMS aims to provide one Driver CPC course per year, spreading the training out across the �ive year period. “Depending on the driver, there may be requirements for additional training,” Darren added. “If CPC approved, the additional training will be recorded towards the 35 hours. We aim to have refresher courses on a three to four year rolling program. “Because of the nature of our operation the bulk of our drivers are domestic drivers, although for some the National Express additional training comes in too.” EYMS has around 500 drivers, plus ancillary staff who also go through the Driver CPC training. There are a further 70 at the Whittle’s operation and another 60 at Finglands. Additionally the business’ operations staff usually hold licences. “I have one still,” Darren said. “It’s good to keep in touch as well. A few years ago I also did my national management CPC.” Recently, EYMS took part in the Government’s ● Customer Care and Disability Equality (Awareness); ● Working Time, Drivers’ Hours and tachograph regulations – including both analogue and digital tachograph systems; and ● Defensive driving and driver development course; Three and a half hour: ● Health and safety; ● Manual handling; ● Safe banksman/reversing vehicle operation; ● Working Time, Drivers’ Hours & tachograph regulations short course; ● Driver safety checks and basic mechanical principles; ● Driver legal awareness; and ● DDA lift and wheelchair loading procedures. EYMS also has National Express’ customer care courses as part of its training catalogue. It’s National Express’s own course, but EYMS is authorised to deliver it. “It’s very useful because it means we don’t need to release drivers to go elsewhere within the country for this seven hour bespoke course,” Darren explained. “We also have some new courses in trial stages of development. These include evacuation and accident reporting & investigation.” Many local businesses and operators have used EYMS’ training facilities, including a local security company, which sent its drivers on the
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‘call for evidence’ ahead of its response to the European Commission (CBW1116). “We’re at the end of our �irst �ive year period for our sector, so now is an opportunity to develop Driver CPC, correct any loopholes, such as drivers potentially taking the same course �ive times, and so on,” Darren stated. “I don’t think there are so many problems with it that it’s a case of starting from scratch – it’s more about upping the ante. The directive has a lot of potential. “I’d like more �lexibility in the time period allowed between starting a course and completing it. Right now its 24 hours, but it could easily be 48 or 72 hours. A seven-hour course is a long day, even for the trainers who are delivering the course. With shorter days, drivers are more likely to retain the information. Courses can be structured accordingly. “I think at the end of the day the directive is a good thing. It makes safe drivers. We were always proactive about training and delivered a lot of training days prior to 2008, so the only thing Driver CPC has done is rubber stamped a lot of the training we already did. “We’ve had drivers from other operators arrive for training with us and admit it’s the �irst formal training they’ve received in 30 years. With all the changes to tachograph regulations and so on over that length of time, how rusty are they? Drivers completing our courses on tachographs are given the same training as someone just entering the industry, so operators can be sure they’re up to date on the regulations.” After the �irst �ive years of Driver CPC, EYMS has delivered over 4,300 seven-hour modules and 1,300 complete Driver CPC courses. “We’ve been very successful and gained
Training Livery
Traditionally the EYMS training buses have been yellow. Recently however, the operator gave the livery a complete overhaul. The vehicles are now predominantly white, with a Riviera blue skirt derived from the coach side of the business and burgundy roof from bus side. “The new livery has a link with both our coach and bus operations but now stand out as a training provider,” Darren explained. “It got a mixed reaction at first, but now people say the logo sits a lot better on the vehicle and the whole image looks much more professional.” At the EYMS Big Bus Day, the training department holds a competition for youngsters to choose a name for one of the training buses, with the proceeds going to the NSPCC. This year eight-year-old Emily from Driffield and five year old Marcus from Hull chose the name ‘Busby’ for one of our training buses. Last year Faith Hamilton from Hull chose to name a training bus Faith, since ‘passengers need to have faith in the bus driver’ as well as it being her name. ‘Faith’ is pictured above.
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INSIGHT › TRAINING a lot of customers and repeat business,” Darren added. “We’ve already got Driver CPC bookings going well into next year.”
Mutual understanding
Another side of the training which EYMS offers is the company being proactive within its local community. It has joined in with several initiatives designed to give those involved a greater understanding of each other’s experiences – such as ‘Swap With Me’ events with visually impaired passengers and a separate switchover involving drivers and cyclists. “We attended a Swap With Me event in partnership with the RNIB and the local HERIB centre (Hull and East Riding Institute for the Blind). It was a great success and on the strength of it, rolled out a second one. “It went down very well and we had really positive feedback from the drivers. It’s also helped to develop our existing courses, since we also had the trainers involved.” Staff from EYMS also attended the Hull Skyride event to help raise the safety awareness for bus drivers and cyclists as they are sharing the same stretch of road. The swapping event focused on blind spots, making drivers aware of where a cyclist might be hidden from their view and in turn making the cyclist aware of when a large bus might be unaware of their presence. “One of our trainers and myself took the bus into city centre to which the trainer was proactive on a bicycle. We put cyclists in the bus driver seat and the trainer moved into a blind spot. We’d often hear the cyclists asking ‘Where’s he gone?’ It was quite successful at educating people about areas of vulnerability around a large vehicle. “Thankfully we’ve been very fortunate to not have any serious incidents involving cyclists in our operating territory, but by making both road users aware and giving drivers defensive driving training we can share the road safety.”
Award winning team
While Driver CPC doesn’t have any formal assessment to measure its effectiveness as yet, EYMS has some very impressive pass rates for
Darren (centre) with the training team and their Training Excellence Award from 2009
A BRIEF HISTORY
Darren Kendrew “I joined EYMS in 1989. I was an engineer prior to that, but the recession which was on in the 80s prompted a career change. “Being involved in the coach and bus industry was something of a boyhood dream. “I started as a driver working on a variety of services. I progressed via an NVQ scheme and became an internal verifier for EYMS. “I later moved over to the training side of the business more as NVQ Coordinator. The company was gradually taking on more and more in-house courses such as those focused on customer care. In 2007 I was promoted to Training Manager. It came out of the blue for me but I’ve never looked back since and love every minute.”
Darren Kendrew at this year’s EYMS Big Bus Day with his daughter 30 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013 028_030_CBW1118_EYMS Training.indd 30
its licence acquisition training. This year the driving theory pass rate for EYMS stands at 94%. Hazard perception is at 80%, case studies 83% and practical driving 67%. The practical demonstration pass rate was stated as 94.8%, but Darren explained this is likely to have increased beyond 95% with new batch of drivers going through the process and all passing. “We have a fantastically dedicated team here,” Darren said. “We’ve had one trainer retire this year on November 7 who had been with the company for 33 plus years and a trainer for 28 of those. He was actually the trainer who assessed me when I started with the company and I ended up being his manager. “The team is loyal, faithful and very good at what they do. They all have a driving background with roots in the industry some having LGV experience also. All the trainers have developed their skills with NVQ training and numerous teaching quali�ications at Levels 3 and 4 over the years. “Since I became Training Manager in 2007, we’ve only had two trainers leave us, both for retirement.” EYMS is currently in the process of training a new member of the team, who is the company’s �irst female trainer. Darren said she is already coming on ‘leaps and bounds’ as she goes through her training programme. The quality of EYMS’ training division has seen it make the shortlist three times for national awards and win a local business Training Excellence award two years running in 2009 and 2010. It has made the local award shortlist once again this year. ■ For further information contact EYMS Bus & Coach Training on: ● Tel: 01482 592935 ● email: training@eyms.co.uk ● Follow EYMS’ training division on Twitter @EYtraining
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INSIGHT › COMMERCIAL MATTERS
Commercial O operations Gareth Evans talks to Bob Rackley, Commercial Manager at EYMS and meets some of his team
verseeing EYMS’ commercial operations is Bob Rackley, who is perhaps best described as a friendly, approachable career busman, with a wealth of knowledge and experience. On his Linkedin pro�ile, he lists his role as including ‘marketing, service planning, business development, customer relations & commercial systems for EYMS’ 260 vehicle local bus network & contracts.’
Career
“I started as a graduate management trainee with United in Darlington, before progressing to West Riding’s Featherstone garage as Depot Superintendent,” he said. “From there I moved to Trent as Depot Superintendent at Nottingham, which was a much larger depot. My next move took me to Cambus, where I managed Cambridge depot. After becoming a director, I was part of the Cambus management buy-out but that broke up fairly quickly. I then returned to Newcastle upon Tyne as District Manager at Northumbria, which had of course been part of United, after which I moved south to Badgerline as Regional Director West. I was at Badgerline in its plc days. To be honest we knew we were too top heavy in terms of senior management.” “I left there 18 years to come here supposedly on a temporary basis. It’s now 34 years since I joined the NBC. I’ve seen a lot of changes in that time – although not quite as many as Peter,” he mused.
Bob’s role
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Bob’s duties include service planning, marketing, local authority liaison and in his own words, “major customers, such as National Express.” He added: “We operate 17 NX diagrams – a dozen at East Yorkshire and �ive at Whittles. NX work is great – as long as you run it correctly. It’s very quality-focused.” Bob also spends “a lot of time” doing concessionary fares. “If you change one little variable, it throws the results by 5% either way, which can be a lot of money. Variables include assumptions for passenger numbers and vehicle speed – but what has speed got to do with concessionary travel you may ask? You work how much mileage is covered by commercial and tendered journeys. The administration is horrendous – I don’t know how smaller operators manage,” he observed. “The other thing is the high number of concessionary pass holders in this area. They make up 90% of our passengers on our route 4 in Scarborough. Combined with lower tender prices and mileage, it makes life challenging.” In a remark which will strike a chord with many of his fellow industry professionals, Bob said: “The public think running full buses is pro�itable yet the opposite is often the case.” Bob is also responsible for smartcards. “We invested in Wayfarer 200s in 2011, having had our own smartcards on the TGX150 since 2001. We’ve now got dual-reading devices, which accept both Wayfarer and ITSO cards, thus enabling us to retain our own commercial product. These include stored value cards offering 10% cash discount and 20% for students. www.coachandbusweek.com
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Claire Robinson is not only a marketeer, but is also the friendly face behind EYMS’ Twitter account “You see another problem with concessionary fares is we are unable to offer cash promotions as it modi�ies the average fare, which leads to reduced levels of reimbursement, meaning there is no chance of increasing revenue overall.” In terms of business mix, Bob was not wrong when he said: “The critical thing with East Yorkshire is we’ve got such a range of business.” This includes: ● Town networks in Bridlington and Scarborough; ● Seasonal open top services and those to holidays centres; ● Interurban routes; ● Coaching; ● National Express; and of course; and ● The main Hull city network. “We run about 40% of the Greater Hull network.” “It gives us that vital balance,” he added. Asked about technology he would like to see, Bob replied: “We’re part of the Yorkshire RTI scheme. It’s the second largest in Europe as one system in terms of numbers of bus stops covered. The two PTEs lead on it. However, the problem is it’s now 10 years old. Since 2011, our RTI has fed directly off the ticket machine – that’s the way forward in my opinion.”
Coaching
A dozen vehicles are currently allocated to the Hull-based coaching �leet – a �igure which excludes the NX pool. “Coaching makes up 3-4% of EYMS’ turnover,” explained Bob. “It’s struggling – the market is tough. In fact, the holiday programme is being reduced due to intense competition. It also requires a lot of management time as the work is different each week. Coaching needs sorting out as it’s not currently making any real money, but we do a lot of school-based work.” With this in mind, it came as no surprise when Bob said of the future: “Private hire and school coaching will remain but I can’t say the same about our tour programme.”
Public engagement
As we all know, a key part of marketing any product or service is customer engagement. To this end, EYMS is an enthusiastic user of Twitter. Claire Robinson is responsible for marketing and social media. Indeed, she is the friendly face www.coachandbusweek.com
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Open 0800 – 2000hrs seven days a week, the call centre handles enquiries for Traveline in North and East Yorkshire, as well as from local customers
behind the screen, as it were, at EYMS HQ. “We’re keen Twitter users here,” she explained. “Twitter is the best medium for service information, such as at times of bad weather.” EYMS has taken things a little further than many other UK coach and bus operators by running competitions. Claire talked enthusiastically about the most recent such example. “We’ve just had competition giving away Double Decker chocolate bars to our followers. All they had to do was Tweet ‘I love EYMS because...’ It was really popular – it was certainly well received.” In a similar vain, EYMS has run a photography competition this year. “We did it in the summer. We had over 100 entries to a high standard. They included both the familiar front three-quarter
“We’ve come a long way in the past 10 years. as technology has really speeded up processes.” “All we need electronic drivers,” he mused.
Points of information
The call centre is based on the ground �loor of the head of�ice. Seven work stations handle up to 2,000 calls per day for both EYMS and Traveline. “The call centre can provide information on service disruption at a local level. We try to get information from inspectors and other operators to feed back to our customers. We value local knowledge. It’s open 0800 – 2000hrs, seven days a week,” explained Bob. “We also issue smartcards from here.” EYMS also maintains the roadside bus stop information on its routes outside Hull.
Coaching makes up 3-4% of EYMS’ turnover. It’s struggling – the market is tough. In fact, the holiday programme is being reduced due to intense competition angles and also artistic, creative shots, which we really liked. The winner was presented with £100 worth of vouchers for photographic equipment.”
Right on schedule
A three man team works on the �irm’s scheduling and they’re constantly reviewing service reliability. Tony Randerson, Alistair Friar and Karl Cropper clearly work well together – friendly banter is not in short supply. After giving a brief demonstration of the ACIS Horizon real-time information system, Alistair said the �irm’s longest route – the 121 Hull to Scarborough – is currently being looked at. “End to end, it’s over 100kms so the route is split at Drif�ield and Bridlington, which sees the destination and ticket machine change accordingly. There are 87 fare stages,” he explained. Bob said: “We were one of the �irst to use EBSR (Electronic Bus Service Registration), which helped to streamline our administration system.” Alistair continued: “Omnibus is a great system – it’s very user-friendly. It’s fast and we �ind it’s a great tool. We use everything in the package, from timetabling to producing roadside publicity.
“We’ve got our own design studio – he’s a one man band and does all our publicity. He designed the coaching bus livery for example. He also designs the timetables and tour brochures.” Turning to the travel shops, Bob said a deal has recently been struck with local train operator First TransPennine Express for a mutually bene�icial arrangement to run the travel of�ice at Scarborough station. “We’re not just talking about bus-rail integration – we’re doing it,” he enthused.
Conclusion
As I prepared to head back to Peterborough, Bob observed: “I’ve worked in different �irms but East Yorkshire is certainly an enjoyable place to be. “We don’t have to spend valuable time writing management reports – we just go to Peter. We can respond quickly to things. Peter’s genuine – what you see is what you get. He’s very much focused on keeping people in employment. He doesn’t like implementing cuts in service frequencies which lead to redundancies and impact on families.” Perhaps Bob was not wrong when he concluded: “I think Peter is unique.” ■
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THE BIG PICTURE Beverley is the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire. On April 10, 2013, East Yorkshire’s 483 (Y483 VRH), one of nine Plaxton Mini Pointer-bodied Dennis Dart SLFs new in April 2001, passes the Grade II listed signal box, built by the North Eastern Railway in 1911, as it heads out of town operating a local service. Beverley station, with its elegant overall roof, is also listed but just out of shot to the right of the picture, and is situated on the Yorkshire Coast line between Hull and Scarborough. This attractive scene was caught on camera by John Robinson.
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FLEET PROFILE
The EYMS vehicle
allocations James Day compiles the EYMS �leet pro�ile, including the full listings for coaches and buses for each of the operator’s main depots
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YMS has a �leet of 313 vehicles, with registration dates ranging from 1996 to 2011. While the average age of the �leet is quite high, the operator has one of the best maintenance records in the country, with �irst-time MoT pass rates above 98% for the last �ive years. Another unusual aspect of the business is the number of depots which it uses for the amount of vehicles it has. In total there are nine depots, the smallest being Hornsea (11 vehicles) and the largest Hull (114 vehicles allocated to bus operations, and a further 16 for coaches, not including any National Express vehicles). What follows is the full �leet list of EYMS, excluding Whittles and Finglands and correct according to information provided by EYMS
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on December 13, 2013. Vehicles are arranged alphabetically by body type, with listings include quantity, body, chassis and year of registration.
Beverly (13 Vehicles)
1 ADL Enviro200 (2007) 2 Northern Counties Palatine 1 Volvo Olympian (1998) 1 Plaxton Beaver Mercedes-Benz Vario (2002) 2 Plaxton Mini Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (2001) 1 Plaxton Mini Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (2004) 1 Plaxton Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (1999) 1 Plaxton Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (2000) 1 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B7TL (2005) 1 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2008) 1 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2009) 1 Wrightbus Eclipse Volvo B7RLE (2010)
Bridlington (17 Vehicles)
2 Northern Counties Palatine 1 Volvo Olympian (1996) 1 Northern Counties Palatine 2 Volvo Olympian (1997) 1 Northern Counties Palatine 2 Volvo Olympian (1998) 1 Optare Excel L1150 (1998) 1 Optare Prisma Mercedes 0405 Citybus (1997) 1 Plaxton Mini Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (2000) 1 Plaxton Mini Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (2001) 2 Plaxton Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (1999) 2 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2002) 1 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2003) 3 Plaxton Primo (2006) 1 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B7TL (2005)
Driffield (15 Vehicles)
1 Alexander ALX300 Volvo B10BLE (2000) 1 Optare Prisma Mercedes-Benz 0405 Citybus (1998) 1 Plaxton Beaver Mercedes-Benz Vario (2002) 2 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2002) 1 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B7TL (2006) 2 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2007) 7 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2009)
Elloughton (19 Vehicles)
1 ADL Enviro400 (2010) 1 ADL Enviro400 (2011) 1 Northern Counties Palatine 1 Volvo Olympian (1996) 2 Northern Counties Palatine 1 Volvo Olympian (1998) 1 Optare Solo M850 (2001) 2 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2002) 2 Wrightbus Eclipse Volvo B7RLE (2010) 1 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B7TL (2005) 6 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2009) 2 Wrightbus Eclipse Urban Volvo B7RLE (2004)
Hornsea (11 Vehicles)
2 Alexander ALX300 MAN 18.220 (2002) 1 Optare Solo M850 (2005)
A Wrightbus Eclipse Urban-bodied Volvo B7RLE in an alternative livery. Steve Hodgson
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TOP THREE BODY MANUFACTURERS
Wrightbus
Plaxton Northern Counties
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TOP THREE CHASSIS MANUFACTURERS
Optare Prisma-bodied Mercedes-Benz 0405 Citybus at Showbus 2010
Another Caetano Levante Volvo in East Yorkshire Coaches’ livery. Tony Hunter
Volvo
Dennis
Alexnader Dennis
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NatEx contracts are fulfilled with Caetano Levante Volvos. Tony Hunter
An Open-top Plaxton President-bodied Volvo. Steve Hodgson
Alexander ALX300-bodied MAN 18.220. Steve Hodgson
There are only two Optare Solos in the fleet. Steve Hodgson www.coachandbusweek.com
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One of 10 ADL Enviro400H Hybrids which EYMS procured with Green Bus Funding in 2011 December 18, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 39 16/12/2013 17:03
FLEET PROFILE FLEET MAINTENANCE
A Plaxton Elite-bodied Volvo B9R, the only vehicle of its kind in the East Yorkshire Coaches fleet
EYMS’s record of performance at the annual vehicle test is well above industry averages. During 2013 performance at the statutory annual test (MoT) has been 98.3% ‘first time pass’ which compares very favourably with the national performance of 81.5% (VOSA 2012/13 effectiveness report). So far in 2013, there have been only four failures and none of those were for serious safetyrelated items. Six VOSA checks were made on EYMS buses in 2013 to date of which three revealed no defects of any sort, three received advisory notices:- - one slipping drive belts, one stiff emergency door and one defective legal ownership lettering details. In 2012 all 299 vehicles presented for the stringent annual test passed ‘first time’ – a 100% record and compared to 99% in 2011. The one test failure in March 2013 was the first since April 2011, an unbroken run of 554 vehicles tested without a single failure. It is believed that this maintenance standard is one of the best in the UK bus and coach industry. MOT Pass rates for last five years: PASS % PAR % FAIL 2009 314 99.7 0 0 1 2010 322 99.1 0 0 3 2011 310 99.0 1 0.3 2 2012 299 100 0 0 0 2013 ytd 272 98.1 1 0.4 4
An ADL E400-bodied Volvo B9TL. Steve Hodgson 1 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B7TL (2006) 5 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2008) 2 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2009)
Hull (114 Vehicles)
2 ADL Enviro200 (2007) 3 ADL Enviro400 Volvo B9TL (2007) 10 ADL Enviro400 Hybrid (2011) 9 Alexander ALX300 MAN 18.220 (2002) 2 Alexander ALX300 Volvo B10BLE (2000) 1 East Lancs Mylennium MAN 14.220 (2003) 6 Northern Counties Palatine 1 Volvo Olympian (1996) 1 Northern Counties Palatine 1 Volvo Olympian (1998) 2 Northern Counties Palatine 2 Volvo Olympian (1997) 6 Optare Excel L1150 (1998) 1 Plaxton Mini Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (2000) 3 Plaxton Mini Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (2001) 1 Plaxton Mini Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (2002) 1 Plaxton Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (2000) 3 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2000) 3 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2001) 10 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2002) 9 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2003) 3 Plaxton Primo (2006) 2 Wrightbus Cadet Volvo Merit (2003) 3 Wrightbus Eclipse Volvo B7RLE (2010) 5 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B7TL (2005) 2 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B7TL (2006) 6 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2007) 4 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2008) 7 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2009) 1 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2010) 2 Wrightbus Eclipse Urban Volvo B7RLE (2004) 40 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013 038_40_CBW1118_EYMS Fleet.indd 40
A Plaxton President-bodied Volvo. Steve Hodgson 6 Wrightbus Eclipse Urban Volvo B7RLE (2006)
Hull Coaching (16 Vehicles)
1 Alexander ALX400 Volvo B7TL (2002) 1 Berkhof Axial 50 Volvo B10M Mk IV (1999) 2 Caetano Levante Volvo B12B (2007) 1 Optare Prisma Mercedes 0405 Citybus (1997) 1 Plaxton Cheetah 2 Mercedes 816D (2009) 1 Plaxton Elite Volvo B9R (2012) 3 Plaxton Panther Volvo B12B (2005) 3 Plaxton Panther Volvo B12B (2007) 1 Volvo 9700 Prestige Plus B12BT (2007) 1 Volvo 9700 Prestige Plus B12BT (2009) 1 Volvo 9700 Prestige Plus B12BT (2010)
National Express (14 Vehicles) 1 Caetano Levante Volvo B12B (2005) 3 Caetano Levante Volvo B12B (2007) 1 Caetano Levante Volvo B12B (2008) 3 Caetano Levante Volvo B9R (2012) 6 Caetano Levante Volvo B9R (2013)
Pocklington (13 Vehicles)
1 Alexander ALX300 Volvo B10BLE (2000) 2 Northern Counties Palatine 1 Volvo Olympian (1996) 3 Northern Counties Palatine 1 Volvo Olympian (1998) 3 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2002) 3 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B7TL (2005) 1 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B7TL (2006)
Scarborough (56 Vehicles) 3 ADL Enviro200 (2007) 5 ADL Enviro200 (2013)
% 0.3 0.9 0.7 0 1.5
(PAR = pass after rectification at test site) 2 ADL Enviro400 Volvo B9TL (2007) 1 Alexander ALX300 Volvo B10BLE (2000) 2 Caetano Compass Dennis Dart SLF (1999) 3 Northern Counties Palatine 1 Volvo Olympian (1996) 5 Northern Counties Palatine 1 Volvo Olympian (1998) 5 Optare Excel L1070 (1998) 2 Optare Prisma Mercedes-Benz 0405 Citybus (1997) 1 Optare Prisma Mercedes-Benz 0405 Citybus (1998) 2 Optare Solo M850 (2001) 6 Plaxton Centro Volvo B7RLE (2008) 7 Plaxton Mini Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (2000) 1 Plaxton Mini Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (2001) 2 Plaxton Pointer Dennis Dart SLF (1999) 2 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2000) 2 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2003) 1 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B7TL (2006) 4 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2008)
Withernsea (18 Vehicles)
2 Northern Counties Palatine 1 Volvo Olympian (1998) 1 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2000) 1 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B7TL (2005) 6 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2008) 7 Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini Volvo B9TL (2009) 1 Wrightbus Eclipse Urban Volvo B7RLE (2004)
Delicenced (7 Vehicles)
1 Northern Counties Palatine 1 Volvo Olympian (1996) 5 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2001) 1 Plaxton President Volvo B7TL (2002)
On loan to Whittles (1 Vehicle) 1 Alexander ALX300 Volvo B10BLE (2000)
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December 18, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 41
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EVM Sprinter Avantgarde 19 + Driver
EVM Sprinter X-Clusive 16 + Driver
MINIBUS The essential read for Minibus Operators
Inadequate funding – a road to ruin?
R
eaders will undoubted notice two key stories in this issue’s news pages show potential withdrawal of all transport authority support for West Midlands Special Needs Transport (WMSNT) while the Scottish Government is providing grant funding of £1m to aid community transport in Scotland. The effect on WMSNT could be close to catastrophic – especially for a socially necessary service which fills in the gaps even an efficient
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December 2013
local public transport system cannot seek to address. In Scotland it seems like the funding allocation is designed to spur activity from the community sector in a bid to maintain some sort of transport link for many of its small and isolated communities. With the larger operators backing away from rural services as support funding dwindles the only lifeline may be nothing more than a community minibus once or twice a week – which is bad enough for people who need shopping or to attend medical appointments but as much use as a chocolate teapot to anyone in education or with a job to attend. While any form of support for rural communities is desirable and very welcome, you have to wonder if, long term, community organisations will run into trouble as customer demand for more and regular services are called for. Such operations emerging to cope with this would have to run under Section 22 at the minimum and potentially they could grow to the point where they need to employ full time staff and begin to face the overheads commercial operators currently incur. It seems like it’s promoting another vicious circle. Martin Cole MINIBUS Editor
December 18, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | 43 16/12/2013 20:25
MINIBUS NEWS
19-seat Elegance for Caradoc Shropshire-based Caradoc Coaches has taken delivery of a 19-seat EVM Elegance based on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 516 Cdi with an automatic gearbox. It features a drop boot to provide more luggage space and EVM’s plug-type entrance door and entry step arrangement plus stepped double glazing in the saloon. Mercedes-Benz saloon and in-dash air conditioning ensure climatic control for passenger comfort and on-board entertainment is provided by a Mercedes-Benz Sound 20 upgrade plus a DVD with 15” monitor recessed at the front of the saloon. A PA system is also �itted. The 19 EVM Executive class seats with three-point seatbelts and folding arm rest to aisle sides
have been trimmed in Epengle Moquette with leather head rests. The customer also opted for an EVM body styling kit and chrome pack. With over 10 years of experience in the coach and minibus transport industry, Caradoc Coaches provide a professional service with experienced, friendly, uniformed drivers to give passengers a reliable and enjoyable journey. Based in Church Stretton, Shropshire, Caradoc Coaches has a �irst class �leet of coaches which can comfortably accommodate any group size. Graham Caradoc said EVM’s ability to deliver the new vehicle on time and the three-year unlimited mileage warranty from Mercedes Benz UK were key factors in choosing the Elegance.
T J Walsh takes delivery of two Bluebird Buses T J Walsh has taken delivery of two Bluebird Orion Plus low�loor buses to expand capacity on its Ripponden route. The company speci�ied both 20seat Orions with coach backs and ramped access to the front. The buses have �lat �loors throughout and a wheelchair area as well as luggage space. Neil Walsh, owner of T J Walsh commented: “Back in May 2013 we tested a Bluebird Orion Plus on our steep, rural routes and were thrilled with its performance. We achieved around 24 mpg, which is phenomenal given the terrain and a big improvement on the other vehicles in our �leet. “Our passengers enjoyed the Orion’s open and airy feel and found it very easy to get on and off.” Tom Miller, UK Sales Manager for Bluebird Vehicles said, “Neil really listens to his passengers and the speci�ication for the vehicles should exactly match the demands
of the rural shoppers. The stage carriage con�iguration and spring suspension should make for a fantastic passenger experience – along with the 19” LED Digital Displays to inform and entertain passengers as they travel.” Since 1983 when T J Walsh was running shoppers in 16seat, contract hire minibus, the company has been listening to local people and providing services which meet their speci�ic needs in this hilly part of Yorkshire. By 1994 the company was running public services to and from Halifax town centre. The company now runs 12 routes covering approximately 20 square miles from Illingworth in the north to Ripponden and Brighouse. There are currently 247 Bluebird Orion Vehicles on the road in the UK. The minibus sells to NHS and council services as well as bus operators who bene�it from the fuel economy it offers on high frequency or low volume routes.
West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive, Centro, now faced with making substantial cuts to its subsidised services, has decided to launch a public consultation on its £14.6m of proposed cuts. These include proposed measures such as stripping free tram and train travel from pensioners and increasing child fares on the buses. Public transport users in the region will be asked whether they would be prepared for free concessionary tram and train travel to be removed from pensioners altogether, or whether they would support an annual charge for the passes, of around £30, or prefer discounted fares. Ring and ride services, provided by the specialist charity West Midlands Special Needs Transport, currently cost taxpayers £10.5m per year.
Passengers using the dial-a-ride currently pay 60p per journey following a previous round of cuts which ended years of it being a completely free service. Centro is proposing to either remove 25% of its current grant, 50% or even considering to withdraw support altogether and hand responsibility for providing socially necessary services over to councils. In the event of the latter, it would then be up to each individual local authority to decide whether to use the service for its elderly and disabled people - possibly creating a postcode lottery in terms of the level of service. Consultations on Centro’s proposals run throughout December at key llocations across the West Midlands. Full details of the timetable can be viewed at www.centro.org.uk/ budgetconsultation
Centro funding cuts could damage West Midlands ring and ride services
19-seat EVM Elegance Sprinter 515 Cdi
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David Fishwick’s Bank of Dave shows gain BAFTA award
Louise Holbrook, Richard Davison and Chris Hanson from TJ Walsh pictured alongside a new Orion Plus
£1m minibus fund for Scottish voluntary organisations The Scottish government has launched a £1m fund for community organisations to buy new vehicles, scale up transport services or replace older vehicles. Grants of up to £50,000 are available from the fund, which will be jointly managed by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and the Community Transport Association (CTA). John Downie, Director of Public Affairs at SCVO, said: “It will counteract some of the negative impact of welfare reforms, particularly on disabled people.” The CTA’s Director for Scotland added: “This initiative was one of the main recommendations from the Scottish Parliament’s Inquiry into Community Transport and we are delighted the government has responded in such a positive manner.
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Heathcotes turn Hi-Tech and Hi-Fi Heathcotes Ltd of Chesterfield placed communications technology at the top of its specification list for a new EVM X-Clusive minicoach. Its spacious layout accommodates only 10 seats whille the customer also specified a 400mm chassis extension. Each of the leather upholstered VIP seats has a raised seat cushion and leg rests when reclined. Each seat position has its own drop-down touch screen monitor linked to a Funtoro Multimedia system combined with a Parrot Multimedia head unit for live media streaming, multimedia playback and live internet access. There are multiple Bluetooth outlets and a roof-mounted satellite receiver for watching TV and a reversing camera is linked to the Parrot multimedia head unit. Each seat
EVM Sprinter 519 Cdi X-Clusive pair also faces a mahogany table. Small refrigerators are positioned around the saloon for easy access and the window frames, luggage rack undersides and sills are trimmed in suede leather. Panoramic double glazed roof and side glazing were installed, a panoramic windscreen and a Mercedes-Benz air conditioning unit maintains the internal climate control with support from the standard indash unit.
David Fishwick’s crusade against the banking industry which led to him establishing his own bank and detailed in TV documentaries, landed his team a BAFTA at the second attempt. The producers behind the Burnley-born entrepreneur’s show, Bank on Dave, beat off competition from Kirstie Allsopp’s Fill Your House For Free, and Victoria Wood’s Nice Cup Of Tea, to win the Features and Entertainment category at the British Academy Scotland Awards. Mr Fishwick said: “We are all in a good mood. I don’t think you can ever expect to win, but in the back of mind my fingers were crossed. It’s fantastic. “I’m a big fan of Victoria Wood and I met Kirstie Allsopp last year on The One Show. All I could think was ‘they know what they’re doing.’ “I really want to stress, winning the award was a true team effort. It was down to the team. Everybody made this happen.” In 2012, David Fishwick, a selfmade millionaire from business enterprises including minibus and light commercial vehicle sales, picked up the Royal Television Society’s prize for best nations and regions programme for the same series. The show, which followed Mr Fishwick’s low-interest ‘bank’, Burnley Savings and Loans Limited, was made by Finestripe Productions for Channel 4. The bank opened in Keirby Walk, Burnley in September 2011, after Mr Fishwick found many of his minibus firm’s customers were struggling to get loans from their high street banks. Under the slogan ‘Bank on Dave’, Mr Fishwick obtained the necessary documentation required to issue loans, and later concentrated on offering savings at a more favourable rates than high street banks. Any profits after overheads are donated to charity, and the bank’s website proudly states ‘we do not do big bonuses’.
December 18, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | 45 16/12/2013 20:11
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MINIBUS › SPRINTER 4X4
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4x4 – new options at Euro 6 The advent of the Euro 6 Sprinter with its restyling and new safety features also sees the range expanded with a revised 4x4 package – this 4x4 capability is also available on the smaller Vito model
W
hile the all-wheel-drive option is something rarely taken up in the UK it does �it the bill for specialist applications operating in challenging conditions and terrain where conventional front or rear wheel drive vehicles can often get stuck. A 4x4 minibus or crewbus has growing appeal to utility companies for getting staff out to remote locations or across farmland to repair or service electricity supplies, gas or water pipelines, wind turbines, radio/TV masts. There are obvious 4x4 applications for mountain rescue teams and also for minibuses transporting skiers between hotels and the ski-slopes. Whatever the application, a 4x4 provides decisive extra traction under tough conditions and under many circumstances pays for itself in avoiding lost time due to becoming stuck, and in relative safety ensuring passengers are going to reach their destination in safety. Sprinter 4x4 vans have a growing popularity among construction companies and in the camper-van market.
Engageable all-wheel drive, new Downhill Speed Regulation
The new Sprinter 4x4 is designed to make life as easy as possible for the driver. Its all-wheel drive can be engaged at the press of a button, whereupon the 4ETS electronic traction system takes over. The driver simply needs to make well-judged use of accelerator and steering wheel with the technology taking care of the rest. The all-wheel drive is integrated into the standard-�it Electronic Stability Program ESP and complements the safety systems perfectly. A new facility with the AWD system is the optional Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR), which ensures a preselected speed is maintained constantly when driving downhill. This is achieved through the interaction between the engine, transmission and speci�ically targeted brake actuation. DSR is activated using a button in the cockpit. The speed is then controlled using the stalk for the cruise control - the prerequisite for DSR. As a further option, Sprinter 4x4 can be equipped with Hill-Start Assist plus off-road tyres with extremely deep tread.
4ETS: proven all-wheel-drive technology
The Mercedes-Benz 4ETS electronic traction system technology is also used in the Vito 4x4, Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, and the ML-Class and GL-Class off-roaders. The system aboard the Sprinter however, in contrast to other models, is engageable so as to cover the wide range of conditions under which the vehicle has to operate. This technology is designed to minimise fuel consumption in everyday use.
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December 18, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | 47 16/12/2013 18:54
MINIBUS › SPRINTER 4X4 The all-wheel drive can be engaged when the engine is running, either when the vehicle is stationary or at low speeds of up to 10 km/h, using a switch on the instrument panel. In this case, an electric motor engages a pair of spur gears in the transfer case. An indicator lamp in the switch informs the driver when the all-wheel drive is engaged. In contrast to other systems of this type, the Sprinter’s engageable all-wheel drive does not provide a rigid through-drive. The power is transmitted variably, all the components of the standard-fit Adaptive ESP remain operational even when all-wheel drive is selected, and the acceleration skid control (ASR) is likewise activated. When all-wheel drive is engaged, the drive power is split 35:65 between the front and rear axles in normal operation. The manufacturer claims this ensures handling performance practically is on a par with the Sprinter’s conventional rear-wheel drive in everyday operation.
4ETS traction system replaces up to three differential locks
The Sprinter 4x4 model’s all-wheel-drive system works with the electronic traction system 4ETS instead of with mechanical differential locks: should one or more of the wheels lose traction on slippery ground, 4ETS brakes the spinning wheels automatically with short pulses and, consequently, increases the drive torque at the wheels offering good traction by the same amount. To do this, 4ETS employs the ABS wheel sensors. Automatic brake application via 4ETS has the same effect as up to three differential locks: the interaxle lock, the rear axle lock and the front axle lock. The transfer case has been flange-mounted directly onto the main transmission, while the front-axle drive has been kept very compact. It has a lifetime oil fill and, like the additional frontaxle drive shafts, requires no maintenance.
The reduction gear is straight-cut, making it extremely robust to maximise mechanical loadability. If the Sprinter 4x4 is equipped with the optional Downhill Speed Regulation DSR, it is activated automatically when the reduction gear is engaged.
Aimed squarely at serious off-road requirements, an additional “low range” reduction gear is a further option. It is engaged at the push of a button with the vehicle stationary, the engine running, the 4x4 drive activated and the clutch pedal depressed. The ratio is shortened by a factor of 1.42 (42%). The maximum vehicle speeds obtainable in the individual gears are reduced accordingly while traction is increased. The facility promotes greater control traversing difficult terrain or road conditions with much less reliance on using the clutch. It also offers distinct advantages for vehicles carrying a full payload or towing a .trailer in off-road situations.
While the Sprinter is not designed as an offroader, the 4x4 features a raised body (110 mm at the front and 80 mm at the rear) which provide vital additional ground clearance and give it the characteristics of a cross-country vehicle. By way of example, the approach angle of the Sprinter with a gross vehicle weight of 3.5t is 28 degrees instead of 18 degrees in the conventional rear-wheel-drive Sprinter, while, in the panel van with short overhang, the departure angle is 27 degrees (conventional drive: 22 degrees). The breakover angle – which is important for driving over humps – is 25 degrees in the standard-wheelbase Sprinter 4x4 instead of the usual 17 degrees. Depending on engine version, the slope climbing ability is around 20%
More traction with reduction gear
Raised body
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higher than with a conventional drive. Equally impressive, at 610 mm, is the Sprinter 4x4’s fording depth (Sprinter 4x2: 500 mm). Because the body is raised, the familiar additional turn signal lamps in the exterior rear view mirrors would be above the maximum statutory height. For this reason, the Sprinter 4x4 is provided with side turn signal indicator lamps in the front side panels of the body. For the same reason, the panel van and crewbus versions have their rear fog lamp and rear reversing light integrated in the bumper. The Sprinter 4x4 also features a 100-litre fuel tank as standard. Grab handles for the driver and co-driver make it easier to get into the higher cab. Compared with the Sprinter with rear-wheel drive, the front and rear suspension setups include anti-roll bars or reinforced anti-roll bars.
Low extra weight, easy handling
The additional weight of the all-wheel drive in the Sprinter 4x4 is just 115-135 kg depending
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On icy roads a 4x4 can make the difference between arriving at a desination - or not
on the version. The comparatively low additional weight is attributable to the 4ETS system, which dispenses with the need for mechanical differential locks. According to Mercedes-Benz, the Sprinter 4x4 impresses with its excellent control and perfect traction. It conveys an air of safety as well as the same comfort as a Sprinter with conventional drive.
Fully integrated in Adaptive ESP
The 4ETS traction control system is fully integrated in the Adaptive ESP Electronic Stability Program. Its control characteristics have been specially adapted to the all-wheel-drive system whilst retaining all of the functions of the Adaptive ESP: anti-lock braking system (ABS), acceleration skid control (ASR), electronic brake force distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BAS) and the Start-off Assist system (AAS). One particularly important aspect for the many Sprinter body variants and attachments is the
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load and centre-of-gravity detection feature (Load Adaptive Control LAC). In the case of special-purpose bodies, for example, Adaptive ESP detects a high centre of gravity based on the vehicle’s movements and adapts the control characteristics accordingly. When driving offroad especially, Adaptive ESP therefore enhances safety, for instance when the vehicle is being driven along a steeply angled embankment. In combination with a factory-fitted trailer coupling, the system is completed by Trailer Stability Assist, which counteracts the oscillating movements of the trailer by means of selective application of the brakes on individual wheels. All-wheel drive and ESP interact perfectly: the vehicle/trailer combination is stabilised immediately and put back on track.
ASR disengageable in defined driving situations Depending on the driving situation, it may be advisable to disengage the ASR acceleration skid control on the Sprinter 4x4, which can
be done at the press of a button. This briefly raises the control thresholds so as to increase the traction by increasing the wheel slip, which is of advantage, for example, when snow chains are in use or when the vehicle is being driven on a gravel road. The ASR function is reactivated automatically at speeds between 40 and 60 km/h. The same is true if the wheel slip is impermissibly high or after more than 10 seconds in ASR Off mode. ESP remains active in all situations. In any case, 4ETS stops critical driving situations from arising. As the vehicle speed increases, for example, the locking effect within an axle is reduced to prevent yaw (oscillation about the vertical axis) in the interests of driving stability. Despite such interventions, there is no possibility of the braking system overheating: if, under extreme off-road conditions, the temperature of the brakes rises to impermissibly high values, 4ETS automatically reduces the locking effect until the brakes have cooled down again. An indicator lamp makes the driver aware of this.
December 18, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | 49 16/12/2013 18:54
MINIBUS › SPRINTER 4X4
Additional repeater to gain EWVTA compliance
Ecofriendly Euro 6
The engines are based on four-cylinder OM 651units with a displacement of 2.15 l. It has a bore of 83 mm and a long stroke of 99 mm for high pulling power – a major plus point when driving on demanding terrain especially. Charging is always by means of a two-stage exhaust gas turbocharger system. The peak torque is available at low revs and across a wide engine speed range. The combination of BlueTec engines with exhaust gas recirculation and two-stage cooling, SCR technology with AdBlue injection, and a particulate filter ensures clean exhaust gases. Sprinter 4x4 engine options give a choice of two outputs: Sprinter 313/513 BlueTec 4x4 95 kW (129 hp) at 3,800 rpm, torque 305 Nm at 1,200-2,400 rpm Sprinter 316/516 BlueTec 4x4 120 kW (163 hp) at 3,800 rpm, torque 360 Nm at 1,400-2,400 rpm. If maximum power is required, the Sprinter 4x4 with the 3.0-litre V6 OM 642 engine is another option. The long-stroke engine (bore x stroke: 83 x 92 mm) is based on an aluminium crankcase. Its offset crank pin and a balancer shaft make for an exceptionally quiet-running engine which boasts four overhead camshafts. The six-cylinder engine delivers: Sprinter 319/519 BlueTec 4x4 140 kW (190 hp) at 3,800 rpm, torque 440 Nm at 1,600-1,800 rpm. All standard engine variants are paired with the Eco Gear six-speed manual transmission, which is claimed to be even more economical due to its wide ratio spread and the use of low-friction oil. As an alternative, the vehicle can be specified with a five-speed automatic transmission with converter, which makes it easier to drive under difficult conditions as the driver is able to concentrate solely on steering, accelerating and braking.
Favourable fuel consumption
Fuel consumption for Sprinter 4x4s with fourcylinder Euro 6 BlueTec engine registered as a truck is low: the combined figure according to NEDC for the Sprinter 316 BlueTec 4x4, for example, is just 8.3 l/100 km, while the Sprinter 313 BlueTec 4x4 consumes just 0.3 l/100 km more.
Nothing beats a 4x4 when you are this close to the edge
Coping safely with conditions can save lives This means the figures are around 0.4 to 0.8 l/100 km higher than for the corresponding models with rear-wheel drive. The difference is minimal given the majority of variants have axle ratios around 10% shorter to increase traction. In the case of the Sprinter 4x4 319 BlueTec, the combined fuel consumption of 9.8-9.9 l/100 km according to NEDC is almost identical to that of the rear-wheel-drive model.
New safety systems on Sprinter 4x4
The 4ETS drive system is fully integrated into the Adaptive ESP Electronic Stability Program: all of the Adaptive ESP functions are retained even when the four-wheel drive is engaged. Sprinter 4x4 benefits from the five new assistance systems introduced with the new model: Collision Prevention Assist, Blind Spot
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The face of Euro 6 Sprinter Assist, Highbeam Assist and Lane Keeping Assist are already available for the 4x4. Crosswind Assist will be introduced for the 4x4 in 2014.
Choice
As with conventional vans or chassis cab Sprinters, all-wheel-drive models offer a huge range between permissible GVW - 3.5t to 5.0t with twin tyres on the rear axle in the case of the higher version. It is also available with either a medium or a long wheelbase, normal roof, high roof or extra-high roof. In Germany, the extra cost of the 4x4 compared with the rear-wheel-drive Sprinter is €8,391 (plus VAT). The reduction gear costs an extra €534. Standard equipment includes the Eco Gear six-speed manual transmission, while the proven five-speed automatic transmission with converter is available as an option. Last year, sales were in excess of 2,000 units. n
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THE MARKET FOR VEHICLES, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
x4 focus as ds Customer talks Euro 6 p18 Scottish and Midlan ed p26 Volvo books review
OW RECRUITN
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21:34
Deadline for vehicle and classified advertisements in the magazine is 1200hrs Friday.
Contact your friendly coachandbusmarket Manager Jade Cassidy via phone, email or fax Tel: 01733 293247 f: 0845 280 2927 e: jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com 051_CBW1118_CBM Cover.indd 51
16/12/2013 12:05
p52_CBW_1118
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Page 52
2000 MAN Ayats Bravo 1
1998 Mercedes Benz 814 Alexander
7HO
14/16 berth sleeper, Static AC/heating, 240v, normal band bus stuff! MOT Apr 2014, recon gearbox, good condition.
P.O.A.
Telephone: 01487 843333
6FDQ +HUH WR $SSO\ 2QOLQH
Mercedes Vario 814 Beaver
Volvo B12B Van Hool
Automatic, 27 seats, 3 point belts, power door, perfect for school/private hire, good offers considered.
£8,995 + VAT Call Karl at Whitegate Travel Tel: 01606 786833 Mobile: 07841 110426
2003 Neoplan Starliner
2000 Volvo B10M Plaxton Panther
37 leather seats around tables, Sky TV/DVD entertainment system, 7 screens, toilet, kitchen, sockets throughout, manual 4 over 4. £39,995 + VAT
49 seats, PA system, DVD player, climate control, toilet, continental door, water boiler, p/plate, not subject to LEZ, recent re-trim. £24,000 + VAT
Steve 0161 775 0800/07445 266345 operations@travel-master.co.uk
Steve 0161 775 0800/07445 266345 operations@travel-master.co.uk
2009 MAN Plaxton Centro
2007 Optare Solo 7.1 SE
23 seater + 10 standing, MOT June 2014, full service history from new, Hanover front digital destination board, CCTV – Activ 4 camera system, Mercedes engine, 263,000 miles, can respray in new owners colours. £39,500 o.n.o. + VAT
Two +. 29 coach seats, 3 point belts. Side loading wheel chair lift. 2005/55 reg. Manual gearbox. DDA Accessibility certificate. COIF. Racks, Boot. Best of both coach. Taxed + new MOT. 1 former keeper. May part ex. Call Tim. View Devon.
ZF auto, 14 berth sleeper, Euro 4 LEZ, static AC/heating, 240v, normal band bus stuff! MOT March 2014, good condition.
£25,000 + VAT
38 blue moquette seats, Mobitec LED destination equipment, one year’s MOT. Offers over £45,000
01404 47502 or 07790 966667
Telephone: 01487 843333
Andy Shaw – 0131 554 5413
Ring Graham Croombs 0118 973 3486 graham@courtneybuses.com
2003 (53) Renault Master SWB
2003 Mercedes Cheetah
Mercedes Vario 814
2003 Optare Solo
Automatic. 2005/05. 33 seat coach, 3 point belts. Racks, boot, tacho, COIF, long MOT & tax. Very nice tidy coach, one previous owner, drives well, ready to work. May part exchange. 10 minutes Exeter airport. Call Tim.
Mercedes engine, one owner, good condition and tyres, low mileage 392,955, 29 seated 20 standing, full diptact space for one wheelchair, tested June 2014, taxed end of October 2013. £17,500 o.n.o.
01404 47502 or 07790 966667
BD23 5BS – 01756 753123
29 passengers plus courier seat Tax till March MOT till February Large boot New clutch and turbo. 2.3 diesel, inboard Ricon lift, 4 seats + tracking for two wheelchairs.
£24,000 + VAT
£5,995 + VAT
Pembridge Vehicle Management 01633 485858
Hailstone Travel Ltd 0845 388 3848
Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com 52 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013
www.coachandbusweek.com
p53_CBW_1118
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Page 53
2001 MAN Neoplan
2006 Bova Majiq
12 months MOT & tax, full tank of fuel, one owner driver for the last 5 years, 49 seater, toilet, aircon, drivers bunk, alloy wheels, just refurbished, 2 new 22in Samsung LED monitors, black-out windows, TV tuner, DVD system all fitted 8 months ago, good mpg, 3 new air bags, new belts, hoses and interior LED lights just fitted, 600,000km, based in Glasgow.
49 seat executive, ZF auto, LEZ compliant, leather headrests, twin monitor DVD, centre sunken toilet, tasteful moquette, excellent condition, MOT & Tax, economical vehicle, ready to work.
1999 Mercedes 412D
2001 Dennis Darts
£95,000 + VAT
16 removable seats, or 6 wheelchairs, 5 speed manual, external wheelchair lift, tachograph fitted, very clean condition, MOT June 14. £3,250 + VAT
Contact Gary – 07930 377051
Travelstar European 01922 647100 / 07779 801862
Chalkwell Coach Hire 01795 423982 andy.bates@chalkwell.co.uk
2011 Vauxhall Vivaro 12 seat minibus
1994 Volvo B9M Berkof Excellence
Luxury VW Crafter
2009 (59) Iveco Daily
Good solid engine and gearbox, tidy bodywork, MOT till April 2014, 37 recliners, loads of legroom and a rear toilet.
2007, 16 seats, A/C, DVD, microphone, 135,000 miles, 7 months MOT, excellent condition.
16 passenger seats with 3 point belts, front entrance with lowered entry step, extra large boot, panoramic windows, parcel racks with reading lights and blown air, interior lighting with dim facility, CD sound system, tested until 30 September 2014.
£25,000 + VAT
Full COIF with 8 months PSV/MOT, taxed until December, digital tachograph, 6 speed gearbox, 3 rear seats can be removed (ensuring space for luggage),1 owner vehicle.
£13,250 + VAT o.n.o.
AFJ Travel – 07947 152763
£11,000 Milligans Coach Travel 01290 550365
2003 Setra 315 GTHD
2009 (09) Iveco Daily
49 seat with retractable belts, low mileage, seat back tables, footrests, centre toilet, power door, air con, webasto, cool box and boiler 2 x monitors and DVD, radio cassette, LEZ exhaust, great drive.
£53,500 + VAT ono
Paul Watson Travel paul.watson9@btconnect.com
1998 (R) DAF SB300 Plaxton Excalibur
16 passenger seats with 3 point seat belts, front entrance with lowered entry step, extra large boot, panoramic windows, parcel racks with reading lights and blown air, interior lighting with dim facility, CD sound system, tested to June 2014.
£21,995 + VAT Call Karl at Whitegate Travel Tel: 01606 786833 Mobile: 07841 110426
2004 Optare Solo
£21,000
Slick Rides – 07823 770978
2002 Bova Futura • Air con • Toilet • DVD • Monitor x 2 • Eminox euro 4 • 49 seats • Green cloth • Long MOT
Fully DDA compliant, long or new MOTs, 37 seaters, very good order. Choice of 3. £8,500 + VAT
Phone Ian – 07817 683970
£21,995 + VAT Call Karl at Whitegate Travel Tel: 01606 786833 Mobile: 07841 110426
2002 MAN Ayats Bravo 1
£50,000 + VAT
14/16 berth sleeper, Static AC/heating, 240v, normal band bus stuff! MOT February 2014, good condition. P.O.A.
L.J. Edwards – 07974 369570
Telephone: 01487 843333
2007 Scania K340/ Caetano Levante
2005 Optare Solo M950 SLF 9.5m
Choice of 2, 49 leather reclining seats, ZF automatic gearbox and retarder, Hanover front, side and rear destinations, WC, air conditioning, PLS magic lift, low mileage, recently refurbished and can be used on National Express network until June 2016.
33 seats + 17 standees, Mercedes engine, Hanover LED.
53 T&T Auto gearbox (faulty) Spares or repair. OFFERS + VAT
Nigel Brown – 01982 570225
33 seats + 20 standees, Cummins engine, Mobitec LED display, MOT until Dec 2014.
A STEAL AT £18,500 ONO + VAT
£80,000 + VAT each
Glen Valley Tours – 01668 281578
yourbus – 01773 714013
£32,000 + VAT Southdown PSV 01342 711840 email: bussales@southdownpsv.co.uk www.southdownpsv.co.uk
Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com www.coachandbusweek.com
December 18, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 53
p54_CBW_1118
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Page 54
2008 Optare Solos
1998 Volvo B10M Berkhof Axial 50
2005 Neoplan Skyliners
December 2011, 59 seats, toilet/servery, 3 DVD screens, Euro 5.
49 seats, WC, aircon, six speed ZF manual gearbox, first reg 14/04/98, MOT 07/03/14, only one previous owner
13.8m, MAN engines, 89 seats, toilet, air-con.
POA
£190,000
£19,950
POA
EnsignBus 01708 865656
Buzzlines Travel - 01303 261870
New Horizon Travel: 01206 255255
EnsignBus 01708 865656
Merc Euro 4 engines, Mobitech LED’s, one M880 28 seats and one M950 31 seats.
2011 Irizar PB
2003 Alexander Dennis Enviro 300 SLF 12m
1999 (T) MAN 24,400 Noge Triaxle 49 executive seats ZF auto gearbox Alloy wheels No tax or MOT Dry stored past 2 years.
7L PH L V PRQH\ 44 seats + 27 standees, DDA compliant, 12 months MOT. £27,500 + VAT Southdown PSV 01342 711840 email: bussales@southdownpsv.co.uk www.southdownpsv.co.uk
1995 (N) Toyota Optimo III
8SO RDG \ RXU Y H KL F O H DG L Q D PDW W H U RI PL QXW H V DQG L Q QR W L PH DW DO O W KH F DO O V F RXO G EH F RPL QJ L Q
OFFERS + VAT
Nigel Brown – 01982 570225
2003 Volvo Jonckheere B12M Mistral 50
1998 Volvo B10M Caetano Enigma
53 passenger seats, 12 months MOT, 527,071kms, interior & exterior in excellent condition, vigorously maintained (records available).
49 seats with retractable belts, monitor, DVD, radio, cassette, taxed and tested, has air-con but needs re-gas + belts, needs t.l.c. but good motor.
£37,950 + VAT ono Star Coaches Limited Martin 07831 265804 Adam 0121 350 5555
Paul Watson Travel paul.watson9@btconnect.com
Swansea Coachworks 01792 650258
1996 Volvo B10MA Articulated Coach
2009 Setra 416GTHD
Mercedes Sprinter 311
Plaxton Panther MAN
June 2009, 49 seats, toilet/servery, 2 DVD screens, Euro 5.
New luxury minibus conversion, 17 seats, full COIF and PSV MOT, ready to work.
ZF automatics, 71 seats.
£22,995
49 reclining seats, AS Tronic gearbox, LEZ compliant, A/C, W/C, sat-nav, reverse camera, DVD, 2 x monitors.
POA
£150,000
Swansea Coachworks 01792 650258
Applegates Coaches 01453 810314
21 seats White 12 months MOT Ideal school contract vehicle. £2,750 + VAT
Nigel Brown – 01982 570225
EnsignBus 01708 865656
Buzzlines Travel - 01303 261870
£15,500 + VAT ono
Mercedes Sprinter 516
New 16 seat minicoach, coach rear end with lift-up boot, side body skirts, colour coded bumpers to match skirts + much more.
POA
£95,500
Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com 54 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013
www.coachandbusweek.com
p55_CBW_1118
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2006 MAN 14.220 SLF MCV Evolution 11.2m
Page 55
1988 DAF MB230 Plaxton
1995 Scania K113 VanHool Alizee
1999 Mercedes Benz 814 Plaxton
40 seats + 21 standees, DDA compliant, Hanover LED. Direct off lease from a major operator. £32,500 + VAT – CHOICE Southdown PSV 01342 711840 email: bussales@southdownpsv.co.uk www.southdownpsv.co.uk
53 seats, automatic, very good condition for year, currently in dry storage, view Dublin. Additional vehicle also available. £3,000
Converted this year to 70 seater using Cogent seats with 3 point belts, tea machine, TV/DVD.
27 coach seats with 3 point belts, perfect for school bus and private hire, MOT till April 2014, manual with power door and private plate.
Call Anthony Kelly PAB Tours 00353 86 8138165
£21,000 Milligans Coach Travel 01290 550365
£8,995 + VAT Call Karl at Whitegate Travel Tel: 01606 786833 Mobile: 07841 110426
2002 Volvo B7R Plaxton
Mercedes Vario
2003 Bova Futura
53 seats plus courier, automatic, good condition, used on tour work, new test, seat belts. View North Wales / Dublin. £40,000
Call Anthony Kelly PAB Tours 00353 86 8138165
1993 Volvo B10M Plaxton Premier
• Air con • Toilet • DVD • Monitor x 2 • Full exec spec • Eminox euro 4 • 49 seats • Green cloth • Manual • Long MOT
29 coach seats with belts, MOT 2014. £2,500 + VAT – OFFERS CONSIDERED
2001 Salvador Caetano
70 seats + driver and crew with 3 point belts, 3+2 config, auto, air-con, good runner, inspection welcome, ready for work. £40,000 + VAT
£55,000 + VAT
Phone Ian – 07817 683970
L.J. Edwards – 07974 369570
Steve 0161 775 0800/07445 266345 operations@travel-master.co.uk
2002 Iveco Beulas Stergo
2005 (55) MAN 14.220 MCV Evolution
1997 Volvo Olympian open top bus
• Automatic • Air con • Toilet • Monitor x 2 49 seats, automatic, good condition for year, available with new test, ideal for upseat. Choice of 3 – view North Wales/Dublin. £13,000
Call Anthony Kelly PAB Tours 00353 86 8138165
2003 Mercedes Citaros
• Non LEZ • Long MOT
£30,000 + VAT
L.J. Edwards – 07974 369570
1998 (R) Iveco 16 seat Minibus Power door Will have new test.
40 seat SLF service bus, newly repanelled and repainted, 12 months MOT to October 2013, Hannover LED destination, excellent condition, drives superb. REDUCED TO £23,950 + VAT ovno
Llew Jones – 07795 347476 or steve@llewjones.com
2005 Setra 315GTHD
Alexander Dennis body, P reg, 75 seats, fitted with a PA system, new MOT on purchase. Only 2 remaining.
Bath Bus Company 01225 330444
53 plate Mercedes Cheetah
LEZ
COMPLIANT
38 + 34 standees, LEZ complaint, full DDA, dual door, Hanover LEDs, CCTV, in good condition, very low mileage (240,000 – 260,000 km), 1 year’s MOT. Choice of 6 (5 x 53 plate and 1 x 03 plate). £40,000 each + VAT
yourbus – 01773 714013
49 seat exec, toilet, boiler, cooler, DVD, 2 x monitors, Mercedes engine, A/S Tronic gearbox, intarder, air conditioning, Webasto, alloy wheels, owned & maintained by us from new, repaint by arrangement. Choice of 2.
£1,250 + VAT
£62,500
29 passengers plus courier seat, tax till August, MOT till June, large boot, low emission exhaust fitted. £26,000 + VAT
Nigel Brown – 01982 570225
Clarkes of London Call Andy Nixon – 020 8768 9612
Hailstone Travel Ltd 0845 388 3848
Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com www.coachandbusweek.com
December 18, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 55
p56_CBW_1118
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2003 Scania K114
1992 Leyland Lynx
Scania Omnicity TFL DD
Cummins engine, Allison gearbox, 8.8m, 29 seats, Hanover LED’s.
Cummins L10 engine, ZF gearbox. Sold for spares – 2 available.
Ex-rental, Euro 4, 22 seats lower, 41 upper deck, 1 x wheelchair, 25 standees, Voith auto, air-con, wheelchair ramp, DDA compliant, Mobitech destination, CCTV, single door option, repaint option, MOT 2013, choice of 9.
POA
Offers invited for engine & gearbox or bus
Andy Shaw – 0131 554 5413
EnsignBus 01708 865656
07802 235778 / 0151 547 2713
Now in stock and available for a fast delivery
2006 Transit Tourneo
2006 Transit Tourneo
2006 Mercedes Sprinter 413 EX
9 seater, tax till Jan, will have new MOT, 190,000 miles, runs well, front and rear air-con, tow bar. £4,000 + VAT
16 seats + driver with 3 point belts, finished in moquette, panoramic glazing, A/C front and rear, radio/CD, decorative curtains, large boot, new engine, clutch & flywheel fitted at 248,000 miles. £15,000 + VAT
With Irizar Century 49 seat body with toilet. £45,000
16 full size coach seats with three point belts, rear double and single on quick release, skirt kit and front bumper modification, luggage racks with integrated blown air and reading lights, curtains, roof hatch/sunroof, digital tachograph, COIF, wheeltrims and driver’s lockers. £28,995
2009 Enviro 200
9 seater, air con, alloy wheels, electric windows/mirrors, radio/CD, FSH, 74,000 miles, immaculate, choice of 2, viewing in London.
£7,250 + VAT – PX considered
UK Minicoaches – 01902 631507
Crystals Coaches Ltd 020 8960 8800/07971 000111
Hailstone Travel Ltd 0845 388 3848
Iveco 45C15
1992 Leyland Lynx
1999 Mercedes Optare Solo M850
16 seater, Elite conversion, 70,000 km, MOT till October 2014, forced air, reading lights, huge boot (barn doors), outstanding condition. £25,995 + VAT
Cummins L10 engine, ZF gearbox. Sold for spares – 2 available. Offers invited for engine & gearbox or bus
EVM Direct – 0845 5205160
07802 235778 / 0151 547 2713
2008 Mercedes Atego
2008 Mercedes Sprinter 515 EX
With Sitcar Marlin 33 seat body in green. £45,000
16 recliners with 3 point belts, MOT till May, air-con, double glazing, large drop boot, decorative curtains, 276,000 miles (39,258 on new engine), 1 owner. £22,995 + VAT
Andy Shaw – 0131 554 5413
EVM Direct – 0845 5205160
26 + standees, automatic box, DDA compliant with Mobitec display, 8 camera CCTV system and Traffilog tracking and diagnostics fitted. MOT to March 2014.
£8,500
Bakers Dolphin 01934 422400 or 07788 101631
PURCHASE OR RENTAL OPTIONS
Santander Used Assets 07753 712444
EVM Direct – 0845 5205160
2010 Volkswagen Crafter CR50
16 seats + driver, with 3 point belts, finished in moquette, panoramic glazing, forced air, radio/CD, decorative curtains, large boot. Available for immediate delivery. £26,500 + VAT
EVM Direct – 0845 5205160
2006 Transit Tourneo
2008 MAN 14:240 MCV Evolution
9 seater, SWB, low roof, air con, alloy wheels, electric windows, mirrors, radio/CD, FSH, 74,000 miles, MOT May, immaculate. Choice of 2, viewing in London.
43 seats + 22 standees, auto box, 3 point belts, DDA compliant with Mobitec display, 8 camera CCTV system,Traffilog tracking & diagnostics, well maintained with long MOT, 4 available.
£7,250 + VAT – PX considered
£47,500
Crystals Coaches Ltd 020 8960 8800/07971 000111
Bakers Dolphin 01934 422400 or 07788 101631
Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com 56 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013
www.coachandbusweek.com
699434-1118-Blythswood
16/12/13
17:08
Page 1
681335-1118-Ensign:Layout 1
16/12/13
17:02
Page 1
Ensig DOUBLE DECK 2008 VOLVO B7RLE
45 seats WITH 3 POINT BELTS, 12M, Plaxton Centro body, long MOT.
LEZ
COMPLIANT
Cummins/Voith, LEZ compliant for 2012 with traps to Euro 4, CCTV, Alexander ALX400 bodies, DDA compliant or upseated to 80 seats.
1999/2000/2001 V/Y REG DENNIS TRIDENTS
13.8m, MAN engines, 89 seats, toilet, air-con.
DDA, Cummins / Allison, Alexander ALX200 bodies, 8.8m, 27 seats.
2005 NEOPLAN SKYLINER’S
2001 Y REG DENNIS DARTS
2000/2001 X/Y REG VOLVO B7TL’S
Cummins / Voith, Alexander ALX 400 lowheight body, 84 seats, LEZ compliant.
1999 DENNIS TRIDENT
80 seats, Voith gearboxes, Euro 2 engines with traps, or full Euro 3 with traps, Plaxton President bodies, can be DDA with 78 seats.
SWB, CCTV, particulate traps so LEZ compliant, Plaxton President bodies, dual door 62 seats or single door 71 seats.
1999 VOLVO B7TL’S
Merc Euro 4 engines, Mobitech LED’s, one M880 28 seats and one M950 31 seats.
2008 OPTARE SOLOS
2000 VOLVO B7TL’s
ZF gearboxes, single door, 82 seats fully seated or 80 seats as DDA compliant, supplied with new MOT and COIF, new batch just arriving.
Euro 4 Volvo engine, Wrights Eclipse Gemini body, 68 seats or 74 converted to single door.
2007 VOLVO B9TL
1998 R REG VOLVO OLYMPIANS
Volvo Euro 2 engines, ZF gearboxes, East Lancs bodies, 72 seats.
OPEN TOP BUSES A SPECIALITY -
Juliette Close, Purfleet Industrial Telephone 01708 865656 Fax: 01708 8 Visit our website for current s
681335-1118-Ensign:Layout 1
16/12/13
17:03
Page 2
nbus
K ER SPECIALIST 2003 52 PLATE MINI POINTER DARTS
Cummins Euro 5, 38 seats, DDA, Hanover destinations.
2012 ENVIRO 200
1989-93 LEYLAND OLYMPIANS
Cummins ISB Euro 3 engines, 8.8m, 29 seats.
Cummins L10, ZF 5 speed gearboxes, some 72 coach seats, some 76 bus seats, low height 13 feet 8, long MOT’s.
2003 SCANIA OMNICITY CN94UB
2 door, Euro 3, ZF automatic, 37 seats, 12m, DDA.
Caetano Levante bodies, DDA compliant with lifts, 49 seats, toilet, air-con, recent re-trims, LEZ compliant.
2006 VOLVO B12B’S
12m, Euro 3, DDA, 42 seats.
Volvo Euro 5 engine, Optare Esteem body, 12m long, 43 seats, Hanover LED’s, low mileage.
51 and 02 plate, Cummins Euro 3 ISC engines, LEZ, Plaxton President bodies, can be DDA, single door and 78 seats, or dual door 67 seats.
Manual gearbox, Van Hool body, 53 seats.
Cummins engine, Allison gearbox, 8.8m, 29 seats, Hanover LED’s.
Cummins ISC Euro 5 engine, 12m, DDA, 44 seats, Hanover LED’s.
1996 VOLVO B10MA ARTICULATED COACHES
Volvo Euro 5 engine, 12m, DDA, 45 seats, Hanover LED’s.
2004 MERCEDES CITARO
2008 VOLVO B7RLE
2001/2002 DENNIS TRIDENTS
2009 ENVIRO 200
ZF automatics, 71 seats.
1997 DAF SB3000
2010 ENVIRO 300
2010 VOLVO B7RLE’S
- BRITAIN’S BIGGEST BUS DEALERS Park, Purfleet, Essex, RM15 4YF 8 864340 e-mail: sales@ensignbus.com t stock at www.ensignbus.com
699418-1118-Moseley
16/12/13
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Page 1
IIN NT THE HE SOUTH SOUTH L LTD. TD.
VDL FUTURA FHD2 129.365PR AUTOMATIC
57/59 Vogel Conturo reclining seats, Leather headrests and piping, Courier seat, Driver/courier seats leather trimmed,
AIR CONDITIONING, Double glazing, Centre demount toilet, Continental exit with powered door, Step access to luggage bay, Central locking to luggage compartment, Webasto heater, Dash mounted fridge, CD/Radio/p.a with Bluetooth, DVD system, Wood effect flooring, Reverse camera Electric sun blinds, Electric drivers signal window, Carpets, Curtains, Euro 5 emission level DAF PR engine, ZF automatic transmission, ZF Intarder, 860 Ltr Fuel capacity, 12.9mtr Body length
• • • • • • • • • •
2008 VOLVO B12BT 9700 PRESTIGE PLUS I-SHIFT AUTO & EURO 4 • Double glazing 50/52 Rec seats • Curtains & Blinds 3 point seat belts Side slide mechanisms • Radio/CD/MP3/PA • Individual headphones Half leather trim • DVD & twin monitors Courier seat • Vacuum system Plug entrance door AIR CONDITIONING • Navigation system Centre demount toilet • Digital tachograph • Webasto heater Boiler & Fridge • Alloy wheels Powered conti exit
• • • • • •
2007 VOLVO B12B VAN HOOL ALIZEE T9 I-SHIFT AUTO 49 Grand rec seats • Centre sunken toilet • Continental exit Courier seat • Luggage rack doors Double glazing AIR CONDITIONING • Digital tacho Audio & DVD systems • Alloy wheels • Retarder Navigation
• • • • • • •
2007 BOVA FUTURA FHD 120.365PR AUTOMATIC & EURO 4 EMISSION LEVEL 57 Vogel Conturo Recs • DVD & monitor • Double Glazing Lap seat belts • Curtains Individual footrests • Webasto heater Magazine nets • Digital tachograph Courier seat AIR CONDITIONING • Retarder • Alloy wheels Radio/PA/CD audio
NEW IN STOCK
2007 MERCEDE MERCEDES ES 1 1523L 5 3L ESKE 523 52 ESKER TOURING • 39 Reclining seats • Courier seat • Double glazing • AIR CONDITIONING
• • • •
Audio/PA & DVD Powered entrance Closed rear Webasto
• • • • • •
2006 VOLVO B12B VANHOOL ALIZEE I SHIFT AUTO • Rear continental exit 53 Reclining seats • Parallel lift locker Courier seat doors Double glazing AIR CONDITIONING • Alloy wheels Audio & DVD systems • Retarder • Analogue tacho Navigation system
2006 VOLVO B12M VAN HOOL ALIZEE T9 • • • • • •
53 Royal recliners
Courier seat Inswing door Double glazing AIR CONDITIONING Audio & DVD systems y
• • • • • •
Rack locker doors Floor mounted toilet Continental exit Reverse camera Wired for CCTV Alloyy wheels
NEW IN STOCK
2005 BOVA FU FUTURA UTURA FHD 13 13.340XE 2005 VOLVO B12BT JONCKHEERE MISTRAL 70 CHOICE OF 2 IDENTICAL VEHICLES I SHIFT AUTO • Boiler & fridge • 57 Reclining seats • Continental exit • 53 Vogel recliners • Radio/PA/CD/MP3 • Courier seat • CD & DVD systems • Courier seat • DVD & 2 Monitors • Plug Door • AIR CONDITIONING • Boiler & Fridge • Reverse camera • Double Glazing • Webasto • Double Glazing • AIR CONDITIONING • Retarder • Cruise control • Centre sunken toilet • Webasto • Centre sunken toilet • Retarder • Alloy wheels • Powered conti exit
Summerfield Avenue, Chelston Business Park, Wellington, Somerset, TA21 9JF.
www.moseleysouth.co.uk Follow us @MoseleySouth on
2002 VOLVO B12M JONCKHEERE MISTRAL • • • • •
51 Reclining seats
Courier seat Double glazing AIR CONDITIONING Audio & DVD systems
• • • •
Rear sunken toilet Continental exit Alloy wheels Retarder
Telephone (01823) 653000 Fax: (01823) 663502 E-mail: sales@moseleysouth.co.uk
p61_CBW_1118
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MINICOACHES ALBION HOUSE 16–18 ALBION STREET WILLENHALL WEST MIDLANDS WV13 21NJ TEL: 01902 631507 FAX: 01902 630791
sales@ukminicoaches.co.uk
www.ukminicoaches.co.uk
2009 ‘09’ Mercedes 311 16 Seat Minicoach • New Conversion • Digital Tachograph • Side Skirts + Bumper Kit • Luggage Racks with blown air • Fully Soft Trimmed
SUBSCRIBE
TODAY£65
and save!
Customer focus as Midla d Midlands and an p18 o Scottish Scottish Volvo talks Euro 6 p2 reviewed p26 books reviewed
RECRUITN
OW
2008 ‘08’ Mercedes 515 16 Seat Minicoach • Large Boot • Roof Air-Conditioning • Reclining Seating • Double Glazing • Side Skirt Kit £22,995 + V.A.T.
All Commercial Trading Ltd T/A UK Minicoaches OPENING HOURS MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9.00 AM TILL 5.00 PM
model reviews p31
Letters page: Time for your say p22
RECRUITNOW
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Wednesday November 27, 2013 Issue 1115 | £2.95 www.coachandbusweek.co m
2008 58 Iveco 45C15 16 Seat Minicoach
£16,995 + V.A.T.
FIRST FOR RECRUITMENT RECRUITNOW JOB ADVERTS EVERY WEEK The latest book and
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E
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p4
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p28 xxxxx Arriva’ Sapphire
lworld.com
A DAY AT THE MUSEUM
A FREE
– looking beyond some London for best of Britain’s museums and s art gallerie
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W GTOs REVIESIVE OUR EXCLU FAM TRIPS Banquet, The Medieval tours Chelsea stadium and City Cruises
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HEATONS MOTOR CO. WIGAN THE NORTH WEST’S PREMIER MINIBUS SALES, SUPPLYING NATIONWIDE FOR OVER 40 YEARS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
07 IVECO 45C15
One charity owner from 15/16,
highback passenger seats in coach
05 OR 55 PLATE IVECO 65C15
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
moquette, lots of Unwin tracking, full air conditioning, external fully automatic cassette tailift, powerdoor, front entry £13,995
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
05 FORD TRANSIT 430
High roof, covered 70,000 miles, 12 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, SLD with electric side step, Ricon internal tailift, totally showroom condition inside and out, excellent value LEZ £9,995
57 FORD TRANSIT 430
LWB highroof, 8 passenger seats plus wheelchair spaces, lots of Unwin tracking, external Ratcliffe fully automatic cassette tailift, SLD with side step, good quality conversion, totally unmarked in every way £12,995
56 RENAULT MASTER
LWBM 8 highback passenger seats, Unwin tracking, Ricon internal Clearway tailift, SLD with cassette step, totally immaculate inside and out, good quality conversion, excellent value £8,995
54 MERCEDES VARIO 614
13 highback passenger seats or 9 seats plus 3 wheelchairs, external PLS fully automatic cassette tailift, low step front entry, fully colour coded, one council owner from new, looks and drives superb. £8,995
PSV’d
Mellor coachbuilt, 24 highback passenger seats all on quick release, external PLS fully automatic cassette tailift, low mileage, new COIF and 12 months PSV test. LEZ FROM £10,995
05 IVECO 50S13 IRIBUS CONVERSION
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
PSV’d
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
16 highback passenger seats, lots ofUnwin tracking, plant on panoramic tinted windows, powerdoor front entry, external PLS fully automatic tailift, will come with new COIF and 12 months PSV, showroom condition inside and out, excellent dual purpose minibus, excellent value LEZ £8,995
WHERE CAN YOU FIND THESE? 61 PLATE FIAT DUCATO LWB, only covered 5,690 miles, good quality conversion with 8 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, SLD with cassette step, Ricon fully automatic internal Clearway tailift, we can only describe this vehicle as new in everyway £21,995
07 FORD TRANSIT
8 highback passenger seats with 3 pointbelts, only covered 23,000 miles, twin SLDs, full electric pack, totally showroom condition inside and out. £8,495 LEZ
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
ALL PRICES PLUS VAT
CHOICE OF 4 UVG TREKA COACHBUILT
TripTronic transmission, complete flat floor, COIF’d. only fitted with 8 passenger seats, powerdoor front entry, external PLS cassette tailift, must give excellent value £8,995 LEZ
We guarantee quality vehicles, right prices, no pressure sales. Come and have a coffee while you browse at your leisure. Junction 23, M6 or 20 miles from Manchester/Liverpool airport.
HEATONS MOTOR CO. WIGAN 53 Bickershaw Lane, Abram, Wigan, Lancashire WN2 5PL
Tel: 01942 864222 SEE ALL OUR STOCK ON OUR WEBSITE www.heatonsmotorco.co.uk
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AUDIO & VIDEO
BUILDINGS
CHECKPOINTS
HEAVY DUTY STEEL BUILDINGS
• Audio / PA systems • Video-on-demand systems • Monitor & DVD systems • Hands-free mobile phone kits • Reversing cameras and sensors • Multi or single language systems • CCTV • Alarms, tracking and cruise control • SkyTV systems • GPS commentary systems UK and Ireland Distributor
www.autosound.co.uk Tel: 0044 (0)1274 688990 Unit 4, Lister Street, Dudley Hill, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD4 9PQ
Bus Workshops - Secure Storage Supplied any width, any length Building to BS5590 - Doors high enough for Double Deckers - Finance available For further information phone
BLUELINE BUILDINGS 01709 578333 anytime
ENGINEERING SUPPORT
CRAIG TILSLEY Suppliers of Reconditioned
ENGINES
Tel: 01782 791524 or 01782 791527 Fax: 01782 791316
Email: info@craigtilsley.co.uk www.craigtilsley.co.uk
DAF MAN MERC, VOLVO SCANIA, GARDNER LEYLAND, CUMMINS ENGINES CYLINDER HEADS CRANKSHAFTS CRANKCASES CAMSHAFTS PUMPS ETC
Moorfields Industrial Estate, Cotes Heath, Stoke-on-Trent ST21 6QY
THE CUMMINS ENGINE SPECIALISTS PARTS & SERVICE DIVISION
D.I.E.S.E.L. LIMITED OFFER A VAST RANGE OF SERVICES FOR ALL TYPES OF CUMMINS ENGINES FREE TECHNICAL ADVICE AND SUPPORT FULL OR 3/4 BUILT RECON ENGINES COMPETITIVE & COST EFFECTIVE SERVICE REPAIRS FIXED PRICE ENGINE REPAIRS/OVERHAULS COMPREHENSIVE PARTS STOCK – NEW AND USED ON SITE REPAIRS FULL ELECTRONIC DIAGNOSTICS CONTACT US TODAY FOR ALL YOUR CUMMINS REQUIREMENTS TELEPHONE UK: 01708 859625 FAX UK: 01708 857630 EMAIL: SALES@DIESEL.UK.COM
You’re in control.
Take the photos, write the ad and change it later if you want to, all from your online dashboard. Selling a vehicle is simple on . . .
64 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013
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PARTS
New Van & Minibus Parts Boxer Relay Ducato £300 pair
Daily Mirror £50
Crafter Sprinter Doors £150
Daily Rim Conti 19575R-16C
Cummins 5-9 B series Short Engine
Daily SLD £250
Cummins L10 Short Motorair
Daily Spare Wheels 22-75 16C Pirelli
Formed in 2011 to support the UK’s PSV & CV operators with parts from Market leading OEM brands from World Wide renowned manufacturers
We off a comprehensive all makes parts program in: Daily Wings £35
Digital Techo VDO 12 Volt Cont 1381
Gramma Air New Seats
Gramma Paddle Change Seats New
Drivers Suspension Seats £250
DUCATO Passenger New £175
Land Rover Defender Puma Cabs x 60
LDV Peugeot 2.5D, EN55 OE Engines
Braking • Steering • Suspension Chassis Components • Transmission Filtration • Engine • Electrical Lubricants • Consumables EXPRESS PARTS DELIVERY
Leyand GB397,390
MB Sprinter 616 Axel part no A9053500300
MB Sprinter VW LT Doors £150
MB Vario Bumpers £75
Master Part | Portland House | Dukeries Industrial Estate | Worksop | Notts | S81 7BQ
MB Vario Headlamps £35
Renault Master £300 Pair
MB Vario Wiper Motors £35
RUD Matic Snow Chains
New MB Vario Parts
SPRINTER WING £35
Nissan 2-7 TD New
Sprinter WINTER Conti 235 65 R16C
£750 70 RXG AXZ 17 FRZ 70 JXI 37 KIG 80 PHZ 14 RUI 46 SBZ 37 WXI 62
£350 CEZ 565 EIG 525 JJZ 868 MHZ 505 NUI 545 SBZ 343 UIB 185 VIW 282 XIB 636
£99 CRZ 9220 FRZ 5559 GRZ 2555 GRZ 2556 HIG 8788 KIG 6555 LIG 9121 LIG 9122 LIG 9123
Buy with confidence – CNDA Member We buy for cash, also Part Exchange
£99 MIG 1367 MIG 1368 RHZ 5655 SNZ 5223 SNZ 5224 SUI 8185 UUI 2886 UUI 2887 VJZ 3232
£50 ERZ 8737 FXZ 2157 FXZ 2158 GRZ 4754 GRZ 4755 GRZ 4756 LIG 7715 LIG 7716 NFZ 9485
£50 OFZ 4142 RHZ 5667 RHZ 5668 SNZ 7181 TNZ 2267 TNZ 2268 UUI 4344 VJZ 3275 VJZ 3276
Tel: 028 6638 7124 • www.speedyreg.co.uk
Toyota Landcruiser V8 20 inch Alloys
Transit Milenium Bus £750
Transit Millenium Doors £150
Transit Minibus Seats Unused
Transit Torneo Seats Unused £500 Pair
Transit Wheels Conti 215 75 R16C
Vauxhall Astra Mk2 C’vertible BodyShell
Volvo Compressors No 9521675
TransitVW1-9 CDI CodeANU Sharan
ZF 16S-109
ZF Astronic 12-AS1930-TD
ZF S6 36-2 Gear Boxes ZF Reman
www.cabmasters.com 01706 211 838 www.coachandbusweek.com
REGISTRATIONS
Millwo od, L isbellaw, Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland B T94 5HQ
7L PH L V PRQH\ 8SO RDG \ RXU Y H KL F O H DG L Q D PDW W H U RI PL QXW H V DQG L Q QR W L PH DW DO O W KH F DO O V F RXO G EH F RPL QJ L Q December 18, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 65
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SNOW CHAINS
TICKETING
C oi n D is pe n s e r s
Quick change coin dispensers Buy direct from manufacturer Also spares and repairs T T S
RANSPORT
ICKET
TRAINING
ERVICES
Phone: 01600 750650 Email: ttservices@tiscali.co.uk www.ticket-machines.co.uk
TRIM Tel/Fax:
astgate COACH TRIMMERS LTD
01751 472229
Email: info@eastgate-coachtrimmers.co.uk Web: www.eastgate-coachtrimmers.co.uk
Supplying the Bus and Coach Industry with quality seat retrims and interior refurbishment. Full floors re-laid and centre gangways. Collection and delivery service anywhere in the UK, seven days a week.
You’re in control.
Take the photos, write the ad and change it later if you want to, all from your online dashboard. Selling a vehicle is simple on . . .
66 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013
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VEHICLE INSPECTION TRAINING
If you would like further information please call 01543 897505 or visit www.lloydmorgangroup.co.uk
Specialist vehicle Inspection training with optional IRTEC accreditation
tyre equipment
You’re in control.
Take the photos, write the ad and change it later if you want to, all from your online dashboard. Selling a vehicle is simple on . . .
VEHICLE SPARES
Passenger and Commercial Vehicles Recovery Dismantlers Parts Sales OUR SERVICES: • • • • • • • • • •
Recovery
Refurbishment Testing
Repairs
Engine/gearbox rebuilds Fault finding
Buying & selling vehicles
DISMANTLING/SPARES: • • • • • •
Reconditioned engines Reconditioned gearboxes Engine spares Windows
Windscreens Seats
Trevor Wigley & Son Bus Ltd
TW FULLY LICENSED END OF LIFE VEHICLE CENTRE TW REDUNDANT AND SCRAP VEHICLES TAKEN TW PROFESSIONAL, EFFICIENT SERVICE TW ALL REQUIREMENTS CATERED FOR TW VARIOUS SPARES AVAILABLE TW CONTACT US FOR FULL AVAILABILITY
Export to foreign markets Repairs
Finance repossession and storage
CALL: 01226 727 769 Bus sales: www.geoff-ripleysbuscoachsales.com Geoff Ripley, Boulder Lane (off Shaw Lane), Carlton, Barnsley S71 3HJ
Mob: 07912 103 497 or 07711 750 434 Fax: 01226 727 607 Email: geoff-ripley@btconnect.com
Call 01226 723147 Night Service 01226 716479 Fax 01226 700199 Email wigleys@btconnect.com
www.twigley.com
www.coachandbusweek.com
December 18, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 67
The latest boo model review k and Letters page: Time s p31 for you r say p22
The team at Coach & Bus Week would like to wish all our readers and advertisers a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year, thank you all for your continued support. The office will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. The friendly team will be available all other days.
RECRUITNOW
FIRST FOR JOB ADVERTSRECRUITMENT EVERY WEEK
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Ahead of th e Game as nds Customer focus 6 p18 Scottish and Midla Euro p26 Volvo talks books reviewed
OW RECRUITN
New bus fleet for Cardiff
Keynote speech December 11, 2013 Wednesday from Issue 1117 | £2.95 Kram erachandbusweek.com www.co
p7
Last Setras for 001_CBW1115_
Cover.indd
Shearings
p24 T FIRST FOR RECRUITMEN WEEK JOB ADVERTS EVERY
p8
p16
1
25/11/2013
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News Focus
p12
Select Committee repor t on accessibility
Our first issue of 2014 will be published on January 8.
Putting a shine on the past DVSA to rep Go Nor DSA and VOSlace A p4 Qua th East against lity Contrac t p6
Traffilog on telematics
p22
Why Movemberr grows each yea
p10
a’s new
p4
xxx xx ArrivSapphire
RECRUITNOW
p30
FIRST FOR JOB ADVERTSRECRUITMENT EVERY WEEK 09/12/2013 21:34
dd 1
001_CBW1117_Cover.in
Wednesday Decem
ber 4, 2013 Issue www.coachandbu 1116 | £2.95 sweek .com
Streetwise a Wrightbus t p16
p28
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John Har tley joins Wrightbu s
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DRIVER CP RESPONSEC p36
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Sea View coa
ching pride 02/12/2013
A VERY MERRY
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19:04
CHRISTMAS
16/12/2013 18:53
Seen something funny? Send it to gareth.evans@coachandbusweek.com or write to: Last Stop, Coach & Bus Week, 3 The Office Village, Cygnet Park, Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX
CBW leads the munch-bunch
Monday Andy here. Press day. It ends with a late finish. Part of that’s down to a long discussion about the different merits of possible main pictures for the front cover. The preferred choice is rejected over concerns about how well it will print – a picture of the same vehicle taken by the same photographer, but at night. We have these discussions because we all care passionately about what we do. Everyone wants the magazine to look its best and choice of pictures is a critical part of that.
You may have noticed on Regional News this week (p14) that a game called ‘Bus Munch’ has been developed to commemorate the addition of WiFi on several bus routes in Derby. Based on the famous arcade game Pac-Man, you take control of a bus and move around a maze picking up pellets and WiFi symbols while avoiding clouds of pollution. Taking a look at the game, our resident gamer, Digital Editor James fancied his chances of getting on the scoreboard and set about breaking his way onto it. He was quite successful, and decided to dedicate his place at the top of the table to Coach & Bus Week. The game holds a weekly prize draw for participants, which can include free bus tickets among other things, so it seems like fun little promotion for younger passengers to play on their smartphones to pass the time. The leaderboard resets weekly, so our high score has unfortunately disappeared by now, but if you’d like to see your name on the board, play the game at www.derbyconnected.com/ get-connected/bus-munch
Finnish gingerbread fare deal Finnish long-distance scheduled coach operator Matkahuolto offered its customers the chance to travel for free using unusual tickets on Tuesday (December 17). All they had to do was bake some gingerbread and present it at the booking office before embarking on their journey. Christmas in Finland is usually a time for mulled wine and gingerbread biscuits, but this week the Yuletide
treats have had a dual purpose — they’ve replaced tickets on long distance coach journeys. So when it came, to the crunch, what was the catch? The departure point and destination had to be clearly marked – in icing sugar for example – and the biscuit had to home-made and completely edible. The tickets available to gingerbread bakers were also limited to just 500 across the country. That said, in principle they
Dilbert
could be used to travel more than 800kms, from Helsinki in the south to Rovaniemi in Lapland. In the CBW office we couldn’t help but conclude that far from being a half-baked idea, we’re giving the marketeers top marks for their creativity. Far from taking the biscuit, it’s actually a great way of gaining column inches. Oh, and for once, it seems you really can have your cake and eat it...
Tuesday A day out visiting an operator in the West Midlands. It’s small and perfectly formed as the saying goes. This was a firm I first visited in a different life 15 years ago and its tenacious ethos hasn’t changed. What has is the number of obstacles put in its way. Businesses like this are the life blood of the economy, in my view. They generate wealth for the rest of us and that creates jobs. So why as a society do we make it so hard for them? It seems a growing percentage of the country’s workforce is employed in nonwealth generating activities. That’s hardly good for long-term prosperity. Wednesday A morning catching up on various things and making a start on the latest operator feature. We try to have the greatest possible variety of articles in CBW, but operator features are always popular. The metal they operate might be pretty much the same, but the people certainly aren’t and it’s that variety that makes the industry we all love so rich in character. Thursday Another day in the office writing. Friday Writing again, but not on this week’s EYMS superfeature. I’ve not been involved, but I know it will be an excellent read. So that was 2013. I wish you all a better 2014.
69 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013 069_CBW1118_Last Stop.indd 69
www.coachandbusweek.com
16/12/2013 18:46
d
.com
HASSLE FREE DRIVERS? www.justcoachdrivers.com Hire coach drivers when you need them. No holiday, no absence, no NI – pay only for the hours you need them for. We keep your wheels turning while your drivers are resting.
Call Del Haggerty Just Coach Drivers Ltd 07950 292939 www.justcoachdrivers.com
we require a
contracts manager we require a
contracts manager This new role will be part of the Senior Management within the Commercial Team and will hold responsibility for the management and development of the Go South Coast portfolio of contract work. key responsibilities: investigating new contract opportunities
An attractive salary and relocation package is on offer for the right candidate. For further information about the role or for any questions please contact Diana Wilks, Human Resources Manager (email below)
maintaining strong relationships with existing customers
Please apply with a CV and covering letter outlining why you would be the right candidate for the role to: diana.wilks@gosouthcoast.co.uk
to devise professional tender documents
Closing date for all applications is 13 January 2014
This role will cover a varied and beautiful geographical area and will be required to work with eight local authorities in addition to numerous schools, colleges and universities. This will be a challenging and extremely rewarding role that will allow the successful candidate to be directly involved in shaping the success of the company.
SHEARINGSHOLIDAYS Service Delivery Manager Hackney, salary £35k We have a vacancy for a Service Delivery Manager based at our busy Hackney-based bus depot. The successful candidate will be extremely organised, quick thinking and able to work under pressure. Experience in front line management within the bus industry is essential. The ideal candidate will have experience of operating TfL bus contracts. For further information and a full Job Description please visit our website at www.hctgroup.org/jobs
Driver Itinerary Planner – European Coach Wigan
£20 - 25K depending on experience plus benefits
Shearings Group is one of the UK’s leading tour operators providing holidays to over one million passengers travelling to hundreds of destinations throughout UK, Europe and beyond. Working within the operations team you will be responsible for compiling detailed driver itineraries for the River Cruise and European tour programmes, working closely with Product and Transport Managers to design practical and interesting itineraries in adherence with EU driver regulations. A comprehensive geographic knowledge of mainland Europe, good knowledge of driver hours and regulations, and an understanding of automated route planners of mainland Europe is essential. You will also have a sound knowledge of Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel and excellent communication skills.
If you wish to apply please send your CV and a covering letter to LawrenceWilson@hctgroup.org. For an informal discussion please telephone Lawrence on 020 7275 2417.
Energy and commitment and an ability to work under individual pressure and as part of a team will be rewarded with a competitive salary and benefits package.
The closing date for applications is Monday 20 January at 5pm.
Please write with full CV and current salary details to Tracy Fearnley, Shearings Holidays, Miry Lane, Wigan WN3 4AG or email hr@shearings.com. Closing date 24th January 2014.
70 | COACH & BUS WEEK | December 18, 2013 070_071_CBW1118_People_Recruitment.indd 70
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RECRUITMENT & PEOPLE
In association with
DEADLINES Booking: Monday 5.00pm Full artwork: Monday 5.00pm CONTACT Ian Gillis T: 01733 293484 E: ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com
Plymouth Citybus staff clock up 1,460 years of service
Ruth Quick Travel Centre Supervisor, with her 20 year award presented by Richard Stevens, Plymouth Citybus Managing Director Go-Ahead Group-owned Plymouth Citybus recently held its popular annual long service awards to honour those staff members which had spent 20 or more years of their lives working for the company. The long service gala was hosted by Citybus Managing Director Richard Stevens at the Plymouth Copthorne Hotel and was attended by over 60 employees and their partners. Nine members of staff received long service awards this year and were joined by over 50 employees who had previously reached the milestone, and together their years of service totalled 1,460 years. This year the longest serving recipients were Roger Beer, Robert Hilton, David Taylor and Nigel Moses, having all spent 25 years
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with the firm. However, impressively, the longest serving attendee was Brian Vincent who has completed 43 years for the one-time municipallyowned operator. Commenting on the event, Richard Stevens, remarked proudly: “It really was fantastic to honour those employees who have dedicated so much of their lives to the company. “I am truly overwhelmed by the level of experience which so many members of staff have. “Their level of commitment to Plymouth Citybus and serving the people of Plymouth is something which really should be celebrated. “The company is very close-knit. Staff enjoy their jobs, hence the large number of long-servers.”
Imex grows aftersales team Imexpart Limited has welcomed Scott Henshaw as new Area Sales Manager. Based on the road, this new appointment is an expansion to the Castleford-based company’s existing aftersales team. His role is to increase awareness of the company’s product ranges and to provide a high level of customer service to Imex customers. Mr Henshaw covers the Midlands and Wales, as the remaining areas of the country have been re-allocated to the existing Sales Managers Richard Davy, John Howorth and Steve Mulley. Between them they will look after the company’s comprehensive product ranges, including replacement parts for Iveco trucks, replacement parts for MAN trucks and buses, All Makes Engine range and All Makes Bumpers and Cab Panels ranges. A resident of Nottingham, Scott, has worked in the transport industry for over 19 years.
He said: “It is exciting to be joining a company which is recognised and respected throughout the replacement parts world. “I’ve always known of Imex, but having joined the company and found out more about its plans for the future, I’ve found it’s an exciting new challenge which I cannot wait to get my teeth into. “It is also pleasing to see that the company’s premier reputation for quality product range, excellent availability and high levels of customer service is a core working priority.” Commenting on Scott’s appointment, Imex Managing Director, Arthur Pinkney, said: “2014 will be a significant year for Imex, as we celebrate 28 years of serving the automotive industry and supplying quality replacement parts. “I am delighted that Scott is to join our growing team of after sales managers and wish him every success in his new role.” Part of the Human Capital Investment Group Offices in Birmingham - London - Surrey
We are specialist recruiters with over 25 years experience in the PSV & Coach market. Providing 24/7 staffing solutions to prestigious Bus & Coach clients across the UK. We are immediately able to supply and looking to recruit the following skill sets: • Engineering Directors • Diagnostic Technicians • Coachbuilders • Parts Specialists • Welders • General Labour
• Engineering Managers • PSV Technicians • Auto Electricians • Workshop Controllers • Cleaners • Administration & Office Staff
Please contact Andy Jennings - Divisional Manager 01784 487616 or 07799 866467 www.proactive-tech.co.uk
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