Wednesday February 20, 2013 Issue 1075 | £2.95 www.coachandbusweek.com
COACH:
Skills Holidays to be featured on Channel 4 documentary p9
FLEET UPDATE:
How Peoples Bus has breathed new life into a Volvo Olympian p20
Inside this week...
Minibus
Sleafordian: building on family ties
BUS:
First invests £76m in 464 new buses from UK manufacturers p4
VEHICLE FOCUS: Update from Optare – the decker is not dead in the water p18
for recruitm
JOB ADVE ent EVERY WERTS EK
RECRUIT N
OW
p22
Cover1.indd 1
18/02/2013 18:23
681629-1075-Quartix
15/2/13
13:40
Page 1
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 3
this week
Coach & Bus Week, First Floor, 3 The Office Village, Cygnet Park, Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX Switchboard 01733 293240 Fax 0845 280 2927 Web www.coachandbusweek.com Distributed by COMAG
EDITORIAL Publisher Jonathan Taylor 01733 293240 jonathan.taylor@coachandbusweek.com Editor Gareth Evans 01733 293243 gareth.evans@coachandbusweek.com Technical & Minibus Editor Martin Cole 01733 293245, 07885 692144 martin.cole@coachandbusweek.com Features Editor Andrew Cream 01733 293482 andrew.cream@coachandbusweek.com News Reporter James Day 01733 293244 james.day@coachandbusweek.com News Reporter Alex Tyler 01733 293240 alex.tyler@coachandbusweek.com Art Director Keith Simpson Contributors Tim Deakin, Ray Wilkes, Richard Charnley, Alan Payling
ADVERTISING, MARKETING & EVENTS Advertising & Marketing Manager Ian Gillis 01733 293484 ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com Senior Sales Executive Victoria Schult 01733 293248 victoria.schult@coachandbusweek.com Coach & Bus Market Advertising Manager Jade Cassidy 01733 293247 jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com Advertising Executive Brian Winterton 01733 293488 brian.winterton@coachandbusweek.com Advertising Production June Barnard 01473 858761 june@adsproduction.co.uk
SUBSCRIPTIONS & circulation Subscriptions & Circulation Manager Samantha Noble 01733 293480 samantha.noble@coachandbusweek.com Annual subscription rate for 51 issues: UK £85, Europe/Eire £140, USA and RoW £295 ONLINE £44.95
www.coachandbusweek.com ISSN: 1351-3877 © 2013 Coach and Bus Week Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or system or in any means without the written permission of the directors. This is considered a breach of copyright and action will be taken where this occurs. This magazine must not be lent, sold, hired or otherwise disposed of in a mutilated condition or in any authorised cover by way, or by trade, or annexed to any publication or advertising matter without first obtaining written permission from the directors.
Six years on, no change
S
ix years. Yes, that’s right; you’ve had to put up with my writings for six years on this magazine. After contributing stories and photographs for many months, about this time in 2007 I made the 150-mile trek over to Peterborough for “a couple of days”. On the eve of the second day I left with an envelope containing a draft contract of employment and was asked when I could start. After working my notice, I left my role at Tanat Valley Coaches and joined Coach & Bus Week as a News Reporter. I was in my element straight away. The job brought together several of my passions – people, photography, writing and transport. I was fortunate to be encouraged and nurtured greatly and was able to apply some of my practical experience of working in the industry, not least the ability to test drive coaches and buses. Coach & Bus Week has changed a lot in that time – Martin, Keith and I being the longest-serving members of staff – but some things have not.
Looking through contemporary back issues, stories making the headlines included those about BSOG, the OFT/ Competition Commission, escorts on school transport, the London low emission zone and funding concessionary fares. Also on the radar was the topic of Quality Contracts, with politicians in metropolitan constituencies making a lot of noise on the subject – sound familiar? Some things really don’t change. With the Driver CPC on the horizon, there was the seemingly inevitable confusion over the periodic training. Coach & Bus Week usefully carried a Q&A subject. With the five-year period from its introduction about to come to an end in 2013, it’s frightening how the time has flown by – and yet the matter is still a cause for much debate and controvesy in the industry. While the Driver CPC has become far more widely accepted than it was six years ago, it’s also reasonable to say the number of cynics/ objectors to it are certainly not in a minority, but that’s another story... Gareth Evans Editor
CONTENTS 4
20
32
The latest from across the coach and bus industry in the UK
12
Peoples Bus of Liverpool gives an ex Lothian Volvo Olympian a refresh
22
A Park’s of Hamilton Plaxtonbodied Volvo at Ferry Toll P&R
Volvo receives largest ever hybrid order and TCV chooses Allison
14
Family-run Lincolnshire firm Sleafordian Coaches profiled
26
Mobile climate control systems from Eberspacher UK
What’s happening across the country’s regions. Plus Events Diary
18
A look at scheduling software provider Omnibus
30
A lighthearted look at the industry. Plus Office Diary column
Optare gives an update on its upcoming developments
TSC member Graham Stringer looks at funding disparities
All the latest people moves from across the industry
News
International News Regional News News Focus
Fleet Upgrade
Operator Profile Supplier Profile Open Platform
Big Picture
35
Minibus
61
Last Stop
62
People
The opinions and views expressed by authors and contributors within Coach & Bus Week are not necessarily those of the Editor or its publisher Coach and Bus Week Ltd.
For all your relief coach driver needs call us today 0845 2416 288 www.justcoachdrivers.com www.coachandbusweek.com
Contents.indd 3
18/02/2013 18:57
4 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
news
“It was a mistake of the last Labour government not to do more to stop the profiteering of bus companies and the exploitation of the public...” Graham Stringer MP
briefly The Peterborough Bus & Commercial Vehicle Rally is to be held two weeks earlier than the original date of July 28, on Sunday July 14. Organiser Eddie Purchase told CBW: “We apologise for any inconvenience caused – this is due to circumstances beyond our control.” Ruffle’s Coaches, based in Sible Hedingham, has entered administration after experiencing financial troubles. The firm has been run by co-owner Glenn Ruffle and his sister Georgina Brown, the children of founder John Ruffle, who established the business in 1955. Mr Ruffle told The Halstead Gazette: “We have gone into administration but we are hoping for a takeover. We are not taking bookings at the moment.” West Yorkshire Metro PTE is consulting on plans for the redevelopment of Castleford bus station. Metro has drawn up plans which include an enclosed waiting area, CCTV coverage, RTI, a retail outlet and public toilets. Metro said it expects the £5m project will be operational by Autumn 2014. The 99 bus service operated by National Express rail operator c2c and Ensignbus has reached its 15,000th passenger four months after starting operation. c2c and Ensignbus relaunched the service in September 2012, extending the previous route between Tilbury Town station and Tilbury Riverside to serve Tilbury ASDA, introducing a wheelchairaccessible dedicated bus for the route, and extending Ensignbus season tickets to include the new service. c2c Timetable Manager Phil Sullivan said: “We knew the route was going to be popular, but this has really exceeded all expectation. We anticipated we might attract 10,000 passengers in the first few months, but to have carried 15,000 people already shows what a success the service has been.” Ross Newman, MD for Ensignbus, said: “We’ve been delighted with the success of the new 99 route and have had an excellent response from customers. The 99 is now an important part of the Ensign network.” www.coachandbusweek.com
News4,5.indd 4
Open Platform p30
Significant new bus order from First Operator supports British manufacturing with bulk of order being built by ADL and Wrightbus FirstGroup has ordered 464 new vehicles worth £76m for delivery in the 2013/14 financial year, which brings First’s investment in new buses to around £240m in three years. More than 95% of First’s 2013/14 manufacture will be in the UK. The bulk of the order will be built by ADL (222 vehicles) and Wrightbus (179 vehicles). Volvo Group UK will manage its 37-bus contract from its headquarters in Warwick, while Optare will manufacture 18. A further eight vehicles will be ordered, but as yet no decision has been taken as to the manufacturer. The interior of each vehicle will be laid out to First’s specification which was designed last year following extensive customer research. This seeks to maximise the flexibility for both buggies and wheelchairs while providing additional grab rails for all passengers whether seated or standing. All vehicles will be fitted with WiFi supplied by Icomera. “Investment in our bus division continues apace,” said Giles Fearnley, Managing Director of
First UK Bus. “We are committed to growing our business and encouraging more people to use our services and to use them more often. These new buses will see our investment reach some £240m in nearly 1500 vehicles over the last three years. This is enabling us to make a step change in the quality of service that we offer. “It’s really important we provide the very greatest flexibility for those customers using wheelchairs and buggies. “Fitting WiFi as standard is also increasingly important for our customers and all the vehicles will have leather or e-leather seating. We are determined to be at the forefront of customer service across the British bus industry.” Regarding supporting British manufacturing, Giles said: “Our manufacturing partners continue to lead the world in terms of quality and value for money. I’m pleased our tradition of supporting the British transport industry remains strong.” Colin Robertson, Chief Executive Officer of ADL, said: “We are delighted to be supplying almost 50% of First’s total new vehicle requirement this year. It is an endorsement of our class-leading products and the business relationship we have grown and
ADL is building 222 out of FirstGroup’s 464 new vehicles for 2013/14
nurtured with FirstGroup in recent years, working with them to raise the bar for the whole industry. I am particularly pleased that 142 of the 222 buses we will build for them are ultra-fuel efficient, 14-tonne Enviro300 single decks. These are achieving 9-10 mpg, which is bestin-class and provides significant whole life fuel savings versus many vehicles in service today.” Wright Group Managing Director Mark Nodder said: “Wrightbus is thrilled to be awarded this substantial order from FirstGroup. It is a huge endorsement of the development of our StreetLite range of lightweight buses, which proved themselves best in class in every category at fuel trials conducted at Millbrook Proving Grounds under the close scrutiny of FirstGroup’s engineers. We look forward to continuing our close working relationship with First, a partnership which has lasted more than 17 years.” Ian Downie, Project Director at Volvo Bus, said: “It is fantastic news that our partnership with FirstGroup continues with this new tender award, and in particular, with the repeat order for our complete single deck citybus, the Volvo 7900 hybrid. The continued success of the Volvo B7RLE ensures it is the 18 tonne city bus product of FirstGroup’s’ choice.” Optare’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer Glenn Saint said: “I am very pleased FirstGroup is putting our Versa model into its fleet and I have no doubt it will meet, and exceed all their expectations. Versa is a well proven model, renowned for providing the highest standards of passenger and driver comfort, excellent reliability and classleading fuel efficiency, and I’m sure it will deliver on all of these key points for FirstGroup.” First’s new buses will be fitted with EURO V engines. The £76m order consists primarily of single deckers and midi buses with 42 double deckers. It follows the delivery in 2012 of a very high number of double deckers for First’s Olympic Shuttle services.
18/02/2013 18:01
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 5
Join the discussion on Twitter by following us at @cbwtweets and find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/coachandbusweek
ComfortDelGro turns in record full-year revenue ComfortDelGro Corporation’s fullyear revenue increased by 3.9% last year to a record $3.55bn on broad-based growth. The Scottish Citylink operation experienced 9.3% growth and Metroline, the London bus operations, saw a 1% revenue rise. The taxi and bus arms of the company accounted for over 87% of the growth during the year. In line with the growth in revenue, operating profit for the year ended December 31, 2012 increased by 3.3% to $412.3m. Full-year net profit attributable to shareholders increased by 5.6% to $248.9m. ComfortDelGro Managing Director/Group CEO, Mr Kua Hong Pak, said: “Despite the significant challenges the Group faced in 2012,
RHA puts proposals across to the Treasury
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has submitted a set of proposals to the Treasury ahead of this year’s Budget. These include: A commitment to no further increases in diesel duty this Parliament and a reduction in duty, in order to boost growth and employment; A commitment to increasing the effectiveness of HMRC
Metroline saw a 1% revenue rise in 2012 efforts to combat diesel duty laundering and fraud, which is undermining legitimate road hauliers; Announce a clear, long-term, SME-friendly Treasury policy on methane (natural gas and biomethane) as an HGV fuel; and other alternative fuel technologies; No increase in VED beyond the increases identified as necessary in relation to the HGV road user levy. A commitment to engage in discussion with the RHA and others on the development of targeted use of some of the HGV road user levy for the benefit of the industry; and Maintenance of funding for VOSA to current level to ensure
including weakened demand in some markets, we managed to seek out opportunities to expand and remain thankful we were able to deliver another year of growth.” The bus business in the UK, with a full-year revenue of $563.8m, remained the single largest contributor to overseas bus revenue despite the weaker Sterling Pound. At Group level, full-year revenue from the bus business increased by 2.1% to $1.72bn. If not for the negative foreign currency translation effect, revenue from the Group’s bus business would have grown by 2.9% or $48.5m. In Singapore, bus revenue at SBS Transit increased by 6.1% to $600.9m as average daily ridership grew by 3.1% - more than compensating for a 0.5% drop in average fares. If bus advertising and rental income were included, total revenue would be 5.9% higher at $638.9m. For its core bus business,
however, SBS Transit fell deeper into the red, incurring an operating loss of $14.7m compared to $6.0m previously. The Group’s unscheduled bus business in Singapore recorded an 8.4% decrease in revenue to $22.9m in 2012 due mainly to fewer contract and ad hoc jobs. In China, revenue from the bus business fell by 48.7% to $27.6m following the divestment of lossmaking Shenyang ComfortDelGro Bus. Overseas bus revenue accounted for 61.6% of total Group bus revenue in 2012. Significantly, operating profit from the Group’s overseas bus operations for the year crossed the 90%-mark for the first time, accounting for 90.9% of total Group bus operating profit, up from 85.8% in 2011.
continued enforcement effort. The trade association says rising diesel prices are a prompting renewed concern. The average price paid by hauliers has risen by 5.8p a litre to 115.66 p/lit (before VAT) between the end of 2012 and mid- February 2013 and there are worrying signs prices will move further towards the all-time high recorded by the RHA of 117.66 p/lit. With diesel accounting for at least 35% of the total cost of running a 44-tonner and often a much higher proportion, this will lead to further conflict over haulage rates. Had the planned increase of 3.02 p/lit gone ahead in January, hauliers would now be paying an all-time high price for diesel.
As part of the industry’s drive to control costs without compromising quality, the RHA is urging action be taken to end VOSA’s monopoly on annual testing of HGVs and to make testing at ATFs available to the private sector, within a system of high quality regulation. This would serve to strengthen the safety culture of the industry, to improve workshop training, to boost efficiency, to reduce cost to industry and to boost growth through additional investment in up-graded workshop facilities.
Visit www.comfortdelgro. com.sg for more information.
The full submission can be viewed at http://tinyurl. com/b64mmqx
Vehicle Inspection & Maintenance Compliance Services
If you would like further information please call 01543 897505 or visit www.lloydmorgangroup.co.uk www.coachandbusweek.com
News4,5.indd 5
18/02/2013 18:01
6 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
971
news › BUSeS
The fleet number of Peoples Bus Olympian L971MSC when it was at Lothian Buses
briefly Brighton & Hove Council is installing solar-powered bus stops. Reportedly costing £1,500 each, the columns store power and illuminate the timetable at the push of a button. The local authority installed one on the northbound side of Preston Road, near Preston Park station, after commuters said the spot was particularly dark at night. Another one, sited near the American Express Community Stadium, is due to be moved to the top of Coldean Lane serving passengers on the N25 route. First has reduced some of its adult and child fares in Bracknell. First-issued single tickets on routes 155, 171, 172 and 194 are accepted by First drivers for a free return journey on the same day, saving £1.30 for an adult and 65p per child. The price of the FirstWeek ticket for Bracknell Area 1 has fallen by 25% to £10 adult and £6.60 child. FirstDay tickets are still available from the driver and continue to be valid on Thames Travel’s services with Bracknell Area 1, as well as evening and Sunday journeys on routes 171 and 172 operated by Courtney Buses. Paignton Bus Station has closed for a three-month renovation. Stagecoach South West said the closure is required to carry out renovation works to the roof canopy. The Paignton Travelshop remains open for business. Sleafordian has taken over route 36 which links Sleaford with Boston. Centrebus-owned Kimes gave notice of termination of the service but Lincolnshire County Council has stepped in to provide £5,616 of extra funding to save it from the axe. The Barry-based Cardiff Transport Preservation Group (CTPG) has announced details of three forthcoming events. The group’s unique low-bridge Leyland PD3 ‘PAX466F’ is to be re-launched on March 2 in Caerphilly. A Municipal Running Day will be held on Sunday May 5, with journeys departing Barry Depot. Not to be forgotten is the Barry Island 2013 Festival of Transport on June 9. Details at www.ctpg.co.uk. www.coachandbusweek.com
News6,7.indd 6
M5 bus crash driver jailed for six years Judge describes incident as “entirely foreseeable and avoidable” and driver fails roadside breath test A Birmingham bus driver has been sentenced to six years imprisonment following a crash on the M5 last year, in which two people died. Jasminder Dhesi appeared before Birmingham Crown Court last Tuesday (February 12) for the hearing, after pleading guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving in January. He was sentenced to two terms of six years imprisonment, to run concurrently. As reported in CBW1071, the 50-year-old from Great Barr was driving an Alexander PS-bodied Volvo B10B along the M5 in the early hours of March 24, 2012 when it came to a halt in a live lane and was subsequently hit by a lorry, on the southbound carriageway near to junction three. Liaquat Ali, 35, was a passenger on the bus and died at the scene. William Mapstone, a 65-year-old HGV driver, from Somerset, died in
hospital later that day. Another 30 people were injured in the crash, which happened in thick patchy fog. Prior to the collision the bus had twice lost power and Dhesi had pulled over onto the hard shoulder momentarily. Despite the fog and the vehicle’s unreliability Mr Dhesi continued with the journey. However, the bus again broke down in a section of the motorway where there was no hard shoulder and the vehicle remained in a live lane. Moments later the bus was hit by Mr Mapstone’s lorry. The court also heard the bus driver failed a roadside breath test immediately after the collision, but his sample once in police custody registered as 31 milligrams, which is below the legal limit of 35. In sentencing Mr Dhesi, Judge Michael Chambers QC referred to the evidence which suggested the defendant had been drinking prior to getting behind the wheel was an aggravating factor. “What happened, in my judgement, was entirely foreseeable and avoidable,” he added. Inspector Mark Watkins, from
North East bus operators and Nexus talk partnership The North East Bus Operators’ Association (NEBOA) has welcomed an invitation from Nexus PTE to hold a series of workshops aimed at hammering out a deal to improve services in Tyne and Wear. The sessions will explore how operators, Nexus and councils can work in together to deliver improvements such as investment in fleets, improved reliability and journey times, ‘smart’ ticketing, a new customer charter for passengers and better value fares. NEBOA Chairman Kevin Carr said: “These workshops should provide an opportunity for Nexus, councils and all the key players in public transport to fully engage with bus firms and participate in the process of developing a partnership agreement.
NEBOA Chairman Kevin Carr “I firmly believe we’re making progress towards a partnership which delivers the ITA’s bus strategy in an affordable and effective way.” NEBOA’s partnership offer already includes fares deals for 1618 year olds, a new ‘Bus2Bus’ ticket and proposals which will produce
the Regional Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This sentence brings to an end a comprehensive and complicated 10-month investigation. Mr Dhesi made a fatal error when he took a bus full of people onto the M5 knowing there were serious mechanical faults on the vehicle. “His criminal error of judgement in going onto the motorway in thick fog led to the inevitable loss of two lives, caused a man to remain in hospital to this day, and left 29 others with injuries. “I hope the sentencing offers some comfort to all those affected by this collision.” The operator of the bus remains a mystery. A VOSA spokesperson told CBW: “West Midland Police (WMP) prosecuted the driver for dangerous driving. VOSA has no plans to prosecute the vehicle owners. VOSA conducted a roadworthiness inspection of the bus after the collision at the behest of WMP, with the exception of the engine fault which it appears, developed on the journey, the inspection revealed no pre-existing mechanical defects.” savings for councils and the operators are keen to find ways that the idea can be further developed. The proposal would establish Partnership Boards in each area of Tyne and Wear, ensuring the best possible services are provided across the county. Carr said: “We already run two successful partnerships, in East Gateshead and South Tyneside, which have provided us with considerable experience of using the partnership approach. A county-wide partnership would reap benefits for local councils and, most importantly, our passengers.” Tobyn Hughes, Director of Customer Services at Nexus, told CBW: “We’re looking forward to this chance to work through the options for partnership with NEBOA. We have highlighted our concerns with NEBOA’s initial response to our invitation to form a partnership, and hope it can be improved on through this continuing dialogue.”
18/02/2013 18:02
36%
The percentage rise in output since Optare centralised its production at Sherburn in Elmet
MAN moves to quash rumours Last week rumours were circulating about several key sales personnel at MAN Truck & Bus UK having been dismissed. CEO Des Evans issued the following statement: “I understand there are rumours concerning MAN’s commitment to the UK market, so I would like to take this chance to personally assure customers past, present and future that these are without foundation. While it is a fact we are reviewing the structure of our operations in the light of the economic climate and recent performance, this is entirely an internal matter. The decision to hold a review was communicated to all staff, as you would expect of a company with ‘openness’ as a core value. At the moment, this review is still four weeks from completion: nothing is decided and nobody has been asked to leave. Under these circumstances, I think it a shame anyone should be more interested in spreading inaccurate and alarmist gossip, rather than concentrating positively on the review with us. “The facts of the matter are, with premium brands in our portfolio, growing product ranges and recent multi-million pound investments in developments such as the EcoCity gas bus and our customer support network, MAN is totally committed to the UK market and our many friends who operate in it. Indeed, our focus is directly on packages and systems to try and help our customers earn more money from operating our brands than any others on the market. “Once our review is complete we will make the results known immediately to all those with a proper interest, both internally and
IRTE to host technician conference
IRTE is hosting the Technician Professional Development Conference on April 17 in Westminster, with IMechE (Institution of Mechanical Engineers)
News6,7.indd 7
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 7
1964
The year Sleafordian was established by Don Broughton & Ted Barton
SHARE WATCH
Industry share prices at the close of the Stock Exchange on Monday, February 18. 21st Century saw the greatest proportional rise, while BAE Systems saw the greatest proportional drop. Most figures obtained from www.iii.co.uk
325.45p
Price: Year High: 367.50p Year Low: 268.52p
Prentice Coaches of Haddington has acquired a late used ADL Enviro 200 as a spare bus. The 29-seater replaces a Wright-bodied Volvo B10B bought last summer when the family-run firm started its two local bus routes. Service 121, which links Haddington with North Berwick and the 123 Gifford Circular were operated by First until last summer. A pair of E200s was acquired to run the routes. Commenting on the latest bus to join the fleet, Ross Prentice told CBW: “The E200 is a nice little machine. I bought it from Swans who are based near Oldham. It is a credit to them as it’s as near to immaculate as you will ever find in a three-year old service bus.”
ALBUM conference fully booked All delegate places and exhibition spaces have now been booked for the forthcoming ALBUM conference on May 14 and 15, 2013 at The Belton Woods Hotel, Grantham. The conference theme is
Giles Fearnly at the 2012 event and the FTA. Ian Chisholm of IRTE’s umbrella organisation SOE said: “With advancements in modern vehicle technology there is a real need for the skill sets of technicians to evolve. The vehicle technician of the future will need to fully understand diagnostic computer systems. This conference will act as a forum for discussing challenges currently facing the
‘Technology – get on board the route to success’, designed to demonstrate to delegates how they can improve their business by embracing technology. The speaker programme features Sir Brian Souter, Norman Baker MP and Anthony Smith from Passenger Focus amongst the contributors. The event has been organised by Nottingham City Transport (NCT), whose Managing Director Mark Fowles said: “We are delighted with the levels of demand and support received for this conference, particularly from our loyal sponsors and trade suppliers without whom the event could not take place. I am sure everyone attending will enjoy it and find it worthwhile returning to work inspired by the technologies showcased. Nottingham City Transport looks forward to welcoming all delegates at the conference in May.” industry and developments needed within technician training and assessment.” Speakers include Senior TC Beverley Bell, CEO of VOSA Alastair Peoples, and CEO of the Engineering Council Jon Prichard. For event details go to www.fta.co.uk/events/ technician_debate.html or call 08717 112222.
189.05p
Price: Year High: 306.70p Year Low: 174.60p
1353.0p
Price: Year High: 1390.0p Year Low: 1074.0p
206.85p
Price: Year High: 256.20p Year Low: 162.90p
294.15p
Price: Year High: 321.50p Year Low: 227.90p
0.47p
Price: Year High: 0.93p Year Low: 0.26p
46.00p
Price: Year High: 46.98p Year Low: 36.00p
78.03p
Price: Year High: 85.26p Year Low: 62.29p
15.38p
Price: Year High: 20.00p Year Low: 8.50p
-10.50 on last week
-3.75 on last week
-14.00 on last week
-5.10 on last week
-7.90 on last week
+0.02 on last week
+0.00 on last week
+1.05 on last week
+1.00 on last week
FTSE 100
6,313
Index: Year High: 6,347 Year Low: 5,260
+36 on last week
www.coachandbusweek.com
18/02/2013 18:02
8 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
news › coaches
briefly From March 3 until March 13, the roadworks at Pont Abraham Roundabout (M4 Junction 49) will require the A48 eastbound approach to be reduced to one lane for approximately 10 days (subject to weather conditions). The works are likely to lead to significant traffic disruption and result in delays, particularly at peak times, for traffic heading eastbound on the A48 from Cross Hands. Drivers are advised to avoid travelling on this route during peak hours. The Scottish Government has announced a package of road investment worth £36.73m for the south-west of the country. The £36m comprises improvements to the A77 between Symington and Bogend Toll and to the A75 at Hardgrove – in addition to the construction of Dunragit bypass on the A75. The A77 has previously been named as one of the world’s most dangerous roads. Asked by CBW whether the schemes would see any sections of road dualled or crawler lanes constructed, a Transport Scotland spokeswoman replied: “The only two schemes which are providing overtaking opportunities are Dunragit Bypass and Hardgrove to Kinmount. Symington is closing the central reservation gaps on this section of the A77; and building two new Overbridges to provide local connections across the A77.” The Cambridgeshire-based Mid Anglian Coach Operators Association held its annual Dinner on February 2. The well supported function was attended by nearly 100 guests including both operators and trade alike and was held at the Bedford Lodge Hotel, Newmarket. The raffle held on the night raised £580 for the Cambridgeshire Air Ambulance. Chairman Andrew Richmond of Richmond’s Coaches Royston, said: “Thanks goes to both Operators and Trade for supporting the night so well, with special thanks to our raffle prize suppliers, Volvo bus and coach – who supplied both a raffle prize and sponsored the table wines – Scania UK, Arriva Bus & Coach, Steve Taylor Coach Sales, Mosley South and Neals Travel.” www.coachandbusweek.com
News8,9.indd 8
Lavender Line Travel O-licence revoked Operator fast-tracked to Public Inquiry has O-licence revoked on the same day & Transport Manager disqualified Cotmanhay-based coach operator Lavender Line Travel has had its O-licence revoked from midnight on February 7 by Traffic Commissioner (TC) Beverley Bell after drivers were allowed to work on school runs without taking their legal rest breaks. The TC heard one employee had worked for 13 days without taking a weekly rest and had failed to keep proper records of his school runs. Investigators also reported another driver for working eight days without taking the appropriate weekly rest. Bus and coach drivers must take a weekly rest of 45 consecutive hours, where they are engaged in no activity relating to their employment. This can be reduced to 24 hours providing the same period of rest is subsequently compensated. During a second hearing on February 7 in Golborne, the TC examined evidence from an investigation carried out by VOSA. In August 2012, a Traffic Examiner made an unannounced visit to the Derbyshire coach firm. However, the VOSA officer was unable to speak to licence holder and owner Ruth Lavender as she had retired from the business due to ill health.
Carol Kirkwood to host UKCA
The organisers of the 2013 UK Coach Awards have announced that BBC Breakfast TV’s popular weather presenter Carol Kirkwood is to again host the awards ceremony, for the fifth consecutive year. Allan Edmondson, Chairman of the UK Coach Awards said: “We are very pleased Carol has agreed to be our compere again. She is
Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell Her husband, John Lavender, had taken over the running of the vehicles. The examiner advised Mr Lavender – who was also named as Transport Manager for the firm – that it was illegal for him to operate vehicles under his wife’s licence, as the operating authority is not transferable. Mr Lavender suggested the business was now a partnership with his wife, but this would also require a new licence. On examining record sheets completed by drivers and their time sheets, the VOSA officer found a number of offences. Mr Lavender said analysis of the tachograph charts was carried out by a member of staff in the office, but he conceded that she was probably not doing it correctly and he did not make additional checks to see if drivers were breaking the regulations covering their working
duties. When interviewed, drivers admitted they were not aware of the legal requirements around taking rest and could not offer an explanation for their offences. Mr Lavender also told the Examiner he had been running eight vehicles under the licence. Mrs Bell had given his wife authority to run seven. When questioned about his failure to analyse the records of drivers and identify offences, Mr Lavender suggested the idea was to “get work, not make work”. As the firm’s Transport Manager he was required to ensure vehicles used under the licence ran in a safe, legal and compliant manner, as well as checking drivers worked within the regulations. A separate visit, by a VOSA Vehicle Examiner, also revealed some issues with the operator’s maintenance procedures, specifically on safety inspections. At the hearing on February 7, Mrs Bell heard further evidence from VOSA, including the fact that vehicles were not being given routine safety inspections on time and staff carrying out the work were not qualified. After considering all of the evidence, Mrs Bell told Mr Lavender that his wife’s licence had to come to an end. She said: “I can not allow the licence to continue because it is held by your wife and she is no longer operating the
deservedly popular with our guests and always succeeds in bringing a warm and stylish presence to the proceedings.” Tickets for the ceremony, which takes place on the evening of Saturday, April 20 at Alton Towers Resort, are now on sale. The event is part of a weekend of entertainment, with the wellestablished UK Coach Rally taking place over the same weekend. Both events have come together this year at Alton Towers. For further information on bookings, visit the website at www.ukcra.org.uk.
Carol Kirkwood at the 2012 UK Coach Awards ceremony
18/02/2013 18:03
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 9
“This year will see more new developments. We are building products to suit Ashok markets as well as our own. We’re determined to finish the double-decker...” Glenn Saint Optare vehicles. Operator licences are not transferable. “What you should have done was make an application to my office for a partnership licence, or your own licence, when your wife retired. You chose not to do that.” The TC also told Mr Lavender he should have been aware of the need to get a new licence in his role as the operator’s Transport Manager. Turning to the offences reported by VOSA and paperwork produced at the hearing, Mrs Bell criticised Mr Lavender’s approach to the business. “In 13 years of being a TC I have never seen paperwork in such an appalling state. It was as if you had picked up the records and thrown them in the air,” she remarked. Ordering that the licence would be revoked with effect from 23:59 on February 7, 2013, Mrs Bell instructed her office to contact the relevant local authorities regarding school services provided by the firm. She also told Mr Lavender he had lost his good repute as Transport Manager and therefore would be disqualified from acting in that role for any operator in England, Scotland or Wales for three years. The order also means he can not work as a Transport Manager in Europe. Commenting after the hearing, Mrs Bell said: “Fortunately, cases requiring such urgent action are rare. As soon as it came to my attention, this operator was fast tracked to an urgent public inquiry. “In making the order for immediate closure of the business, I had to take vehicles off the road immediately as I could not risk passengers – mostly school pupils – being carried in unsafe vehicles and by an illegal operator.”
Group Travel World launches directory
CBW’s sister publication Group Travel World (GTW) has launched its new directory – a catalogue of transport options, destinations and accomodation for group travel organisers. The directory makes up part of the brand new GTW website, which launched on February 9. Featured
News8,9.indd 9
News Focus p18
Skills Holidays of Nottingham star in Channel 4 TV show Skills Holidays has been selected to take part in the new documentary series “Britain’s Secret Shoppers” to be aired on Channel 4 this month. Filming and interviews were conducted from last August to November in and out of the office, in shops on the coaches and on tour with TV crews, business analysts and the show’s business experts, providing detailed analysis and developing new ideas alongside MD Nigel Skill and his team. “The TV crew pretty much moved in, it’s surprising how much time goes into filming and making a TV show,” said Nigel Skill. The host of the show is meat entrepreneur Justin Preston. Justin will go undercover as well as work with members of Skills Holidays team to help the business deliver great deals for their customers. Using secret focus groups Justin proves that sometimes customers really do know best and explores how Britain’s businesses can offer
the best deals to super-serve their loyal customers and make a tidy sum themselves. Asked what it was like being involved in a TV series, Nigel Skill replied: “It was an experience and an eye opener to say the least. I’m proud that all of the Skills team got on board with this project, pushing many outside their comfort zones and some of the tasks presented were quite bizarre, especially in front of TV cameras. “We’ve all learnt a great deal in the past six months which I believe will give more people the confidence to choose Skills for their next holiday. “We believe the series will help boost confidence in the coach tourism industry as well as our own business and help other operators improve along the way too.” Skills will feature in the third episode due to air on February 28 at 2000hrs.
Coming to a TV near you: Simon Skill, Brett Sweetmore and Nigel Skill companies include local attractions, hotels and ferry operators. Each listing in the directory can feature various useful details of a particular company including group rates and incentives, opening times, maps and special offers, along with direct links and images. Coach tour operators can also list themselves on the directory to advertise their services to the group travel organisers making up part of the GTW readership. Jonathan Taylor, Chairman of GTW Media Ltd, said: “This new online facility is specifically designed to help coach and minibus operators develop more business
from UK and foreign group travel organisers. We are encouraging all operators to make sure they are listed on the site. It is great value from under £1 a week and there are even some listings available free.” Packages starting at £49.99 for a full year are available giving full advertising exposure including classified advertising within the magazine itself. A launch offer is currently in effect allowing operators to list basic information for free until the end of July, 2013. The directory can be found online at grouptravelworld. com/directory
Cllr Lindsley Harvard, left, and Cllr John McNicholas cut the ribbon to open the new second access
New route to Pool Meadow opened A new access into Coventry’s Pool Meadow Bus Station has been formally opened after being completed on time and on budget. The work was funded by Centro and Coventry City Council. The project has also seen the introduction of an improved access to the coach park. The coach drop-off and pick-up bays in White Street allow coach passengers easy access to the facilities in the station. They will also be in a good location for access to two of Coventry’s major tourist attractions – the cathedral and Transport Museum. Phil Bateman Regional Manager, CPT West Midlands Region, told CBW: “The improvement of Pool Meadow and White Street Coach Station is a huge step forward. Here at the Regional CPT we welcome the partnership working between the City Council and Centro. Creating the right conditions and developing better facilities in the city, for bus & coach operators, will ultimately lead to more passengers, and even more trade for city businesses. “It was just 12 short months ago that the CPT Awarded Coventry with its prestigious Coach Friendly City Award. “I have in the last few weeks been encouraging Coventry to enter the IRU’s Global City Competition. The recent access work should contribute greatly towards the city making the decision to enter this internationally famous competition.” For more information on Coach Parking in the refion visit http://tinyurl.com/belg52m
www.coachandbusweek.com
18/02/2013 18:04
10 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
news
SCRT retrofit programme for London Eminox to work with operators to ensure buses meet Euro 4 standard or better Eminox SCRT emissions technology is being rolled out as part of a major retrofit programme in London to tackle air pollution. This will play a part in ensuring all of TfL’s buses meet Euro 4 standard or better for NOx emissions by the end of 2015. Six operators are involved in the programme, with Go-Ahead Group, FirstGroup and one other firm already selecting Eminox as their partner. The rest are yet to announce their decision. Eminox will work with Go-Ahead Group to
upgrade 259 buses and with First Group for a further 90. London’s bus retrofit programme, the largest scheme of its kind in Europe, is funded by £5m from central Government, matched by £5m from TfL. In total approximately 900 buses are being upgraded – a combination of Volvo B7s, Dennis Darts and Tridents. The Euro III buses, already retrofitted with CRT technology to reduce particulate matter, will have their exhaust systems adapted to full SCRT. However, this is not a simple case of bolting on an SCR system as the whole unit must be repackaged and integrated onto the
Epsom Coaches Group has a large parts store at its modern premises
Evobus & Epsom agree in parts In what Epsom Coach Group has described as a ‘unique arrangement’, the RATP Groupowned operator has teamed up with EvoBus to stock parts for the firm’s increasing MercedesBenz and Setra fleet. Parts will be available 24/7 from the company’s large parts store, maximising availability of components for a fleet which seldom stops moving. Ian Norman, who has www.coachandbusweek.com
News10.indd 10
responsibility for Epsom’s procurement expressed his delight with the new arrangements: “Our business is very much 24-hour operation, so it is important we have the necessary spare parts on the shelf ready to fit. Evobus resupply us every day and we can rely on them to have the right part at the right time, through continual analysis of our requirements.” Marcus Watts, Director of Aftersales at Evobus UK, told CBW: “We are very pleased to further strengthen our relationship with Epsom Coaches Group. The fleet includes numerous examples of Mercedes-Benz Citaro and Sprinter, in addition to Setra S416GT-HD.”
bus within the available space. “Buses are responsible for 10% of NOx emissions across the capital and this retrofit programme will make significant inroads in reducing these.” said Kathye Henderson, Marketing Manager at Eminox. “I’m delighted Eminox is to play an important role in the programme which represents an effective, available and affordable means of cutting emissions from public transport.” The bus retrofit programme follows a successful TfL pilot
The upgrade involves 900 buses across the fleets of six operators
UK’s first ISEMOA audit completed The UK’s first ISEMOA accessibility audit has been completed in Sheffield by the TAS Partnership. ISEMOA, which stands for ‘Improving Seamless Energyefficient Mobility chains for all’, is an EU-sponsored scheme designed to provide an audit of accessibility and energy efficiency in transport and public space. “In Sheffield we put together an ISEMOA team consisting of a range of stakeholders – transport planners, operators and users,” said TAS’ Principal Consultant John Atkins. “They contributed really well, providing a comprehensive overview of how far Sheffield succeeds in its offer of seamless, accessible travel options.” The premise of the audit is to provide a baseline against which future ISEMOA work can be compared and to define a plan to improve areas of weakness. The Sheffield team included representatives from SYPTE, Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Community Transport, Sheffield Centre for Independent Living and the Transport for All campaign
project in which a new variant of Eminox’s SCRT technology was developed to specifically target reduction of primary NO2 emissions while maintaining other emissions reductions. Eminox engineers have worked closely with catalyst experts at Johnson Matthey to meet the challenge. Independent testing carried out on the MLTB cycle demonstrated reductions of almost 90% of NOx and over 50% of primary NO2. This beat TfL’s ambitious targets and means the vehicles are expected to operate close to Euro VI emissions levels. This is backed by in-use data showing real-world NOx reduction of over 80% on London buses. Eminox’s SCRT technology was recently commended at the 2013 Rushlight awards and is capable of upgrading buses as old as Euro II to meet Euro V emissions standards, 15 existing vehicles to be upgraded for the cost of one new bus.
For further information, please visit www.eminox.com
group. “This isn’t the time to merely complain that more money needs to be spent on accessibility – that’s more or less taken for granted,” continued John. “The most notable aspect about the audit was just how far the experience of bus, train and tram users was at variance with the perceptions of the planners and commissioners. The main value of the audit has been a sharp reminder of how much can be achieved simply through direct consultation and liaison with users. “Sheffield is now the UK’s first city to have adopted the ISEMOA standard and will be presented with a certificate and rights to use the logo on its publicity. The significance of this will grow as ISEMOA becomes more established throughout Europe.” The findings of the audit will be circulated to key stakeholders in order to influence thinking around ways in which accessibility and integration can be kept at the forefront of transport planning and operational delivery. Sheffield is expected to repeat the ISEMOA process in three years time to measure any improvements or otherwise. Visit www.isemoa.eu for more information.
18/02/2013 12:41
683007-1074-ADL
14/2/13
14:36
Page 1
12 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
news › international
Chinese-Polish consortium to build electric buses Six electric vehicles are planned for development during the twoyear trial project in Poland POLAND A Chinese electric vehicle consortium led by the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) has signed agreements to help develop an electric bus network in Poland. Other members of the consortium are BIT subsidiary BIT Huachuang Electric Vehicle Technology, CITIC Guoan Mengguli Power Science and Technology and Shanghai Dianba New Energy Technology. According to the agreements signed with Warsaw University of Technology and Polish power company Tauron Polska Energia,
Darwin moves forward with WiFi on buses AUSTRALIA Australian Transport Minister Adam Giles has announced free WiFi is to be provided on Darwin public buses as part of a trial. The first two WiFi-connected buses went into service February 11, with another three to start operating next week. “WiFi is being introduced on some Darwin routes to see how popular it is and to also attract commuters back onto the public transport system,” he said. The initiative coincides with WiFi being provided at Darwin, Palmerston and Casuarina bus interchanges. “This will allow passengers to read the news, emails or social media sites when waiting at interchanges or travelling on buses, and keep in contact with family and friends while travelling to and from school or work,” he added. The cost of installing and maintaining WiFi on the five buses is around $50,000. Giles claims public bus fares in the Northern Territory remain comparably lower than other states. The roll-out of free WiFi will be extended to Alice Springs public buses in March. www.coachandbusweek.com
NewsIntl-top.indd 12
the Chinese group and Tauron will establish an electric vehicle public transport system in Poland in the first phase. Six electric buses with a platform developed by Beijing Institute of Technology, including a power battery swapping system, a battery charging and discharging station, and an emergency service system, will be made for the two-year trial project in Poland. Six charging and swapping stations will later be set up in five cities, with 780 purely electric buses in operation. BIT Huachuang and Tauron will also seek to promote their jointly developed technology in other
European countries. As one of the earliest research units to develop a commercial purely electric vehicle power system platform, BIT has cooperated with more than 10 Chinese companies, including Foton, Yutong, Zhongtong Bus and GAC Group, to produce more than 2,000 electric commercial vehicles. It has also worked with Beijing Public Transport Holdings, CITIC Guoan Mengguli and Beijing Dianba on the operation of electric buses at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Shanghai Expo, Guangzhou Asian Games, and the Chinese government’s 10-city 1,000-electric vehicle programme.
An LFS Hybrid Electric Vehicle in Nova Bus livery
Volvo Buses recieves largest ever hybrid order CANADA Volvo Buses’ North American subsidiary, Nova Bus, has received an order for 475 hybrids, the largest ever signed by the group, from Quebec in Canada. Delivery of the LFS HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) buses will start in 2014. The order also encompasses an option for a further 1200 vehicles. The customer, ATUQ, is a consortium consisting of the
province’s nine transit authorities. “This order underlines the strong relationship ATUQ and Nova Bus have developed over the years,” said Jean-Pierre Baracat, President of Nova Bus. “ATUQ has renewed its confidence in our vehicles and we are glad to continue to work together to enhance services.” Nova Bus is also developing other means of environmental transport such as plug-in hybrids and all-electric buses. “One part of Nova Bus’ vision is to be a leader in green efficiency and electro-mobility. We believe lower-emissions buses help meet challenges such as congestion and improve quality of life,” said Stefan Tilk, Volvo Buses Americas.
The Allison T310R transmission
Allison chosen by Turkey’s TCV for CNG buses TURKEY Turkish bus manufacturer TCV is to provide 24 CNG, full low-floor buses featuring Allison transmissions to OTOBÜS in Istanbul. TCV, Turkey’s domesticallyowned bus manufacturer, has selected the Allison T310R transmission for its new KARAT full low-floor, CNG-fuelled, 12m model. The buses were delivered to Istanbul Buses Corporation and highlighted during a ceremony. Allison Transmission is already known in the Turkish public transport sector for midi bus applications, and this delivery signifies the firm’s entry into the full-size 12m bus market in Turkey. The Turkish designed TCV KARAT has aroused significant interest from local authorities and private bus fleets due to its environmental credentials. A 206 kW compressed natural gas (CNG) engine from MAN is combined with an Allison T310R fully automatic transmission. An Allison integral retarder provides additional braking, significantly improving vehicle service brake life. Timuçin Bayraktar, General Manager at TCV, said: “Allison transmissions help to reduce maintenance costs and fuel consumption while delivering a safe and comfortable drive” Taner Gider, Country Manager for Allison Transmission in Turkey, said: “Allison transmissions has operated successfully in midi buses and coaches around the country for several years. Allison now enters the 12m city bus segment in Turkey. We are focused on providing the best combination of cost, quality, reliability, service and overall value to both municipalities and private operators.”
18/02/2013 13:20
000000-1075-Optare
18/2/13
17:49
Page 1
14 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
news › REGIONAL
NORTH
Wigton-based Reays Coaches is to stop running its numbers 63, 63a, 64 and 70 City Hopper routes in Carlisle. The move will lead to the loss of 30 jobs, mainly among drivers. A date for the changes has yet to be confirmed by the Traffic Commissioner. Managing Director Chris Reay said the decision had been taken with “deep regret and sadness” but he had no alternative. Particular routes had not performed as expected and the City Hopper services had been placed under pressure by rival operator Stagecoach. Staff were told about the decision at a meeting at the company’s Carlisle depot off London Road yesterday. Reays said its 64a and 75 City Hopper routes will continue and it has plans to improve the 75 between Dalston and Cotehill via the city centre. All Reays’ other public bus services in Carlisle and elsewhere across Cumbria remain unaffected. The company’s travel centre in the city centre will remain open. Its private hire coaches and school bus services will continue to operate as normal. The company’s bus operation will focus more on rural routes and other services linking towns, cities and the Lake District. The firm added it expects to create 15 jobs this year at its depots in Egremont and Penrith due to the expansion of services. A Lancashire entrepreneur has offered to save Preston bus station from demolition. Simon Rigby, CEO for the Greengen Group, made his proposition after Preston Council voted to demolish the building because of the costs of running and refurbishing it. His plans to turn the upper decks into a car park were reportedly backed by a consortium of local experts. The council said it was considering the proposal stating that refurbishing the building could cost £23m with running costs currently at £300,000 a year. Mr Rigby said: “We are all Preston lads, we were brought up around the bus station, we know what it means to people in Preston. “I will personally put the money up to keep it. In the short-term this is a charity case because there is no magic wand which can be waved - if there was someone would have waved it by now. www.coachandbusweek.com
RegionalNews.indd 14
Coach & Bus Week takes a look at the big issues where you live in our round-up of the regions. If you’ve got a local issue you’d like us to cover, contact James Day on james. day@coachandbusweek.com. project for Altrincham.” The project is due to be completed in 2014.
KEY
SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND REP OF IRELAND NORTH WALES MIDLANDS EAST LONDON SOUTH EAST SOUTH WEST
“It is a choice, either we keep the bus station in the family and bring it back to health or it gets knocked down.” He said the details of the bid were commercially confidential, but added: “The intention is to operate the upper decks as a car park and make the lower part a welcoming area for people. “I am completely committed to the car park and the bus station staying right where they are.” Council Leader Peter Rankin said demolishing the bus station and building a smaller one would be better value for money. Heritage campaigners said the building was iconic and an asset to tourism. Work to transform Altrincham Interchange will start imminently, following the appointment of a contractor for a major improvement scheme. Laing O’Rourke will deliver the £19m project to revitalise and refurbish the interchange, which will provide a new, fully integrated transport hub with improved facilities and accessibility to all. There will be improved links between bus, train and tram services and enhanced CCTV and passenger information systems. A new, integrated ticket office will also be provided within the existing Victorian station building. As part of the Greater Manchester Commuter Cycling Project, which is being part-funded
WALES
through the government’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund, a dedicated cycle hub is being provided, with secure, covered cycle parking for more than 50 bikes. Cllr Andrew Fender, Chairman of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, said: “The transformation will fully complement and support the excellent work being done in Altrincham, which is itself undergoing great change and improvements. “Altrincham Interchange is a major gateway into the town centre, and this significant investment will provide a first rate facility, marrying the proud history of the site with attractive, modern features. I look forward to work getting under way.” Leader of Trafford Council and Chairman of Altrincham Forward, Cllr Matt Colledge, said: “Altrincham Forward is driving a huge programme of work to restore Altrincham’s position as a vibrant, modern market town. “The interchange development, which will provide a striking new gateway to the town centre, will be important in helping to achieve our vision and I look forward to seeing the scheme start to take shape over the coming months.” Tom Higgins, leader for Laing O’Rourke’s construction business in the north, said: “Laing O’Rourke is delighted to again be working alongside TfGM, with our project team looking forward to the safe and efficient delivery of this pivotal
New guidance has been published to help local authorities and bus operators plan for the introduction of seat belts on dedicated school transport vehicles. The guidance will set out what should be done to ensure compliance with The Safety on Learner Transport (Wales) Measure 2011. The Measure makes it compulsory for all vehicles used for learner transport to be fitted with seatbelts. This will ensure every child in Wales has a seat and is protected by a seat belt – effectively ending the three for two seating concession. The responsibility for ensuring all buses, including minibuses and coaches, used for dedicated home to school transport are fitted with seat belts from October 2014 falls on local authorities, governing bodies and bus operators. The Welsh government says that by publishing the guidance now it will give plenty of time to plan effectively for the introduction of the new safety requirements. The Minister with responsibility for transport, Carl Sargeant, said: “Safety on our school buses is something that every parent and schoolchild should expect. “The Measure will make it compulsory for school buses to provide seat belts for children and the guidance will help both local authorities and bus operators to plan properly for the new change.” Compliance with the Regulations will be enforced by the Police and the VOSA. Operators who are found to not comply are liable to criminal prosecution and a fine of up to £2,500. A copy of the guidance can be found at http://tinyurl.com/a4fje5o
MIDLANDS
A new multi-operator bus ticketing scheme is being introduced by Worcestershire County Council on April 2. The County Connecta is set to include all services within the Worcestershire County boundary, while the City Connecta will cover journeys within the boundaries covered by Worcester City Council. The Kidderminster Connecta will cover the central urban zone of Wyre Forest district – including Kidderminster, Bewdley and Stourport. Not to be forgoteen
18/02/2013 12:52
p15_CBW_1075
18/2/13
16:50
Page 15
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 15
3
16 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
news › REGIONAL
is the Redditch Connecta. Conservative Councillor John Smith, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Transport, said: “It’s fantastic news that this partnership between local bus operators and the council is resulting in this scheme. “When planning journeys by public transport across the county there is often a confusing array of tickets and options to consider. The Connecta scheme is a positive development in making bus journeys easier and more enjoyable.”
SOUTH WEST
Andover’s new £2.9m bus station is going to cost significantly more than originally expected due to delays and an expansion in scope of the project. The project reportedly needs £500,000 more than originally anticipated. An additional £200,000 is needed as a result of legal delays
while £300,000 has been earmarked to extend the scope of the station. Hampshire County Council’s Transport Strategy Manager Andrew Wilson, said: “The new bus station will create a much improved gateway to the town centre and contribute to the regeneration of the area by improving pedestrian areas between the town centre and Andover College, the Lights and Andover Leisure Centre. “The new cafe will also create an area where people will spend time rather than simply pass through. “This will help to attract more people into the town centre shopping area and will help boost trade for the businesses within the Chantry Centre.” Finance for the facility will come from housing developer contributions resulting from the town’s expansion. Work is expected to begin in March and will continue for 52 weeks.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
The annual Bus Driver of the Year has entered its 47th year, with the final being held in Blackpool on September 7-8
2013 n February 24-25 Coach Holiday Conference. Bristol Filton Holiday Inn. www.coachtourismcouncil.com n March 13-14 Best of Britain and Ireland (BoBi). Travel Trade Forum at the NEC in Birmingham. 01926 834796. www. bestofbritainandirelandevent.co.uk n March 19-21 The Cleaning Show. NEC, Birmingham. 01737 855 086 www.cleaningshow.co.uk n March 20-21 UK Bus Awards Annual Conference. The conference is booked to take place in Fareham and will feature a visit to Hampshire’s Eclipse BRT project. www.ukbusawards.org.uk
Stagecoach in Sheffield won the Environmental Impact category at the Sheffield Business Awards on February 1. Over the past 12 months, Stagecoach has invested almost £12m in 40 hybrid buses which are used on two of Sheffield’s busiest routes. All Stagecoach buses use the fuel additive Envirox to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions and drivers use the GreenRoad 360 eco-driving system to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Stagecoach also offers passengers the option to buy an electronic, re-usable ticket called StagecoachSmart cutting down on waste paper. Rupert Cox, Commercial Director, Stagecoach Yorkshire, said: “Stagecoach is committed to delivering greener, smarter bus services across the Sheffield city region and sustainability is at the heart of our business so we are extremely proud to have won this award. “It’s recognition for the investments we are making in cleaner engines, renewable fuels, energy efficient facilities and water and waste recycling. But our commitment to the environment goes beyond vehicles and depots. “We have a dedicated Energy Team to develop initiatives such as driver uniforms made from recycled plastic bottles and our smartcards and other new technology solutions are providing greener, smarter and more integrated travel for thousands of people every day.” Pictured left to right are: Lloyd Snellgrove, Director of the Research and Innovation Office at Sheffield Hallam University, Rupert Cox, Commercial Director at Stagecoach Yorkshire, Derek Davidge and Mark Jones, both Operations Managers at Stagecoach Yorkshire.
n April 6 South East Bus Festival 2013. Kent Showground, near Maidstone, Kent, brought to you by the organisers of ‘M&D 100’ and ‘M&D and EK 60’. www.facebook. com/southeastbusfestival n April 9-11 CV Show 2013. NEC, Birmingham. www.cvshow.com n April 20-21 UK Coach Awards & UK Coach Rally. Alton Towers, Staffordshire. 01753 631170. www.coachdisplays.co.uk or www. ukcoachawards.co.uk n April 21 London Bus Museum Spring Gathering. Cobham Hall, Weybridge, Surrey. 01932 837994. www.londonbusmuseum.com
n June 2 Clacton Bus Rally & Running Day, Clacton Factory Outlet, Essex. Classic and current vehicles. Entry forms & more details available at http://www. colneestuarypb.co.uk/ n June 11-13 ATCO Summer Conference. Merseytravel HQ, Liverpool. www.atco.org.uk n June 16 Swansea Festival of Transport. Free to enter & attend. Call organiser Ashley Lovering on 07814958379 or email swanseatransport@aol.com. Visit www.ntfwswansea.co.uk. n July 14 The Annual Peterborough Bus & Commercial Vehicle Rally. Sacrewell Farm (A47/ A1 junction). Free entry. 07828 754412 or 01462 626750 n July 21 Alton Bus Rally. Anstey Park, Anstey Lane, Alton, Hants. www.altonbusrally.org.uk n September 7-8 Bus Driver of the Year Final. Blackpool. Call 01303 251462. www.bdoy.co.uk n September 8 Bus & Coach Wales 2013. Rhyd y Car Leisure Centre, Merthyr Tydfil n September 10 Association of Trainers AGM. 1400hrs, Wembley. For details call 01797 344251. n September 22 Showbus 2013. Long Marston Airfield, Warwickshire. www.showbus.com
n May 14-15 ALBUM Conference. Belton Woods Hotel near Grantham, Lincolnshire. www.albumconference. co.uk
n October 2-3 Coach & Bus Live 2013. NEC, Birmingham. www. coachandbuslive.com
n May 26-30 UITP Congress & Exhibition. Palexpo, Geneva. www.uitp.org. +(00)32 2673 610
Send your event details to gareth.evans@ coachandbusweek.com
www.coachandbusweek.com
RegionalNews.indd 16
18/02/2013 12:52
p17_CBW_1075
18/2/13
15:44
Page 17
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 17
Vital skills for success
Courses on Network and Timetable Planning Bus and Crew Scheduling
QV Associates
2 Bath Road Worcester WR5 3EJ Phone 01905-613527 Fax: 01905-767509 email courses@qv-associates.co.uk
18 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
news focus › optare
Optare: poised to make progress Coach & Bus Week’s Martin Cole discovers a new air of confidence from a revitalised Optare Just prior to the last industry show in 2012, Optare had some positive things to say about developments in home and overseas markets but a week or so later was clearly a little uncertain as CEO Jim Sumner had announced he was leaving and PG Nilsson would be taking over with Glenn Saint moving from Chief Technical Officer to Deputy CEO. However, the move into a new facility at Sherburn in Elmet has finally brought the previously disparate manufacturing process together. At the year-end Optare’s performance had improved sufficiently to ensure deliveries were being made on time. It built and delivered around 400 buses, a 36% increase over 2011, plus 190 kits which it supplied to South Africa. Glenn Saint said: “Our position now, thanks to underpinning by Ashok Leyland, is of far greater stability – for the business, for our shareholders and for the management team. We can confidently engage with the market to maintain and improve our position and we will be addressing new segments of the market as a result. “Ashok Leyland has a vast and well-established global network, apart from in North America. These markets are progressing
5
and developing and our role is essentially to provide the advanced technology – through building complete products or supplying kits which can be assembled locally. We have greater knowledge and experience available to us through our new CEO, who has sales experience in markets around the world plus board members who have spent many years working on international sales for the major vehicle manufacturers. “Overall, the Hinduja Group recognises huge potential for Ashok Leyland’s markets and Optare as a significant contributor to helping them develop. We have another 31 Solo kits to provide for South Africa and expect more from there later this year. Additionally, Solo kits are going to be produced for the United Arab Emirates – and these may even feature an Ashok driveline.”
Home market Turning to home markets, Glenn Saint said he was delighted by the response to the 11.7m Versa. It had been immediately popular with Arriva, following successful trials which revealed extremely positive fuel consumption figures due to its low weight. He confirmed some were being built to fulfil an evaluation order for FirstGroup. The MetroCity, first revealed at EuroBus Expo, has now completed all its relevant testing and homologation and the 10.6m version is entering
a demonstration programme from March. Specifically aimed at London operation with front and centre entrance/exit doors it will also be available at 9.8m. The first is nearing completion and should be ready for demonstration by the end of March. A left-hand drive version aimed squarely at European markets is currently being developed and expected to begin a demonstration programme with potential customers in Europe in the middle of the year. Outlining the strength of Optare’s engineering team, Glenn Saint added: “This year will see more new developments. We are building a portfolio with products to suit Ashok markets as well as our own and we are determined to complete the double decker project. The chassis was homologated to Euro 5 in 2012. Now we are finalising a specification, trying to ensure it features innovative ideas, is not a ‘me too’ product and will have its own unique sales points in addition to being lightweight and fuel efficient. “We have extensive experience now with hybrids and our fullelectric buses. There is considerable interest in electric now, particularly since the revision in the way the latest Green Bus Fund grants are being allocated.” A guided tour of the new plant revealed busy production lines with Versa and Solo models in a variety of sizes being assembled.
2
6
www.coachandbusweek.com
NewsFocus_Optare.indd 18
18/02/2013 12:44
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 19
Join the discussion on Twitter by following us at @cbwtweets and find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/coachandbusweek The availability of space ensures adequate lineside storage for components at each build stage and there is also sufficient room to build hybrid or electric buses separately alongside a section dedicated to building the various drive modules. Among those in build were 11.7m Versas for Arriva and 12m Versas for Weaverway and Claribel which will feature three-plus-two seating and seatbelts. Also making its way along the line – a left-hand drive Solo SR with a revised cab layout to meet European requirements. The cab is larger with different dashboard display and layout. The driver’s area access door is much deeper with large a pocket capable of storing a moderate sized backpack and the partition between the driver and saloon has also changed.
1
3
1: Full production lines at Sherburn 2: LHD Solo SR with enlarged cab area. 3: Revised instrumentation for LHD Solo SR. 4: Glenn Saint, Deputy CEO. 5: An 11.7m Versa. 6: Bonding and sealing panelwork. 7: One of three Solo SRs for TLC with leather seating and woodeffect flooring. 8: An unusual livery for Network Warrington – Versas destined for a special service
7
4
Looking ahead There are three new spray booths across one end of the factory which are making a marked improvement to the paint process and its finish. A fourth booth may be added in the near future to increase throughput capacity. Outsourced bodyframing continues as before – but now the contractor is just across the road in an adjacent plant on the industrial estate. The recent poor state of the UK market combined with Optare’s internal and logistical problems had been serious cause for concern. If not for the intervention of AshokLeyland it could have disappeared or potentially have been absorbed by ADL. Glenn Saint was mindful of the support Optare was given from some its key suppliers. He said: “Fortunately we have some suppliers who were prepared to stand by us and this helped us considerably in our efforts to turn the business around.”
8 www.coachandbusweek.com
NewsFocus_Optare.indd 19
18/02/2013 12:44
20 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
fleet upgrade › volvo olympian
Breathing new life into an Olympian Coach & Bus Week’s Gareth Evans talks to Andrew Cawley, Managing Director of Liverpool-based independent operator Peoples Bus and learns about a refresh carried out on a trusty ex Lothian Olympian www.coachandbusweek.com
PeopleBus.indd 20
S
he may be 18-years old but according to her owner, ex Lothian Buses Volvo Olympian L971MSC is “built like a tank”. There is still life left in her – so much so, Andrew Cawley decided it was worthwhile to carry out some refurbishment work to extend her career on the frontline. New in April 1994 as fleet number 971 in the renowned Scottish municipal fleet, the bus was withdrawn in August 2007, before passing to well-known operatordealer Ensign Bus. The Alexander RH-bodied double-decker retains its H51/ 30D seating configuration. It carried the private plate L90BUS for a spell, before reverting to its original registration number. “We bought it in August 2007 from EnsignBus,” recalled Andrew. “This one is unusual as it was one of the first to be realeased with moquette seating rather than Lothian’s traditional leather. We do
so much with EnsignBus that we trust them. Ross Newman knows exactly what we’re looking for. I didn’t even go down to Purfleet to view it. “In 2011, I saw a coach in Ensign’s advert in CBW and bought it without viewing it – and I’ve done the same with several Darts.” Explaining some of the reasons for retaining the ‘old decker’, Andrew said: “We’ve also got an L-reg ex Dublin Bus Olympian, which is solid too. Interestingly, we believe that particular bus is the penultimate Leyland Olympian. We also run a Northern Counties Palatine-bodied Volvo Olympian and a Wright Endurance-bodied Volvo B10B. We’re still operating them as we can’t get the Tridents seat belt certified. This Olympian is built like a tank. Our drivers love it – in fact, they prefer it to a Trident. “From an engineering point of view, it needs less attention than our newer vehicles. Modern buses have far more complex electronics
18/02/2013 12:50
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 21
Far left: Freshly repainted & ready to hit the road again. Above left: Livery & trims set bus off. Above: The refurbed bottom deck. Left: The smart top deck. Right: Promotional branding includes social media
“To be perfectly honest, even if I only get another two to three years service out of it, I will be happy I will have had my money’s worth.” Andrew Cawley on them. This bus has a nice big Cummins L10 engine, which gives it plenty of power. It does exactly what it says on the tin.” All the double-deckers in the Peoples Bus fleet retain their two-door configuration, as Andrew explained: “We are often asked why we don’t convert them to single-door layout. We find the configuration works perfectly for the nature of our business, which is primarily schools and football supporters. A two-door bus can be emptied quickly.”
The refurb
What work was required? The bus benefitted from a full re-trim and the repainting of the seat frames and grab rails. Body panels were replaced as required. The near-side roof panels were also renewed to repair tree damage. The seats were re-covered by Liverpool Coach Trimmers, whose clients include Arriva and Stagecoach.
PeopleBus.indd 21
Prior to the refurbishment the interior (above) and exterior (top) looked tired. At this time the vehicle was still registered ‘L90BUS’
“We get excellent service and the work is done to a very high standard. No fewer than eight of our vehicles have been done there,” said Andrew. Wheel trims have also been added. “I feel they really help to finish a vehicle off but the engineers hate them,” remarked Andrew. The bus has benefitted from a full external repaint too, which has been undertaken in-house using brushes and rollers. “You find smaller operators tend to be particularly proud of their vehicles,” commented Andrew. “The new livery which we adopted last summer is a real improvement over the old colours scheme. The old livery had been in use since I started this business in June 2001 but it needed to be refreshed – the colours are after all, distinct.” “I sat here with different shades of blue from dusk till dawn,” he mused. Andrew said he’s pleased with the end result. “Due to its size – it’s 81-seater – the bus is popular for
wedding party hires, so it’s vital that the vehicle looks smart.” Looking ahead, Andrew said the Olympian is likely to stay in the fleet for the “foreseeable future “– even post DDA as by then it will no longer be allocated to a registered service. He added: “To be perfectly honest, even if I only get another two to three years service out of it, I will be happy as I will have had my money’s worth.” Peoples Bus: T: 0151 5234010 W: www.peoplesbus.com n Liverpool Coach Trimmers: T: 07970 412 878 W: www. liverpool-coachtrimmers.co.uk n Ensign Bus: T: 01708 865656 W: www.ensignbus.com
Are you refurbishing a coach or bus and would be happy to have it featured in CBW? Have you got high-resolution photographs? If so, please contact the Editor. www.coachandbusweek.com
18/02/2013 12:51
22 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
operator profile › sleafordian coaches
Sleafordian – an operation built on relationships Coach & Bus Week’s Andrew Cream visits Sleafordian Coaches and finds out about its extensive history, its training arm, community ties and the BUSK Simply Safe scheme
T
here is certainly a healthy number of family-run coach firms across the country at the moment, with second and third generations coming up through the ranks to support or even take over from the company founders. The likes of Mainline Travel, Grayline Coaches and Lucketts Travel are great examples of wellrun family businesses. However, their blood and marital connections all pale when compared to Sleafordian Coaches. Originally set up as a taxi company (Sleaford Taxi Co Ltd) by Don Broughton and the late Ted Barton, the much-changed operation is now run by Don’s son and daughter-in-law Mark and Lisa. Mark and Lisa’s daughter Hannah works in the office and, not only that, Lisa’s sister and brotherin-law, Sarah and Ian Tomlinson, joined the company last year. There are in fact seven couples currently working at Sleafordian Coaches, if you include Directors Jean and Don. I even asked if it
Below: Sleafordian’s bus operation has grown extensively over the last 10 years
was a prerequisite for joining the company these days – make sure you bring your CV and your other half to the interview…
The last 50 years
Don and Ted started up Sleaford Taxi Co in 1964, so the company is soon approaching its half century. “We’ve had 50 years of successful trading behind us,” said Don, taking up the story. “We ran taxis for about 20 years, but acquired our first minibus in the late 60s. Then we got a 12-seater. “We were getting offered more jobs – for example we started taking nurses to the hospital. “And then the minibus jobs grew into bus jobs. If you don’t set off with particular goal you can take advantage of doors opening for you.” Mark continued: “Customers relied on us and what we could do for them so we adapted with our customer base. “If you follow demand you can retain clients. Recognising the door opening is the real key to success – and having that adaptability.” The name was changed to Sleafordian Coaches in the early
www.coachandbusweek.com
Sleafordian.indd 22
18/02/2013 12:56
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 23
operator: Sleafordian Coaches location: Sleaford, Lincolnshire established: 1964 FLEET: 31 Contact: 01529 303333 www.sleafordian.co.uk
70s. The company’s first coach, bought around 1971/72, was a 1964 SB5 Duple Bella Vega, while the second was a 1966 Duple VAM5. The firm moved to Westgate in Sleaford in 1972, a town centre location. They stayed there until 2004.
Continual growth
When the country moved to deregulation in the mid 80s, could Don be lured into ramping up his bus operations? “When deregulation came in, I wasn’t tempted,” he recalled. However, it wasn’t long before ambition got the better of him. “In 1987 we started running a service between Sleaford rail station and Woodall,” Don said. “The Roadcar service had stopped and we were coerced by the council’s transport unit. “We started to realise it was a good scheme and then we got ambitious and tendered for jobs. “Before then, Roadcar had such a hold over services. You couldn’t just run trips to where you wanted, Roadcar held the licences – even to run a day trip to Skegness for example.”
Sleafordian Coaches’ team – featuring a few of the couples within the firm Sleafordian has also been involved in some niche markets over the years. The operator once had an RAF contract where it carried recruits and their luggage (in a separate van). “It was a big contract and we used to go all over the place,” Don said. The company also considered moving into disabled transport too. “The market looked to be growing,” Don explained. “But while I was
learning the ropes the county council developed Translink so we decided not to go any further.”
The second generation
Mark can trace his involvement with his father’s business back to 1984, when he worked as a yard sweeper. He started in a full-time role however in 1990 as a driver. So how did Mark get to where he is today?
“I just gradually worked my way up,” he explained. “It’s about having the ideas and having the wherewithal to carry them out. I was the boss’ son so I got a bit of a rough ride. You have got to put the hours in.” Mark’s brother David also used to hold a position at the company. He’s the computer specialist of the family and set up the firm’s website – back when the internet was just getting established. “We have had a website ever since people started having websites,” Mark commented. In 1998 Mark’s wife Lisa joined the fold, in a part-time role at first. She agreed too that “career progression just happened”.
Moving on up
While Sleafordian’s town centre location was ideal in many ways, the operator was looking to expand. However, it took Mark and the team a long time to find somewhere good enough to up sticks. “We were looking for 10 years for somewhere to move, looking at umpteen sites along the way,” Mark explained. Then a local coach and
www.coachandbusweek.com
Sleafordian.indd 23
18/02/2013 12:57
24 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
operator profile › sleafordian coaches
Above left: The workshop, which Sleafordian is hoping to expand to three bays. Above right: Sleafordian’s newest coach; a 2002 Dennis Plaxton Paragon bus firm Wings decided to call it a day. “This gave us the opportunity to grow,” Mark said. “We took on a chunk of the bus side of Wings, cherry picking their services. We bought some of their vehicles and operated some school contracts. “We also operated from Wings’ premises for about six months.” Wings’ ‘Sleaford Nipper’ service became Sleafordian’s ‘Into Town’ service, which runs today on two 05-plate Optare Solos. “Terry from Wings drives for us on a part time basis,” Don added. “In fact we took on quite a few of their staff.” While the company were looking to expand, the jump overnight to becoming a much bigger company was risky. “It could have broken us,” Mark said. “It was hard to reach the level of funding we needed.”
Challenging times
These days it seems a CBW feature wouldn’t be complete without a bit of good old doom and gloom regarding the current economic climate. All companies have had to react to the rising operating costs and Sleafordian is no different. The firm has had to scale down its Into Town service. Mark explained: “I care about my town. We don’t like making cuts but we have to do that to carry on. “Unfortunately that is where the climate is. Cuts to BSOG have not helped whatsoever.” Operators have to be more inventive now with regards to how their vehicles are allocated throughout the day. “New ideas have to fit with other things,” Mark said. “You have to add a school route to a bus’ schedule to make up the shortfall in some www.coachandbusweek.com
Sleafordian.indd 24
circumstances.” Don added: “You have got to employ your vehicle for the maximum hours each day as much as you can. “You used to get a bus because you had a school contract. That has all totally disappeared now.”
Training
A relatively new addition to Sleafordian’s portfolio is its training arm. This is headed up by Training Manager Jemma Borrill and Business Development Manager Ian Tomlinson. Ian gave me some background: “It’s a small part of the business but it’s growing. It also means we can manage our own staff’s training hours and we don’t have to pay out for training. Plus, it’s another income stream for us.” And to add another string to their bow, they have recently been approved by JAUPT to carry out DCPC training on other operators’ premises. Ian was keen to commend JAUPT on its support throughout the process. “It’s a competitive market and we are building a menu of courses and trying to be flexible,” Ian said. “We can offer half days as well as full days. Half days work well as drivers can come in between school runs, for example.” Ian’s previous job involved training in schools so he’s very much used to engaging with an audience. He passed his PCV test in August 2011 and regularly drives for Sleafordian too – so he can share stories with drivers – and they won’t feel like they are just being spoken to by someone who has no knowledge of the job. “It’s a great chance to get together with drivers,” Ian commented. “It’s about spending the day together; drivers can go away thinking they have got
Sleafordian: simply safe
Sarah Tomlinson is the School Liaison Officer at Sleafordian Coaches and part of her role is to promote the BUSK (Belt Up School Kids) Simply Safe scheme. In May 2012, Sleafordian became the first Lincolnshire operator to be accredited members of the scheme. The firm has also just been awarded six stars on the new BUSK Benchmarking scheme. Sarah explained: “It’s about getting schools to think beyond price when looking for a coach company to work with. They might be able to get a cheaper price than us but they could be compromising on safety. It’s important for schools to think about. The governing bodies have got to see safety as a higher priority.” Sleafordian has a safety charter it distributes, detailing what it can guarantee, along with what the trip organisers are required to do. Amongst other things, the firm promises a first-class service, fully maintained coaches meeting all legal compliances as laid down by VOSA, CRB checked drivers and coaches with a minimum of twopoint safety belts.
something out of it.” We have heard over the past year about the reluctance of some operators to embrace Driver CPC. Mark said: “I agree with DCPC and I am still amazed that some operators have their head in the sand – it’s not going away. “We want to provide the service to our own drivers as well as other operators’; drivers will enjoy the experience.” On whether they anticipate higher demand for the training as the deadline approaches, Ian said: “We are anticipating a rush.” And as the compulsory 35 hours of training is started again after September, technically, operators should learn to stagger training for the next round. “We are hoping that will be the scenario, with a steady flow after September,” Mark commented. “We’ve had a flow of enquires for off-site training recently. We have had excellent reviews from the audits – it shows we have taken the trouble and invested money into this.” But of course, there will be drivers who don’t reach the number of hours before the deadline – so what will happen to the industry? “I think there will be a loss of operators,” Don said. Lisa added: “And some drivers – especially older drivers who have chosen to retire instead of completing the training.” One thing Mark doesn’t agree with is that drivers can, theoretically, take the same sevenhour course five times and still gain the DCPC. “It shouldn’t be allowed in the rules and regulations,” he said. “You have to engage drivers and keep them interested, as a lot of the time they don’t want to be there.” Mark is also campaigning for
18/02/2013 12:57
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 25
Join the discussion on Twitter by following us at @cbwtweets and find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/coachandbusweek funding to be made available from the government to support those who offer training as it is helping to lower unemployment. “The lack of support doesn’t encourage the smaller companies like us,” he said. “But we are still putting a lot into it; showing we are investing in people.”
A community business
Public transport operators are often integral to the area they are based in – even more so if the name of the town makes up part of the company name. “We are very passionate about what we do,” Mark enthused. “And I do get annoyed when people decry this industry or my town.” “We like to think we are integral to the community – we do a lot for the area,” Lisa added. Sleafordian gets its name around through extensive local marketing and it also sponsors local sports teams. Don commented: “If I walked down the street and didn’t say hello to a certain amount of people then I would be disappointed. “You have to be part of the community – you rely on them.” And one of Don’s sayings is “it takes 20 years to build a business and 20 seconds to make a mess of it”. “We listen to people and ask the public what they want,” Mark added. “We try to mould the company around the community.” Partnerships within the community also help build ties and support local commerce. Ian said: “Partnerships are key to everyone at the moment. We can help the local community. For example, partnerships with schools give them reassurance and loyalty discounts and we benefit from the business. “It’s also beneficial to have partnerships with other operators. We have a good partnership with Grey’s of Ely. We don’t step on each other’s toes because of the distance
between us. “Richard Grey is great with technical jargon so can help us in that sense, while we have helped with their school work. It works very well.”
Looking forward
Sleafordian has 31 vehicles, with a licence for 35. The fleet consists of eight coaches, three midi coaches, two midi buses, 16 double deckers and two single deckers. The coach fleet is made up of three Van Hool Alizees, one Volvo Plaxton Premier, two Volvo Plaxton Excaliburs, a Volvo Plaxton Panther and one Dennis Plaxton Paragon. Their expansion is “based around sustainable, steady, realistic growth” and again – being adaptable. Mark added: “We see expansion with both our coach and bus side. Although everything has to have a reason as to why we are doing it.” The company is keen on keeping on top of new and upcoming legislation, for example all vehicles bought now are low floor. “We work closely with Ross at Ensign Bus, who we have a great relationship with,” Mark explained. “He advises us on additions like ramps and makes sure what we are looking at fits all purposes. It’s about being future-proof and flexible – everything we do is given a great deal of thought. “We’re looking to have lifts installed on our next round of coaches due to the legislation being introduced in 2020.” Mark and Lisa anticipate they will have upwards of 40 vehicles within the next two to three years. When asked if they would be looking to expand into new territories on their bus side, for example Grantham or Lincoln, Mark replied: “It’s difficult to break into new areas but we are always looking for opportunities.”
Sleafordian’s four ‘MEVs’ – Euro 4 Dennis Trident Alexander ALX400s
Green Road:
driver performance programme Sleafordian Coaches is able to trial Greenroad’s products and services before they hit the rest of the market. The company gives feedback to Greenroad and offers improvement ideas – in exchange for more competitive prices. Ian Tomlinson, Business Development Manager, is very enthusiastic about what Greenroad does and what it can provide to operators. Sleafordian is currently using Greenroad’s driver performance programme – where drivers are alerted every time an event occurs, e.g. harsh braking or poor lane handling, and each event is stored on a system back at HQ so hotspots on roads, faulty vehicles or problem drivers can be monitored. “With hotspots for example, there are regular occurrences of a turning event on a roundabout on the way into Sleaford,” Ian said. “There is a camber in the road which triggers the event.” As the system works using GPS, companies are able to track vehicles to a reasonable degree of accuracy. Sleafordian is using this to implement a trial scheme with schools. If a coach is on a school job, parents can find out the location of the vehicle, which gives them reassurance and also helps them plan pick ups. The system also helps with giving feedback to the council and the police about certain problematic roads or junctions. Ian said: “The police and county council know we have the system and can ask us for help if needed. It’s good for incidents as we can use it with our CCTV system to give a much better overall picture of what happened.” For example, if an incident occurs involving one of Sleafordian’s vehicles and another vehicle, the Greenroad system would be able to determine whether an event occurred at the time of the incident. The driver performance programme is currently installed on all bar one of Sleafordian’s vehicles – and delivers benefits such as fuel saving and less wear and tear
Above: A green light on the dash signifies an event-free journey. Below: The new smartphone app on tyres and brakes, due to more conservative driving behaviour. The company can also see where improvements need to be made within the fleet. “Idling time needs improving at the moment,” Ian explained. “But we have to bear in mind that cold weather adds to idling as sometimes you have to keep the coach warm so passengers are comfortable when they return to the vehicle. “We can look at what the system is telling us to see how we are getting on – the accuracy is excellent. There’s a real depth of information.” Essentially, it’s down to Sleafordian to incentivise its drivers to navigate the roads more efficiently, but as Ian put it, the system “will hang you or it will help you”. When they first adopted Greenroad in June 2011, there was an average of 4.9 events per trip. Now the company has reduced this to just 1.5. The firm will also soon be in a position to trial Greenroad’s new smartphone app (featured in CBW1059) which gives drivers extra information. I made the point it may be distracting to drivers if they keep looking over to the phone to see how they are doing, to which Ian replied: “The positioning of the phone is paramount to whether it would distract drivers or not and it’s something we will be bearing in mind.” He suggested, if it is positioned in the same eye line as the mirrors, it would distract drivers the least – and won’t create any blind spots. www.coachandbusweek.com
Sleafordian.indd 25
18/02/2013 12:58
26 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
SUPPLIER PROFILE › OMNIBUS
A screenshot of the cpmpany’s OmniMAP system
Understanding the industry Coach and Bus Week’s Alex Tyler speaks to Omnibus Managing Director Peter Crichton and a number of the company’s clients to provide an overview of the Oldhambased scheduling software supplier
O
mnibus, a supplier of timetable and scheduling software for the transport industry, has built up an enviable reputation over the years. With systems established in around 150 sites both in the UK and abroad, the company is becoming something of an industry standard. Aside from supplying tools for constructing timetables, schedules, rotas and presenting service www.coachandbusweek.com
Omnibus.indd 26
information to customers and staff, Omnibus has developed key services to support and add value to its existing customers. The company prides itself on having a wealth of transport professionals to draw experience from. None maybe more so than company MD, Peter Crichton. “I trained as a scheduler,” said Peter. “My father was a conductor and an inspector so you could say it’s in the blood.” Peter started out working with Greater Manchester Transport
in October 1978 and worked at various offices around the organisation during training, on completion of which he was appointed as a Traffic Clerk in the Schedules Office at Birchfields Road Depot. After a reorganisation, he was appointed as the Marketing Clerk in the East Area offices in Tameside. He left the position in 1985. “I was Operations Manager at Walls Coaches for a time before becoming Traffic Manager with Shearings. I started to develop the
software to help cut the laborious task that is scheduling. However, I was made redundant and this gave me the opportunity to produce and market the software. After being made redundant, Peter worked with Meridian, a software house, for a brief period and would frequently visit depots to discuss depot allocation software. “All of them said they wanted a scheduling system,” said Peter. “The problem was I couldn’t very well sell that to them, because I was working for Meridian. I suppose it was unintended market research,” he mused. Asked how Omnibus really took off, Peter replied: “It began when visiting Oxford, while travelling on the park & ride service I noticed the drivers’ boards were hand written so I contacted Oxford Bus. I made a presentation resulting in Oxford Bus buying OmniTIMES and OmniBASE. After a scheduling software trial with First, it became their preferred system and it was rolled out across all their UK bus operations.”
Systems and services Omnibus strives to ensure all its systems give the user what they need and what they want.
18/02/2013 18:20
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 27
SUPPLIEr: Omnibus location: Oldham, Manchester ESTABLISHED: 1990 Contact: 0161 683 3100 www.omnibus.uk.com
The industry has become more technical and computer orientated and Peter stressed it’s very important for associated software to be “written to do the job”. “It’s user friendly and we keep that to our advantage. As a result, the majority of our projects have been successful,” said Peter. Omnibus actively seeks to streamline its systems, and this has involved the acquisition of other firms to incorporate their modules with its own. Notably, the long established BUSMAN computer scheduling system from Cap Gemini and EXCEL Solutions’ Traffic Office Driver Allocation Systems. “OmniSTOP is popular with councils,” commented Peter. “After APS Computing was acquired, we really made moves into depot allocation software. Naturally, driver allocation and controlling duties is the next step and it’s a side of the business which we aim to grow.” However, with any system, it is arguably only as good as the people who use it, which Peter was keen to stress. “All of this is a box of tricks, but you need to know how to use it,” he said. On the company’s customer support, Peter said: “We have a lot of interaction with existing clients and we maintain a presence at the major shows. We have amassed a good reputation. We feel it’s important to give support, it sometimes feels like we are a part of their department. We enjoy a good rapport with our clients, and we feel we are very much a part of the industry. “There are some systems which are computer orientated rather than user orientated which shouldn’t be the case. We have a dedicated helpdesk but we also provide additional training and consultancy to ensure the best results.” “We find people with the software can do the job a lot quicker than those without and in this industry, time is critical.”
from OmniDAS, instead we use another system for depot allocation, and there’s no great urgency to change this, as all of Omnibus software integrates seamlessly with it. We have displays at around 1700 bus stops and it’s excellent as a means of time demonstration and it shows fares also. OmniSTOP, combined with the other software, really provides a lot of information. “The products are produced by ex-busmen so they can appreciate what’s involved when it comes to scheduling and fares. “Also, since they are a relatively small company, we’ve been able to establish a good relationship with them. If you need a slight tweak to the software, instead of them saying, it’ll be available in the next update, they are able to come and implement the change. In a time critical environment like this, that is a real plus. There are other systems available on the market but because Omnibus continually update, they deliver. “We have had no problems working with them and they are very responsive.”
Managing Director Peter Crichton has direct industry experience
“We have amassed a good reputation... We find people with the software can do the job a lot quicker than those without and in this industry, time is critical.” Peter Crichton
Scott Pearson Managing Director, Newport Transport “For schedules we use OmniTIMES and use OmniDAS for depot allocation. Both systems have been marvellous, I can’t fault them. I know them from my time at Stagecoach and the older guys here swear blind that it is the best system. Also, Peter Crichton is of the industry and has an understanding of what is required. They are very proactive which is why we have stayed with them. We have used other systems in the past, but we find Omnibus to be a bit more user friendly. It’s easy to understand and to teach. Non schedulers can take to it very well.”
Customer views
Peter Heath Managing Director, Cardiff Bus “We have been working with Omnibus for 12 to 13 years, ever since they came onto the market and we currently have more or less the full sweep of their products which includes CrewPLAN plan and their roadside publicity software. We have everything apart
Omnibus.indd 27
Paul Jenkins Managing Director, Thamesdown “We use OmniTIMES, OmniSTOP, OmniBASE, CrewPLAN, OmniROTA and OmniDAS, so we have a comprehensive set of their products and we find them to be well suited to our needs. “Thamesdown has been a long standing customer of Omnibus as they are willing to listen to any modifications we may wish to make. They have excellent tech support. Their new releases are always tested so we can be sure they work, and help is always available if necessary. I would say they are the most trouble-free software supplier we have dealt with and we are very pleased to be working with them. “They have become essential to the way we do business, as we have tried to automate the system as much as possible to reduce labour costs. The days with armies of clerks toiling over scheduling are long gone. 70% of the stops in Swindon use OmniSTOP and you just couldn’t deliver that sort of information manually. The integration they provide is key to our operation. We can use the data in a variety of ways; it’s about streamlining the sharing of information as much as possible. “We recently invested in their driver allocation software, but at the moment, we are concentrating on making full use of their systems.”
Cardiff Bus and Thamesdown both make extensive use of Omnibus scheduling and timetable systems
Ian Barratt Lancashire County Council “We use OmniTIME and OmniSTOP and have found them to be entirely successful. They are used on a daily basis and are used on over 3,500 timetable display
www.coachandbusweek.com
18/02/2013 18:20
28 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
supplier profile › omnibus
cases in the region. I knew them in my previous life, when I worked with buses in Blackburn. They provide regular updates and they incorporate feedback wherever possible. The whole organisation is very user friendly and the help desk is well manned. In this day and age, it’s an unbelievable service.”
David Houston Scheduling Systems Analyst, FirstGroup “First uses 10 Omnibus products: OmniMAN, OmniTIMES, OmniMAP, OmniBASE, OmniROTA, OmniSTOP, PocketBUS, TransXChange Exporter, TransXChange Viewer, and TransXChange Tools. We receive maintenance, support and ongoing development of these products. “In the late 1990s, First used a mix of computer scheduling software, spreadsheets, and old fashioned pencil and paper. It was decided a group standard was needed. “A number of software tests were carried out and presentations obtained from major suppliers. Following this, Omnibus was named our preferred supplier from March 2000. The software was rolled out to about 60 users in 30 offices from November 2000, with most locations installed in a year. A few took a bit longer. The last user to have the software installed was a little reluctant to change from his old program. He has long since retired, but had learned to use his old software over several years and was somewhat sceptical about using something different. However, with a little support from myself and Omnibus, he said: ‘I owe you an apology. I must have had my head buried in the sand far too long. It truly is a wonderful scheduling package.’ “Many Omnibus staff have a bus industry background, which goes
Omnibus has enjoyed preferred supplier status with FirstGroup since 2000 some way to explaining why they are so good to work with. “It’s very intuitive to use, all it took me was a quick look at the manual and a couple of phone calls and that was it. The support they provide is very good, the minute you have any problem they help you, they don’t suggest you should have looked at the manual. A good relationship with a supplier is a big plus – everyone benefits. “Development is mainly included with maintenance and support. The programs are always updated to suit new operating systems. They listen to feedback, if users need certain functionality, and it’s easy to add, or could be useful to others, they develop it and include it in their next updates. I’ve seen extra features added and supplied within hours. “Historically First grew tremendously quickly acquiring a number of different companies, so the same scheduling parameters are not used in all parts of the country. We need a system which is versatile. If it were too automated and constrained, it wouldn’t fit our
“The products are produced by exbusmen so they can appreciate what’s involved when it comes to scheduling and fares. Also, since they are a relatively small company, we’ve been able to establish a good relationship with them.” Peter Heath Managing Director, Cardiff Bus
“The support they provide is very good, the minute you have a problem they help you, they don’t suggest you should look at the manual.” David Houston Scheduling Systems Analyst, First Group
“I would say they are the most trouble free software supplier we have dealt with and we are very pleased to be working with them.” Paul Jenkins Managing Director, Thamesdown www.coachandbusweek.com
Omnibus.indd 28
requirements. “We run their software on desktops with local backup. For the future, it could be useful to have a product we can plunder data from centrally. That might be something which runs online instead of a high powered work station. The concept is there and we have discussed this with Omnibus. However, having come from a scheduling background myself, I’m keen that this does not reduce the user experience. There’s no point adding the flexibility if the products don’t perform as they do now. “As they are such a “can do” supplier, we always consider any new products they introduce.”
Kevin Roderick Traveline Cymru “We currently use OmniTIME and OmniSTOP, but we are discussing a few more products with them. They have been very well implemented. We’ve used them for a number of years now and had very few problems. Most of us here are seconded from bus companys, so we are already familiar with them. Omnibus ties in nicely with our operations, it’s a natural fit. They are industry people and they understand the problems which we face. They provide some well thought out solutions to our problems.”
The future
Asked about the future plans for the company, Peter said: “Since programming and operational speed has improved, we have to keep up. We are in the process of rewriting the core tech but we are very cautious – we have to ensure we get what we want from the software, it is first and foremost a scheduling tool.” “We have some more ideas which we are working on,” he added. ”We will be encouraging the use of new technology which has been developed and we’re looking for further integration between systems. Overall we are taking it to the next generation of programming language in order to develop but also to maintain service. We hope to make it as seamless as possible for the user.” “We’ll be keeping up with any moves in the industry and we’ll be sure to get involved anyway we can,” he continued. “Importantly, we are looking at how to make use of the data which is available, and of course, the data we collect.”
18/02/2013 18:20
682351-1075-CVShow
14/2/13
12:41
Page 1
30 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
open platform › graham stringer
Is deregulation working? Graham Stringer, Labour MP for Blackley and Broughton and member of the Transport Select Committee, examines the different competition models and funding disparities between London and the rest of the country and the effect this has had on services We live in a time where virtually everybody pays homage to equality and antidiscrimination. The recent vote on the Second Reading of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill underlined this. It would have been unimaginable 20 years ago that a Bill which enabled gay couples to marry would have such a huge majority in the House of Commons. There is one area of public expenditure however, where discrimination is alive, well and increasing. There is a completely different set of policies and criteria for investment for transport in London than there are elsewhere in England. Transport has its very own system of apartheid. Buses in London are regulated and elsewhere in England they are deregulated. There is a wide and persistent funding gap on a per capita basis between London and the regions. Let us take funding first. In the financial year 2011/12, £644 was spent on transport for every Londoner which was virtually three times the amount spent per head on transport in the North and the West Midlands. Despite London having just 15% of the population, the city received 34% of transport spending. London is awash with capital spending on cross rail, Thameslink and the tube. It took Greater Manchester 15 years of campaigning to secure the funding for the expansion of its tram system. This is the equivalent of about six month’s expenditure on cross rail. If the financing between London and the rest of the country is unfair, the difference of the system for operating buses is completely unjustifiable. It has also been hugely damaging to those who depend on buses outside of London. Since buses were deregulated in the regions just over 25 years ago, in round terms, fares have doubled and passenger numbers have halved. In regulated London of course no passengers were lost during the first 15 years of deregulation, instead passengers increased dramatically when the first London Mayor was elected and provided large subsidies. This is clear evidence that the decline in bus services outside of London was unnecessary. The problems of deregulation have been exacerbated by the Government’s decision to cut nearly £600m from the bus budget. Bus services have disappeared from many rural areas and indeed some urban areas like Hartlepool. Buses play a vital social and economic role. More than www.coachandbusweek.com
OpenPlatform.indd 30
Graham believes a London-type franchise system would ensure competition takes place off the road 50% of bus trips are made by people in the lowest 40% income bracket. The vast majority of bus users are under 20 or over 60 years old. This damaging experiment in bus deregulation has now run its course and should be reversed. It is sometimes assumed that those of us who want to move to a London-type system of regulation, are against competition, nothing could be further from the truth. A franchise system ensures competition takes place off the road, whereas the free-for-all of deregulation leads to many almost monopoly situations where there is no competition. In a small number of cases where there is competition there is also pollution and congestion. The evidence that competition works in London and not outside London, can be seen in the much higher return rates on capital achieved by bus companies operating outside of London, compared to those operating in the capital. FirstGroup told the Transport Select Committee the reason they were withdrawing from the capital was because they could make more money elsewhere. This is a sure indication that deregulation isn’t working. While the Competition Commission has unearthed some anti-competitive behaviour between the bus companies, by and large they are an ineffective and complacent body. Their recent report was a great disappointment. Having toyed with the idea of recommending Quality Contracts in their interim report they resiled from this position in their final report, believing against the evidence that on road competition would drive up quality and reduce fares. They also stated that specifying the level of services would lead
to less competition and higher costs. When they were interrogated as to why they thought this at the select committee, they cited the costs of bus transport in London. Norman Baker, the Minister of State for Transport in his oral evidence to the committee, demolished this argument. He informed the Committee the subsidy per passenger in London was 45p, in metropolitan areas 57p and in shire areas 71p. The Commission’s basis for rejecting regulation was deeply flawed. It was a mistake of the last Labour Government, not to do more to stop the profiteering of bus companies and the exploitation of the travelling public. I am very hopeful Maria Eagle and her team of shadow ministers are now busily preparing a detailed plan to help the bus passenger by reregulating the buses. And about time too. Graham Stringer is a member of the Transport Select Committee and MP for Blackley and Broughton (Labour) If you want to let off some steam, just tap away at the keyboard and send your rant (or carefully-reasoned views) to andrew. cream@coachandbusweek.com. Make ‘Open Platform’ the subject line. Alternatively, send your missive to: CBW, 3 The Office Village, Cygnet Park, Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX
18/02/2013 12:49
682562-1075-Unwin
13/2/13
15:55
Page 1
32 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
THE BIG PICTURE
We’ve decided to go north of the border this week. This Scottish Citylink-liveried Plaxton-bodied Volvo tri-axle ‘LSK512’ is seen at Ferry Toll Park & Ride, where the manoeuvrability of the Volvo chassis can be seen to good effect. The scene was caught on camera by CBW Editor Gareth Evans while visiting the facility on the north bank of the Forth on what turned into a very wet afternoon of Wednesday June 27, 2012. Operated by Park’s of Hamilton, the coach is seen working Citylink service M91 to Perth, via Kinross. Based in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, the familyrun firm has been running coaches for over 40 years. With a fleet in excess of 120 coaches, it certainly seems to live up to its strapline as ‘Scotland’s Driving Force‘. Scottish Citylink runs an extensive network of long distance express services within Scotland, on about 20 routes linking the cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Stirling and Inverness, as well as the rural Highland communities to the main urban areas of Scotland.
www.coachandbusweek.com
BigPicturetop.indd 32
18/02/2013 12:40
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 33
www.coachandbusweek.com
BigPicturetop.indd 33
18/02/2013 12:40
682924-1075-EVM
18/2/13
11:23
Page 1
minibus The essential read for Minibus Operators
February 2013
p38
p36
p40
Is the market stirring?
T
he minibus sector has been fairly quiet of late, in terms of both the market and of news worthy of a special feature. However, things are beginning to perk up and the next issue could see a close-up of Optare’s new composite-bodied Bonito. Although it was on show at EuroBus Expo, Optare says it is being officially launched in early March – an event, it hopes, will occur alongside the announcement of some orders. Last week Deputy CEO Glenn Saint said Optare had been tendering Bonito to a number of clients and he was hopeful of some positive results. Having achieved some considerable success in the minibus sector with the Ferqui-bodied Sirocco, Optare suffered for bringing the innovative Alero to market as it was plagued by driveline problems. But is the new Bonito
MB.Opener.indd 35
the right product to revive Optare’s minibus prospects? It should have strong appeal to certain sectors but so far only one size seems to be available – great if you want 16 seats but what of shorter or longer options? Perhaps these will be possible in the future. The driveline should present no real problems. FPT engines employed in the Ducato are highly regarded and the same automated manual gearbox is used by many of Bonito’s counterparts. No fully automatic torque converter option is available but the ‘Comfortmatic’ has a true-two-pedal operation and can be driven on an automatic licence. Martin Cole Editor
CONTENTS 36 News
This month’s top news stories alongside the latest fleet deliveries. Disqualification for a Middlsborough operator for not upholding the terms of his licence and running unsafe buses.
38
Electric minibus
It’s early days for electric minibuses but has the road-legal battery-powered Golia any practical role other than niche operations in areas sensitive to noise and emissions?
40
Eberspacher UK
Eberspacher has held a dominant market position for many years - attributed to dedicated development of product, systems and a strong network of dealer support across the country.
www.coachandbusweek.com
18/02/2013 18:00
36 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | February 20, 2013
news
30
The top speed in mph of the Golia electric passenger vehicle
Kwik Cars director disqualified Licence is revoked from February 25 after VOSA officer reports 14 prohibitions issued to the firm’s two vehicles A Middlesborough-based minibus operator who was judged to have put his passengers and other road users at risk has lost his right to operate vehicles. North East Traffic Commissioner (TC) Kevin Rooney made the order after finding that Kwik Cars (North East) Ltd used vehicles in a “very dangerous” condition. He concluded its director, Mosan Shan, had not upheld licence undertakings designed to keep vehicles roadworthy and ensure drivers worked legally. The TC told Mr Shan his O-licence would be revoked on February 25. Kwik Cars, which operates two vehicles from Scott Road in the
Golden Boy gains three Paramount conversions
Golden Boy Coaches of Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, has taken delivery of the first new Paramount conversions to be supplied by Minis to Midis. Based on a Mercedes-Benz 516 Sprinter with five-speed automatic gearbox, the three new Travelrider models, two to 19 seat capacity and one to 16, feature Politecnica Rally reclining coach seats trimmed in black and grey virtual leather with cloth centres and fitted with three-point seat belts and gangway armrests. Parcel racks are included together with Autoclima roof mounted and in dash air conditioning. Entry is improved courtesy of a three-stage entry step arrangement and the side windows are dark tinted. The 19 seaters
town, appeared at a Public Inquiry on January 8 in Leeds, following an investigation by VOSA. A vehicle examiner made enquiries into the business in August 2012, after one of its vehicles was sent for MoT in a very dangerous state. The VOSA officer reported that 14 prohibitions had been issued to the firm’s two vehicles, after defects were identified on them. The company began operating in 2009. Two of the notices, he added, were considered to represent a significant failure in the operator’s maintenance systems. Vehicles had also failed annual tests for matters which Mr Rooney concluded were “fundamental safety issues”, including brake defects. One routine safety check had not been undertaken and the examiner noted some concerns about the completion of those records, though he saw some improvements
had been made from a previous inspection in February 2012. Mosan Shan told the TC he ran the taxis and had left the running of the minibuses and their maintenance to his father who had lost his own O–licence because of maintenance concerns. However, as the company’s sole director he was unable to explain the circumstances leading to the business and one of its drivers being prosecuted in March 2010. The company was fined for two counts of failing to display an O-licence disc, while the driver of the vehicle was fined for driving a vehicle without the correct licence, alongside other offences including not using a tachograph. When questioned why his driver had not been using one to record his duty – as required by law – Mosan Shan said it was for employees to ensure they complied
Two of the vehicles carry 19 passenger seats, with the third carrying 16 can also be easily reduced to 16 courtesy of the rear floor tracking installation. The vehicles benefit from a three-year Mercedes-Benz warranty. Painted in black and discreetly liveried in Golden Boy’s graphics, all three vehicles are operating on a regular contract for a major retailer and will also be available for private
hire duties. GB Fleet Maintenance, Golden Boy’s service division, is also the support agent for Paramount Conversions on behalf of Minis to Midis. Visit www.ministomidis. com or http:// gbfleetmaintenance.co.uk
with the regulations. However, Mr Rooney found the firm had no system for managing drivers’ hours. “Drivers come and go and are not valued as an integral part of the compliance systems,” he added. “Mr Shan has made no attempt to get himself trained or otherwise learn the basics of running vehicles under a public service vehicle operator’s licence. He left it to his father.” Concluding that there had been failures in “every relevant system”, Mr Rooney said: “Mr Shan has been so derelict in his duties under this licence. He seems content to use the licence to allow him to make money while putting passengers and other road users at risk. This cannot be allowed to continue.” Mr Rooney added that an effective maintenance system would have prevented the multiple significant safety defects on the company’s licence.
Southend Dial-a-Ride given a lifeline Last minute talks have saved Southend Dial-a-Ride. The community transport organisation, which is run by Access Anyone on behalf of Southend Council, was proposing cutting the service to only run between 0900 and 1600hrs weekdays and dropping single passenger journeys to only fixed routes to set destinations. However, a successful meeting between the Dial-a-Ride and the local authority means it will continue as it is. Jim Milligan, a Director at the Dial-a-Ride explained: “It was literally a make or break meeting. We had to warn our 400 members of the worst scenario but hope to secure more funding to be able to carry on.” As a result, the service will continue to run as previously.
www.coachandbusweek.com
MB.News.indd 36
18/02/2013 17:57
1977 3 The year Ringwood-based Eberspacher UK was established
The number of new Paramount Sprinters at Golden Boy Coaches
Arriva SC donates minibus to cadet unit
Royal Marines Cadet Unit by giving them a minibus to replace their existing LDV Convoy vehicle, which had reached the end of its life. “We hope this will make travelling to and from their events a better experience for the cadets.” Accepting the keys of the minibus from Arriva’s Regional MD Heath Williams, the Unit’s Chairman, Steve Kocak, said: “We are extremely
Arriva Southern Counties has donated a Ford Transit minibus to the local Royal Marines Cadet Unit based in Chatham. The 16-seater has replaced the unit’s existing vehicle and gives the cadets a more comfortable bus in which to travel to their various events. It had previously been operating for Arriva’s TGM subsidiary. Together with the trailer it tows, the minibus has been painted in Arriva’s standard aquamarine livery in the company’s paint shop at Maidstone and carries striping in the unit’s colours, together with its name and crest. Arriva’s Regional Publicity Manager, Richard Lewis, said: “We’re pleased to continue a longstanding relationship with Chatham
grateful for Arriva’s generous donation and very thankful for their regular help and assistance. “Having a minibus is vital to the unit to offer the cadets the full range of training, as it takes place all over the country. Not having one, as happened last year, has a massive impact on what we can offer to the cadets. We are indeed very thankful for this brilliant donation.”
Heath Williams hands the keys to Cadet Unit Chairman Steve Kocak
New community transport link to business park Kingsway Link, one of the first community transport schemes to undergo major expansion with funding from the government’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF), has been launched. The service is aimed towards opening up job opportunities at Kingsway Business Park to more people across Rochdale and Oldham. It makes use of 16-seater, LWB manual transmission Volkswagen Crafter and a 16-seater automatic Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, both of which are around four years old and accessible to disabled passengers. Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) successful bid to the LSTF for its £32.5m ‘Let’s Get To Work’ transport package was announced last summer and aims to bring people, jobs and enterprise together with a well-connected,
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | 37
integrated and ‘greener’ system. The door-to-door Kingsway Link provides crucial transport links for shift workers, running daily from 0500 to 2300hrs. The expanded service has also opened up the Business Park to much wider labour markets – running to more areas of Rochdale, and for the first time, Heywood and neighbouring areas of Oldham. Workers living outside the service area can link up with the service when it calls at Rochdale bus and rail stations. Cllr Andrew Fender, Chairman of the TfGM Committee, said: “Services like Kingsway Link are all about getting people to work, and getting transport to work for business. “It’s important that major employment sites like Kingsway Business Park have good access. Kingsway Link is an innovative
transport service which we’ve tailored to fit the needs of local workers and businesses. “We are now well underway with a host of LSTF funded projects. With the right combination of travel planning, information and smart ticketing – alongside cycling, walking and transport initiatives like Kingsway Link – we will better connect people across Greater Manchester with access to work.” The Kingsway Link service expansion has been developed alongside the Kingsway Business Partnership, also a part-funder. Rochdale Development Agency’s CEO John Hudson said: “The Kingsway Partnership is pleased to have worked with TfGM to secure this enhanced service. “Providing local people with good access to the growing number of jobs on Kingsway is really important to us, so this improved transport service is really welcome”. For more information visit www.tfgm.com/kingsway
The bright & airy interior
EVM Elegance for Paddy Wagon Tours Paddy Wagon Tours has taken delivery of a new EVM MercedesBenz Sprinter Elegance from EVM’s office’s in Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath. The minicoach is based on a Euro 5 Sprinter 516 Cdi 163bhp with in-dash air conditioning and separate saloon air conditioning. It has 16 Brusa Crete 100 seats finished in Epengle moquette, a PA system, decorative curtains and an EVM body styling kit. It has full depth dropwell boot with luggage partition, incorporating boot pedestal and raised floor, with half height luggage shelf, with cushioned outer high visibility edging. Paddy Wagon runs tours for between one to 10 days, all year round and all over Ireland. Honoured for its special contribution to the Irish Tourism Industry, the Paddy Wagon posse also runs a chain of fun-loving hostels throughout the island. Therefore, not only do passengers get to see the country and learn about its history, songs and customs but they also have somewhere to stay and relive the trip with like-minded travellers. Billing themselves as ‘the back-packers way to see Ireland’, PaddyWagon Tours claims to be great fun and excellent value for money. Complimentary tour pick-ups are available from city centre registered hostels in Dublin on the morning of departure. A light breakfast is included, leaving passengers to enjoy the tour and grab some extra morning kip.
www.coachandbusweek.com
MB.News.indd 37
18/02/2013 17:59
38 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | February 20, 2013
vehicle launch › epowertrucks golia
A
Above: The Golia - a full electric five-passenger shuttle with luggage space. Right: Battery charging point. Below: Simple dash and control layout
Golia: electric mini-mobility New Road-Legal Electric Passenger Vehicle from ePowerTrucks may suit some niche operations in environmentally sensitive areas
battery-powered, six-seat passenger transfer vehicle is now available in the UK for the first time. The Golia multi-passenger electric vehicle (EV) has full N1 type approval, a 30mph top speed and a quick-swap battery pack for extended hours operations. This compact minibus has a driver and passenger seat up front, then four seats in a 2x2 black cab configuration in the rear. It also includes a luggage area with a payload of 200 kg. The electric road-legal bus has a range of up to 50 miles on a single charge and is fitted with a two-speed manual gearbox, to help traverse steeper gradients. Other standard features include regenerative braking, reverse alarm and an adjustable steering wheel. The Golia is designed for passenger transfer activities in closed campus environments such as airports, business parks, holiday villages, hospitals, leisure and tourism sites, military bases, ports and universities. It is available exclusively in the UK from ePowerTrucks. Jerry Hanss, Managing Director of ePowerTrucks, said: “This is a unique electric vehicle in the UK.
It is robust, compact, very costeffective to run and can meet the passenger carrying needs of a wide range of sectors. “The simplicity of the quickchange battery pack means companies working on a closed campus such as an airport do not have to worry about range anxiety.” The battery pack can be fully recharged in just 8-10 hours, or can be swapped out for a spare pack in a matter of minutes, using only one person and a pallet truck. As an all-electric vehicle, it can help sites lower their fleet emissions; reduce fuel bills and bring down vehicle service and maintenance costs. The Golia range of commercial EVs is designed and manufactured by Esagano Energia, based in Milan. The Italian company has a 25-year history and today produces a wide range of commercial EVs as well as solar power stations. The bus is the latest addition to the extensive ePowerTrucks range of commercial EVs. This includes more than 35 passenger and utility vehicles from leading brands including Alke, Club Car, Motrec and Mia.
The Golia bus is available from ePowerTrucks from £35,000. For further details, visit www.epowertrucks.co.uk
www.coachandbusweek.com
MB.ElectricMinibus.indd 38
18/02/2013 17:55
682836-1075-Eberspacher
6/2/13
16:24
Page 1
40 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | February 20, 2013
supplier profile › eberspacher uk
Passenger comfort from Eberspacher Martin Cole discovers Eberspacher UK’s in-house expertise enables it to serve a broad spectrum of requirements in many sectors
S
ince its creation in 1977, Eberspacher UK has earned a strong reputation for service and reliability which has led to it establishing a dominant position in the marketplace for heating, air conditioning and climate control – particularly in the minibus sector. Part of the family-owned J. Eberspaecher concern, based in Germany, the UK division concentrates on independent vehicle and marine heating, vehicle air conditioning and full climate systems for the home and European markets, utilising the German designed, developed and manufactured combustion heaters. The German division is also a major supplier of exhaust emission control systems and has invested heavily in a new facility
Technical Manager Chris Dore (left) and Eberspacher UK Managing Director Vince Lee.
which is expected to deliver a major slice of European vehicle OEM requirements once production begins. Between the two countries there is significant co-operation, shared expertise and information exchange. This ensures the heaters integrate seamlessly with the air conditioning products. All processes from design through to completed manufacturing and installation are carried out in compliance with ISO 9001 and whole vehicle type approval requirements. The current UK Managing Director, Vince Lee, has been with the company over 30 years – starting (he claims) as a tea boy before moving into administration and then sales as opportunities arose. He said: “The business started with just seven employees at a facility in Brockenhurst. It concentrated on diesel fired heaters – notably the D1L night heater for cabs on commercial vehicles. The D1L was widely adopted by the truck sector and across many other applications including construction, marine and agricultural equipment.” Now based in Ringwood and with two satellite sites used for stores and occasional overspill for assembly at busy times, Eberspacher UK has been through
three major expansions on-site and has once again found it needs more room. Plans are now well advanced for a £6m development nearby, bringing the whole business back together at a single unit with sufficient scope for expansion in the future. One of these more recent expansions came about when the company realised a key supply line was about to dry up. Vince Lee explained: “We had since October 2000 been the UK distributor for Diavia air conditioning products. However, Diavia was recently put up for sale. After some considerable thought and discussion, although
the idea was attractive, the J Eberspaecher Group decided it was not in our best interest to pursue the purchase of Diavia. Instead, we felt we could use our own extensive design expertise to create the products we needed in-house. It was a huge task but within six months we were ready for production. Of course – the key benefit for our customers now is the whole range is newly designed alongside the current and future engine specifications and emissions technology.” There are currently around 100 Eberspacher dealers across the UK with a support network to ensure
www.coachandbusweek.com
MB.Eberspacher.indd 40
18/02/2013 17:52
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | 41
supplier: Eberspacher UK location: Ringwood, Hampshire ESTABLISHED: 1977 Contact: 01425 480151 www.eberspacher.com
rapid response to any failure. All UK supplied products are covered by a minimum three-year warranty which gives customers greater peace of mind. Prior to this, Eberspacher looked at the market for larger air conditioning systems and bought the Sutrak concern away from American refrigeration specialist Carrier. Eberspacher Sutrak retains a small office near Northampton while Eberspacher UK holds a large amount of spare parts in stock and can assist in providing back-up and support to operators with Sutrak systems through the existing network partners.
Reliability
Above: Fifteen design enginers are employed by Eberspacher UK Top: Systems are built for practicality, reliability and efficiency in service
Eberspacher UK also provides the installation service for its products which ensures they are correctly fitted and it minimises Caption here the risk of minor faults occurring, Fictorehendus therefore promoting a higher level ut ad quiaernam of reliability. Vince Lee said: “With dusam eaquation our teams being fully conversant et estorerro with the products it makes sense. We always make them as simple and robust as possible. In fact, we’ve begun to simplify things even more since we’ve found it increases reliability considerably. Some customers, notably local authority and welfare service operators, have been calling for very limited control options – even reduced to a simple on or off for climate control. It has certainly paid dividends for them. We pre-set the control to a requested level and hide it away. The reduced level of fiddling with all the control options, particularly from people who don’t understand the principles of a thermostat, has actually cut the number of callouts and reduced vehicle downtime.“ The workforce now numbers 85 but unless the market begins to improve Eberspacher is not seeking to take people on - other than as replacements. “People don’t leave the company very often,” said Vince Lee. “Most of the staff have been here for a long time and they are completely familiar with the products and systems. We like to promote from the bottom up, where we can. It works well as timeserved staff with extensive product
experience seem to respond very well to the challenge.” Commercial Manager Chris Dore agreed. He said, wryly: “I feel like a relative newcomer as I’ve only been here 13 years. However, there are many people here in senior positions who have excelled at their jobs and shown an aptitude which can be developed into areas of specialisation.” There are 15 design engineers fully employed at Ringwood. Split into three teams they direct their attention to heating systems, air conditioning and specialist applications. The latter is hugely diverse and can incorporate developing installations for military vehicles or forward command centres. It has recently been engaged in developing a complete HVAC system for the Tesla battery powered electric sports car and has just finished building a highly complex unit to go into a lowvolume supercar. Both the last developments were a challenge – for entirely different reasons. The Tesla system needed to be fully electric and operate from 400v input. It also needed to be as compact and lightweight as possible. It proved fully functional although the production run for the finished item was very small. The company has ceased manufacturing the Tesla and is building something entirely different for the electric car market. The company did, however, purchase a large stock of the component parts to ensure it could provide a back-up spares supply for at least 10 years. The system for the supercar project proved a considerable challenge because of limited space. Chris Dore said: “This is quite typical of many markets. They don’t involve us until the product is designed and built. They give you something which the designers have developed to house instruments and controls and to look elegant. They want a system which will fit in any space they have available – often it isn’t sufficient and we have to look for a compromise somewhere. Military tanks and personnel
www.coachandbusweek.com
MB.Eberspacher.indd 41
18/02/2013 17:53
42 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | February 20, 2013
SUPPLIER PROFILE › EBERSPACHER UK
carriers are just as bad. They are cramped at the best of times with insufficient space for a sensible installation but they insist a system must go in and they still expect it to comply with their specification calling for it to heat or cool to a certain temperature within two minutes of start-up.” Virtually all the systems are assembled in the UK and component manufacture generally outsourced to local engineering companies – including the ABS mouldings. Unlike many manufacturing businesses today very little Eberspacher product is outsourced to China. Chris Dore said: “We have one supplier in China which produces some condensers for us. We’ve worked with them for a long time and the quality is very consistent. We did try some other things which worked out well initially, but they began to try and substitute some of the specified components with copies. Connections didn’t fit correctly as a direct result and so alerted us to the difference – so we stopped using them.”
“Unlike many manufacturing businesses today very little Eberspacher product is outsourced to China.” As if continual change in the automotive sector, through new models introduction or periodic restyling weren’t enough to cope with, the environmental legislation combined with a growth in hybrid or fully electric vehicles plus a wide range of available alternative fuels has called for significant investment in design, development and testing to ensure full compliance. Work has been carried out to enable efficient combustion alongside minimal CO2 output with fuels such as Ethanol E85 and biodiesel blends to B30 and also 100% B100 biodiesel. Since the introduction of Euro 4 emissions legislation it has not been possible to make use of the engine’s cooling
Controllers are designed to be clear and simple, providing options for full control or preset levels
The two main dieselfired heater types – the fully independent Airtronic and the integrated Hydronic
Evaporators can be selected to provide cooling only or as combined hot & cold conditioned air outlets
system – meaning any system reliant on circulating water has to be completely autonomous although it can be coupled to the cooling circuit to assist in raising the coolant temperature to allow the engine to reach its operating temperature much faster and therefore reduce emissions. Hybrid technology at least allows for a regular supply of electrical power to drive the power requirements of an air conditioning system but full battery electric vehicles don’t have the luxury of generator and consequently any form of electrical drain for air conditioning and all auxiliary services are a drain on power reserves and affect the operating range of the vehicle. Hence all providers of equipment used aboard buses are being tasked with reducing power requirement substantially. Electric buses cannot rely on being zero emissions alone – they need to provide a comfortable environment for passengers – or they will not get used. This year’s CV Show (April 9-11) sees the launch of the latest product range from Eberspacher with a number of complete installations on view in vehicles supplied by key customers. They include the EV and HV range of compact, modular air conditioning and climate units. Both are highly efficient with EV and HV ranges are available in cooling only or combined cooling / heating versions. They include the HV407, EV407, HV510 and EV814 models providing heating and cooling outputs from 7kW to 16kW. The range is to be expanded through 2013 to include lower and higher output units. The latest Eberspächer Airtronic and Hydronic, independent, diesel fuelled air and water heating systems will also appear. These offer complete heating solutions for all sizes of minibuses, coaches and commercial vehicles. Already well-proven, the diesel fuelled heaters provide rapid warm up, high output and quiet operation. Specific Airtronic and Hydronic models are available for use with environmentally friendly bio fuels.
www.coachandbusweek.com
MB.Eberspacher.indd 42
18/02/2013 17:53
p43_CBW_1075
18/2/13
18:35
Page 1
p44_CBW_1075
18/2/13
17:18
Page 44
44 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
" E W F S U J T F P O U I F T F Q B H F T B M M Z F B S G S P N K V T U c D B M M 2000 SCANIA T9
1998 PLAXTON PREMIER VOLVO B10M WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE COACH
Network Warrington have the following vehicles for sale
47 SEATER WITH REAR SERVERY, REAR FLOOR MOUNTED TOILET, PLS 300 WHEELCHAIR LIFT, CAN CARRY UP TO 18 WHEELCHAIRS.
TO BE SOLD WITH 1 YRS MOT - ANY INSPECTION.
ÂŁ25,000 Reduced for quick sale Ian Bragg 0161 947 9477 ianb@bellevue-mcr.com
53 seats, excellent condition, PSV 26/5/13, Taxed 30/4/13, service records. Lovely bus all round and just had an interior re-trim.
ÂŁ24,750
Contact Eric on 0792 138920
1998 Volvo B10M Jonckheere Mistral
2004 Iveco Daily 45c13
Dennis Dart SLF 10.8m Converted to 70 seater in September using Cogent 3+2 seating all fitted with 3 point belts, MOT till Oct 2013 and has no known defects.
11 seat front entry wheelchair accessible minibus, white, diesel, 80,000 miles.
ÂŁ10,000 - no VAT
ÂŁ35,000 Milligans Coach Travel 01290 550365
Ben Weaver Commercials 0114 275 7076
2002 Mercedes Vario 614
2003 Futura
13 seat front entry wheelchair accessible minibus, diesel, 160,000 miles.
Full exec spec, Eminox euro 4 exhaust, 49 seats, green cloth, manual, 695K kms, new MOT on sale.
ÂŁ6,995
Ben Weaver Commercials 0114 275 7076
2003 Scania CN94UN Omnicity SLF 12m
42 seats + 31 standees, DDA compliant, 12 months MOT. £39,500 + VAT – CHOICE Southdown PSV 01342 711840 email: bussales@southdownpsv.co.uk www.southdownpsv.co.uk
2000/2001 V & Y Plate, Cummins 6BT, Allison AT545 4 speed auto, Marshall body, 40 seats. Contact Ian Parker (Engineering Manager) Warrington Borough Transport Ltd Wilderspool Causeway, Warrington WA4 6PT. Tel 01925 634296
Dennis Plaxton Coach
Peugeot Boxer 3.5 ton
Cummins 420, Plaxton Paragon body, Asotronic gearbox, air con, long MOT, excellent MPG. Has been used exclusively on our tour programme. Regd March 2004.
17 seat, 2.8 diesel, side entrance, two rows of seats on quick release Unwin tracking to take two wheelchairs, underfloor tail lift.
ÂŁ65,000 + VAT L.J. Edwards: 01323 440622 option 2 or John 07974 369570
£48,000 – choice of 5 Contact Tom Smith or Peter Tetlow on 0845 130 5777 for more details
Pembridge Vehicle Management 01633 485858
2010 Temsa Avenue
Neoplan Starliner
42-48 seats, 60,667 miles.
32 leather seats, full rear servery, airline style overhead lockers, 240V inverter and onboard generator, Blaupunkt sound system with DVD & Sky TV, ASTronic gearbox, A/C, WC, fully carpeted, removable ski box.
POA
ÂŁ67,000 + VAT o.n.o.
Arriva Bus & Coach 01274 681144
Florida Taxi Coaches 01787 477701
ÂŁ7,495
2009 Scania K340 Irizar PB 12.2m
49 seats, climate control, WC, TV/DVD, Euro 4 EGR (no AdBlue).
ÂŁ159,000
Scania Bus and Coach 01909 553102
Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com
p45_CBW_1075
18/2/13
17:18
Page 45
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 45
" E W F S U J T F B T J O H M F W F I J D M F G P S B T M J U U M F B T c D B M M 1996 Volvo VanHool B9M
2010 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313
VOLVO B10M ENIGMA 1999 49 SEATER EXEC WITH RECENT RETRIM. SCANLIFT WHEELCHAIR LIFT CAN CARRY UP TO 3 FIXED WHEELCHAIRS . MOT TILL MARCH 2013. ANY INSPECTION.
ÂŁ25,000 Reduced for quick sale Ian Bragg 0161 947 9477 ianb@bellevue-mcr.com
38 reclining & belted seats, air-con, PA/Video/ DVD/VCR, floor mounted WC, full servery, full service history, MOT to October 2013.
84,000 miles, 16 seats + 1, one owner, full service history, superb condition, converted to an exceedingly high specification.
ÂŁ15,000
ÂŁ29,995
Royal Blues - 01803 872422
Kripton UK - 07845 808096
2 x 2007 (57) Optare Solo M950 Slimlines
2011 EVM X-Clusive Sprinter 519CDI
2006 Plaxton Pointer Plaxton/Transbus
1998 Volvo VanHool B10M Alizee
32 seats + 17 standees, Cummins engines, Alison gearboxes, full service histories, both with current MOT, average mileages. Each one will be re-sprayed in white or in the new owner’s colours if required.
16 seats with 3 point belts, TV, DVD, plug door, air-con, 60,000 miles, mint condition, under warranty to April.
29 + 17 seats, 323,719 miles.
48 reclining & belted seats, air-con, PA/Video/ DVD/VCR, floor mounted WC, full servery, full service history, MOT to December 2013.
ÂŁ49,000 o.n.o.
ÂŁ59,950
POA
ÂŁ25,000
Courtney Buses 0118 973 3486
EVM – 07749 103203
Arriva Bus & Coach 01274 681144
Royal Blues - 01803 872422
2009 Renault
2002 Futura
1993 Volvo B10M VanHool
2004 Ford Transit
16 reclining seats, perfect for airports, takes 20 big suitcases, A/C, TV, DVD, hot drinks & fridge, 3 point belts, overhead racks, front entry, 166,000kms, great on fuel, sale due to fleet restructure.
Full exec spec, Eminox euro 4 exhaust, 49 seats, green cloth, manual, 792K kms, new MOT on sale.
17 seats, lap/diagonal belts, 2 x air bags, 121,000 miles, FSH, remote central locking, radio/cassette, one previous owner, very tidy throughout, no internal damage. ÂŁ3,950 + VAT
Florida Taxi Coaches 01787 477701
ÂŁ55,000 + VAT L.J. Edwards: 01323 440622 option 2 or John 07974 369570
T8 bodywork, 12 months MOT, toilet, DVD/ monitor, 49 seats with belts. £10,250 Maypole Coaches – Tel: 0151 547 2713 or 07802 235778
Crystal Coaches – 020 8960 8800
2004 Setra S415 HD
2011 ENVIRO 200
2005 Bova Futura
2010 ENVIRO 400
10.7m, Euro 5, 35 e-leather seats, very low mileage, Hanover destination, DDA compliant.
Euro 5 Cummins engine, currently 62 seats with tables and luggage area but can upseat to 70.
EnsignBus 01708 865656
ÂŁ19,500 + VAT
ASTronic, retarder, aircon, 2 x monitors, radio/cassette, crew seat, fridge. Vehicle currently undergoing MOT preparation and test.
ÂŁ79,500
POA
49 seat executive, excellent condition inside and out, used only for touring and excursions, 12 months MOT, 470K kms, owned since new, genuine reason for sale. ÂŁ75,000 + VAT o.n.o.
Evobus - 02476 626046
EnsignBus 01708 865656
Call Paul – 07968 106891
POA
Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com
p46_CBW_1075
18/2/13
15:17
Page 46
46 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
" E W F S U J T F P O U I F T F Q B H F T B M M Z F B S G S P N K V T U c D B M M 2 x 2005 Optare Solos Tel:
1985 VOLVO PLAXTON B10M
12 months MOT, new clutch just fitted, 54 seats wheelchair accessible – Can carry up to 4 fixed wheelchairs by removing 10 seats, so 4 wheelchairs and 44 able bodied passengers, any inspection welcome, 6 speed manual gearbox, clean and tidy interior NON LEZ compliant
ÂŁ4000
Ian Bragg 0161 947 9477 ianb@bellevue-mcr.com
All Vehicles Direct Fleet Many With COIF’s, PSV’s, Wheelchair
Access Lifts
9.2m, 33 seats, Mercedes engine, approx. 220,000 miles, good order throughout, new MOTs – more pictures available.
& Ramps
ÂŁ32,500+VAT (Discount for both)
Dartline 01392 872900 2002 52 MERCEDES SPRINTER 413CDI FRONT ENTRY 15 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE WELFARE MINIBUS
NOVEMBER 2011 61 MERCEDES SPRINTER 516CDI EXTRA LONG 16 SEAT COACH BUILT MINIBUS
2200 turbo diesel automatic, certificate of initial fitness, electric front entry door, analogue tachograph, panaramic glass, underfloor electric wheelchair lift, tracking for 6 wheelchairs, lift up sky lights, 172000 klms/108000 miles, excellent condition, finished in white, supplied with 12 months MOT or PSV, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty ÂŁ8995 + VAT
2300 turbo diesel euro 5 manual engine, 16 non reclining luxury coach seats with piping, luggage racks with forced air and reading lights, large panoramic windows, large illuminated luggage area, show curtains, walnut dash, drivers locker, radio and CD player system with 6 speakers, GRP lowered entrance step, GRP body skirts, COIF ÂŁ47995 + VAT
Ben Weaver Commercials 0114 275 7076
Ben Weaver Commercials 0114 275 7076
2007 Daf SB4000 – Van Hool Alizee T9 48/9 seats, rear floor mounted toilet & servery, A/C, 368,000 kms, one owner, mainly used for tours and private hire. Sold with 12 months MOT, excellent condition.
<RXÂś UH L Q FRQW URO
ÂŁ100,000 +VAT Phone Ernie 07932 734273 or office 01253 725999 ask for Pam G-Line Holidays Ltd www.g-linecoaches.co.uk
2010 MAN Beulas
71 seats, LEZ, Glory Euro 5 + EEV, WC, climate control, hot drinks, amazing luggage capacity, fantastic condition, MOT 31/10/2013, fully DDA, only 149,000km, sale due to fleet restructure.
ÂŁ230,000 + VAT
Florida Taxi Coaches 01787 477701
MAN Tourliner
460bhp Euro V engine, 12 speed AStronic gearbox, white with removable vinyls, no scrapes or scratches, Durabright alloys, many extras, MOT till September 2013.
7DNH W KH SKRW RV ZU L W H W KH DG DQG F KDQJH L W O DW H U L I \ RX ZDQW W R DO O I U RP \ RXU RQO L QH GDV KERDU G 6H O O L QJ D Y H KL F O H L V V L PSO H RQ
ÂŁ168,000 Milligans Coach Travel 01290 550365
Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com
681973-1071-Pembridge
21/1/13
16:08
Page 1
NEW PRE-REGISTERED FORDS
New Ford Transit 17 seat 4.3ton 135ps minibus. From £20,595 + VAT
FORD TRANSIT MINIBUSES
(12) 2012 Ford Transit 17 seat minibus 2.2tdci 135ps, tacho, 2300 miles only, ex-demo in silver, COIF/PSV £20,695 (12) 2012 Ford Transit Tourneo 9 seat Trend 2.2 125 PS, air-con, Bluetooth, in Midnight Sky Blue, 2,608 miles £14,900 + VAT (11) 2011 Ford Transit 9 seat Shuttle Bus, twin side loading doors, large rear luggage area, delivery miles only £16,995
D L O S D L O S
(11) 2011 Ford Transit 15 seat 3.5 ton, 2.4tdi engine 115ps, tacho, 10,000 km £17,500 (59) 2009 Ford Transit 17 seat 2.4tdi 115ps, tacho, air-con, 15,000km only £17,495 (07) 2007 Ford Transit 17 seat 2.4tdci 115ps air-con, tachograph, 76,000kms, COIF/PSV £11,995 (57) 2007 Ford Transit 17 seat 2.4TDi 100ps, six speed gearbox, tacho with 16,000 miles, COIF/PSV £11,995
LDV MINIBUSES
(57) 2007 LDV Maxus 17 seat, high back seats with three point belts, twin side doors, COIF/ PSV, silver £7,500
OTHER MAKES
New Peugeot Boxer 16 seat 3.5 ton and 17 seat w/chair accessible minibuses, 2.2 diesel 120ps, six speed gearbox LEZ COMPLIANT From £24,750 + VAT Volkswagen Crafter 2.5 diesel, 17 high back seats with three point belts, 30,000 miles, COIF/PSV £15,750 (56) 2006 Peugeot Boxer 3.5 ton 17 seat LWB minibus, 2.8 diesel, high back seats with three point seat belts, 19,000 miles only £9,450
(06) 2006 Volkswagen Transporter 9 seat minibus, 85PS, rear tail gate, twin side loading doors, 112,000 miles £7,995 (56) 2006 Peugeot Boxer 3.5t on 17 seat minibus 2.8 diesel, high back seats with three point belts, 33,000 miles £8,995 (55) 2005 Peugeot Boxer 3.5 ton 17 seat minibus 2.8 diesel, with three point seat belts, tow bar, removable seats to rear, 77,000 miles £6,995
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS
(55) 2005 Peugeot Boxer 3.5 ton 17 seat wheelchair accessible minibus, tracking to take two wheelchairs, low side entrance step, easy clean floor £7,495
(07) 2007 LDV Maxus 13 seat wheelchair accessible minibus, under floor lift, space for two wheelchairs, electric side step £8,495 (06) 2006 Vauxhall Vivaro 1.9 cdti 9 seat, inboard lift, tracking for 2 wheelchairs, 45,000 miles £8,995 Y 2001 Renault Mascot 2.8 diesel, 16 seat wheelchair accessible minibus, front entry drop step, fully tracked floor to take five wheelchairs, under floor lift, rear heating, COIF/PSV £6,495
Contact Graham Thatcher – email: sales@minibussales.co.uk
Tel: 01633 485858 Mobile: 07866 443304
Pembridge House, The Park Business Centre, Plough Road, Goytre, Penperlleni, Nr Usk, South Wales NP4 0AL – 10 minutes from M4 motorway. Viewing by appointment only
Finance Contract Hire and Finance Lease Available. We deliver Nationwide. All vehicles prepared to VOSA standard COIF/PSV specialist
All above prices are subject to VAT @ 20%
681335-1075-Ensign:Layout 1
18/2/13
13:36
Page 1
Ensig DOUBLE DECK 85
SEAT S
2000 DENNIS TRIDENTS Alexander ALX400 bodies, converted to high capacity 85 seat school buses.
LEZ
COMPLIANT
1999/2000/2001 V/X/51 PLATE DENNIS TRIDENTS Cummins/Voith, LEZ compliant for 2012 with traps to Euro 4, CCTV, Alexander ALX400 bodies, DDA compliant or upseated to 80 seats.
1999 T/V REG DENNIS TRIDENTS
1999 T/V REG DENNIS DART SLF’S
Caetano Compass bodies, 39 seats, ramps.
Cummins/Voith, LEZ compliant with traps, Plaxton President bodies, 62 seats dual door (£13,000) or 70 when converted to single door (£16,000).
1995 M REG OPTARE SPECTRA
1996 LEYLAND OLYMPIAN TRI-AXLE
Gardner engine, Voith gearbox, 100 seats with seatbelts.
DAF engine, Voith gearbox, low height, 77 seats.
1998 R/S REG OPTARE SOLO’S
1999 VOLVO B7TL’S
SWB, CCTV, particulate traps so LEZ compliant, Plaxton President bodies, dual door 62 seats or single door 71 seats.
Merc engines , 8.5m long, 30 seats. £4500 each plus tyres.
2001 Y REG DENNIS DARTS
Plaxton Pointer 2 bodies, 10.1m , Cummins Euro 2 engines, DDA, 31 seats, CCTV, particulate traps fitted, LEZ compliant, only £6000 each plus tyres.
2010 ENVIRO 400 Euro 5 Cummins engine, currently 62 seats with tables and luggage area but can upseat to 70.
OPEN TOP BUSES A SPECIALITY -
Juliette Close, Purfleet Industrial Telephone 01708 865656 Fax: 01708 8 Visit our website for current s
681335-1075-Ensign:Layout 1
18/2/13
13:36
Page 2
nbus
K ER SPECIALIST 1998 R REG VOLVO B10BLE’S 1998 R REG DAF SB300
Manual, Ikarus body, 53 seats, air-con.
1998 R REG DENNIS JAVELIN ZF 6 speed manual, Plaxton Premiere 350, 53 seats.
2005 VOLVO B12B
Voith automatic gearboxes, SLF, Alexander ALX300 bodies, 44 seats and 27 standing, heavy duty low floor buses. They can also be converted to be DDA compliant.
2011 ENVIRO 200
I-shift, Plaxton Panther, 49 seats, air con, rear toilet, £45000 plus VAT.
10.7m, Euro 5, 35 e-leather seats, very low mileage, Hanover destination, DDA compliant.
1992 LEYLAND OLYMPIAN
2002 02 PLATE DENNIS TRIDENTS
Cummins L10 / ZF, Alexander RH body, 78 seats with retractable belts, MOT Oct 2013, tacho.
2000 VOLVO B7TL’S
Euro 3 Cummins engines, DDA compliant , Plaxton President bodies, Hanover LED’s, 67 seats converted to single door or 62 seats as dual door.
2000/2001 VOLVO B7TL’S
LWB, CCTV, particulate traps so LEZ compliant, Plaxton President bodies, dual door 67 seats or single door 77 seats, DDAS compliant.
1995 M REG VOLVO B10M
ZF 6 speed manual, Caetano Algarve body, 49 seats, centre sunken toilet, very smart for age.
1995 M REG VOLVO B10M
Alexander ALX400 bodies, 80 seats, DDA compliant.
ZF 6 speed manual, Plaxton Premiere 350, 53 seats.
- BRITAIN’S BIGGEST BUS DEALERS Park, Purfleet, Essex, RM15 4YF 8 864340 e-mail: sales@ensignbus.com t stock at www.ensignbus.com
683158-1075-BenWeaver
18/2/13
13:47
Page 1
BEN WEAVER 2004 54 REG IVECO DAILY 45C13 11 SEAT FRONT ENTRY LWB WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2800cc turbo diesel, white, underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tachograph, 127000 kms, 80000 miles, 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £9995 NO VAT
2007 56 REG IVECO DAILY 40C12 LWB 17 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2300 hpi turbo diesel engine, certificate of initial fitness, Access underfloor rear lift, tracking for 2 wheelchairs, analogue tachograph, 108000 miles/172800 kms, 12 months MOT or PSV, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £11995 + VAT
2003 53 LDV CONVOY 17 SEAT HIGH ROOF MINIBUS 2400 90ps Ford turbo diesel engine, Ford 5 speed gearbox, only 56000 miles, white, sold by ourselves 3 years 6 months ago, what you see is what you get, aesthetically this vehicle is not in good condition but is a genuine low mileage workhorse, current MOT 8th August 2013, taxed 31st july 2013, deal for export or spare bus £2295 NO VAT
2003 03 REG BMW 318 CI SE COUPE 2.0 petrol engine, 5 speed manual gearbox, 17 inch M sport alloys, 6 disc cd stacker, on board computer, reverse parking sensors, multi function steering wheel, front fog lights, cruise control, electric windows, power heated door mirrors, air conditioning, carpet mats, finished in silver, 122,000 miles with history, supplied with 12 months MOT and just been fully serviced £2995 NO VAT
2002 02 MERCEDES VARIO 614 11 SEAT FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 4300 turbo diesel engine, 5 speed manual gearbox, Access underfloor rear tail lift, tracking for 6 wheelchairs, can be made upto 20 passenger seats, 232000 kms/145000 miles, white, 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £6995 + VAT Photos taken prior to valeting
2007 07 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 313CDI HIGH ROOF LWB 15 SEAT MINIBUS 2200 turbo diesel engine, 6 speed gearbox, 3500kgs gross weight, air con, electric windows + mirrors, CD player, power steering, parking sensors, twin slide loading doors, 4 seats across rear giving luggage area, side access step, 40000 miles with 1 owner, white, 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £15995 + VAT
2002 02 MERCEDES VARIO 614 11 SEAT FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 4300 turbo diesel engine, 5 speed manual gearbox, ex council, Access underfloor rear tail lift, tracking for 6 wheelchairs, can be made up to 20 passenger seats, 256000 kms/160000 miles, white, 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £6995 + VAT photos taken prior to valeting
2007 07 FORD TRANSIT 12 SEAT MEDIUM ROOF MINIBUS 2200cc 110ps turbo diesel engine, twin slide loading doors, electric windows, electric mirrors, CD player, white, excellent condition, 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £8995 + VAT
2001 51 REG IVECO DAILY 45C11 8 SEAT FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2800cc turbo diesel, white, tachograph, underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for up to 4 wheelchairs, 156000 kms/97000 miles, very good condition, 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £6495 + VAT
2003 53 VOLKSWAGEN LT35 TDI 13 SEAT MEDIUM ROOF MINIBUS 2500cc turbo diesel engine, 3500kg gross vehicle weight so normal B1 driving licence holders can drive this vehicle, taxed to end of April, white, skylight, 86000 miles, excellent condition, 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £5495 NO VAT
2007 07 REG FORD TRANSIT 15 SEAT MINIBUS 2400cc 115ps turbo diesel, 6 speed gearbox, frozen white, digital tachograph, certificate of initial fitness, PSV, LEZ compliant, 134000 klms/83000 miles with service records, electric windows, electric heated door mirror, CD player, remote central locking, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £9795 + VAT
2007 57 REG FORD TRANSIT 9 SEAT MEDIUM WHEELBASE MEDIUM ROOF SHUTTLE BUS 2200cc 110ps turbo diesel, red , twin side loading doors, rear luggage area, 90000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £8995 + VAT
2008 08 FORD TRANSIT 15 SEAT MEDIUM ROOF MINIBUS 2400 turbo diesel 100ps engine, LEZ compliant, COIF, electric windows, electric mirrors, CD player, 85000 miles with service records, finished in white, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £10495 + VAT
2001 Y REG IVECO DAILY 45C11 17 SEAT FRONT ENTRY LWB WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2800cc turbo diesel, analogue tachograph, Ratcliffe underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for 3 wheelchairs, 156000 kilometers/97000 miles, excellent condition, white, supplied with 12 months MOT or PSV, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £5995 + VAT
2002 02 REG IVECO DAILY 50C13 11 SEAT FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2800cc turbo diesel, white, panoramic glass, ex local authority vehicle, certificate of initial fitness, tachograph, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for upto 6 wheelchairs, electric windows, power door mirrors, 139000 kilometers/86000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £6295 + VAT
2002 02 REG IVECO DAILY 50C13 13 SEAT FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS WITH PANORAMIC GLASS 2800cc turbo diesel, white, panoramic glass, ex local authority vehicle, certificate of initial fitness, tachograph, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for upto 6 wheelchairs, electric windows, power door mirrors, 104000 kilometers/65000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £6495 + VAT
2007 07 FORD TRANSIT 12 SEAT MEDIUM ROOF MINIBUS 2200cc 110ps turbo diesel engine, twin slide loading doors, electric windows, electric mirrors, CD player, air con, finished in Ford true dark blue, excellent condition, only 59000 miles, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £8995 + VAT
2005 05 FORD TRANSIT LWB HIGH ROOF 12 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2400 turbo diesel engine, underfloor Ratcliffe wheelchair lift, tracking for upto 4 wheelchairs, full height side entry plug door with AVS side access step, internal luggage rack, Uplift skylight, 131000 miles, finished in white, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £7995 + VAT
2006 56 FORD TRANSIT 15 SEAT MEDIUM ROOF MINIBUS 2400cc 115ps turbo diesel, 6 speed gearbox, electric heated mirrors, electric windows, CD player, silver, 106000 miles, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months parts and labour warranty £8495 + VAT
2009 09 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 209CDI SWB LOW ROOF WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE VEHICLE 2148cc cdi diesel, sprintshift auto gearbox, hand operated brake pedal, velvet red, electrically operated drivers, Ricon rear internal wheelchair lift, front & rear parking sensors, air conditioning, electic windows, mirrors, CD player, only covered 8000 miles with full service history, excellent condition, 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £14995 NO VAT
BEN WEAVER commercIals
Gower Street, Sheffield, S4 7JW Tel: 0114 275 7076 www.benweavercommercials.co.uk
683158-1075-BenWeaver
18/2/13
13:48
Page 2
te ss bra sine bus! cele bu ini To ars in ery m ye ev 10 0 off 0 £5
commercials 2006 56 FORD TRANSIT 17 SEAT MEDIUM ROOF MINIBUS 2400cc 115ps turbo diesel engine, 6 speed gearbox, electric windows, electric mirrors, CD player, finished in white, excellent condition, 96000 miles with full service history, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £9995 + VAT
2007 57 REG FORD TRANSIT 17 SEAT MINIBUS Finished in frozen white, 2400cc turbo diesel, LEZ compliant, electric windows, power heated door mirrors, heated windscreen, CD player, 64000 miles with full service print out, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £11495 + VAT
2005 55 MERCEDES SPRINTER 411CDI 10 SEAT LWB WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2200 turbo diesel engine, certificate of intitial fitness, analogue tachograph, tracking for 4 wheelchairs, underfloor electric lift, 173000 klms/108000 miles, finished in white, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT or PSV, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £11995 + VAT
2001 51 FORD TRANSIT LWB HIGH ROOF 12 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2400 turbo diesel engine, certificate of initial fitness, underfloor electric lift, tracking for 3 wheelchairs, 130000 miles, finished in white, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty, arriving shortly £4995 + VAT
2004 53 MERCEDES SPRINTER 413CDI FRONT ENTRY 17 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE WELFARE MINIBUS Ex council vehicle, 2200 turbo diesel automatic, electric front entry door, analogue tachograph, certificate of initial fitness, panaramic glass, underfloor electric wheelchair lift, tracking for 6 wheelchairs, lift up sk lights, 172000 klms/108000 miles, excellent condition, finished in white, supplied with 12 months MOT or PSV, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £10495 + VAT
2004 53 IVECO DIALY 17 SEAT FRONT ENTRY LWB WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2800cc 6 speed turbo diesel, analogue tachograph, Ratcliffe underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for 3 wheelchairs, 103000 kilometers/64000 miles,excellent condition, white, supplied with 12 months MOT,fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £8995 NO VAT
2001 Y REG MERCEDES VARIO 814 FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE 28 SEAT MINIBUS 4300cc automatic turbo diesel engine, Plaxton conversion, electric front doors, Access under floor rear tail lift, tracking for 8 wheelchairs, analogue tachograph, 227000 klms/141000 miles, finished in white, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £9995 + VAT
1999 T REG TOYOTA CAETANO OPTIMO 4 4166cc turbo diesel, 5 speed gearbox, 21 coach style seats with lapbelts and arm rests, passenger curtains, overhead luggage space, rear boot space, internal rear heater, reading lights, forced air, Euroliners, white, just had 12 months PSV put on, certificate of initial fitness, analogue tachograph, 412000 klms/257000 miles, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards £8995 + VAT
2001 Y IVECO DAILY 35C11 MEDIUM WHEELBASE 10 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2800 turbo diesel, Ratcliffe internal wheelchair lift, tracking for 2 wheelchairs, only 37000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £5795 NO VAT
2006 06 REG IVECO DAILY 17 SEAT MINIBUS 2800cc turbo diesel, AVS side step, tachograph, certificate of initial fitness, 118000 kilometers/73000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £9995 + VAT
2007 07 FORD TRANSIT 15 SEAT MEDIUM ROOF MINIBUS 2400 turbo diesel 100ps engine, LEZ compliant, digital tachograph, electric windows, electric mirrors, CD player, 133000 miles with full service history, finished in white, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £7495 + VAT
2006 56 FORD TRANSIT 17 SEAT MEDIUM ROOF MINIBUS 2400cc turbo diesel engine, electric windows, electric mirrors, CD player, certificate of initial fitness, finished in white, excellent condition, 83000 miles, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £10995 + VAT
2005 05 IVECO DAILY 65C15 13 SEAT FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE WELFARE MINIBUS This bus has 13 seats but has 22 down on the COIF, 2800 6 speed manual turbo diesel engine, access underfloor electric wheelchair lift, tracking for 6 wheelchairs, certificate of initial fitness, analogue tachograph, 166000 klms/103000 miles, excellent condition, finished in dark metallic red, supplied with 12 months MOT or PSV, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £11295 + VAT
2007 07 REG FORD TRANSIT 15 SEAT 115 PS MEDIUM ROOF MINIBUS 2400 cc 6 speed turbo diesel, true dark blue, LEZ compliant, electric windows, remote central locking, CD player, 41000 miles with fully stamped Ford service history, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £10995 NO VAT
2008 57 REG BMW 320 M SPORT COUPE 2000cc petrol engine, 6 speed manual gearbox, metallic grey, grey leather interior, 19 inch M double spoke style 225m alloy wheels, rear boot lip spoiler, Xenon headlights with angel eyes, climate control, electric sunroof, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, electric windows, electric heated door mirrors, on board computer, multi funtction steering wheel, 86000 miles with service history, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards £11295 NO VAT
2003 03 REG MERCEDES 313CDI LWB HIGH ROOF 17 SEAT SPRINTER 2200cdi diesel, this is a 3500kgs vehicle so any licence is OK to drive it, Advanced conversion, white, electric door mirrors, 110000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £8995 NO VAT
2004 54 IVECO DAILY 45C13 17 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2800 turbo diesel engine, Ricon internal electric lift, analogue tachograph, tracking for 4 wheelchairs, 285000 klms/178000 miles, finished in white, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £5995 + VAT
2004 54 VOLKSWAGEN LT46 16 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE WELFARE MINIBUS 2500 turbo diesel engine, internal wheelchair lift, tracking for 6 wheelchairs, analogue tachograph, 254000 klms/158000 miles, finished in white, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months natonwide parts and labour warranty £6995 + VAT
2007 07 FORD TRANSIT 17 SEAT MEDIUM ROOF MINIBUS 2400cc 100ps turbo diesel engine, electric windows, electric mirrors, CD player, finished in white, excellent condition, 84000 miles, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £11995 + VAT
2004 54 VOLKSWAGEN LT46 17 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2500 tdi 109bhp, white, Advanced minibus conversion, tachograph, Ratcliffe underfloor rear wheelchair lift, AVS side step, 194000 kilometers/121000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £8995 NO VAT
All vehicles supplied with 12 months MOT/PSV, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards and 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty
p52_CBW_1075
18/2/13
17:22
Page 52
52 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
BMC Midilux Cummins ISB Euro 4 engine, PA system, rear air suspension, air conditioning, TV, 26 seat configuration, white.
£67,950 Available ex-stock For more details contact Ken Grindrod : 07976 355334 or Phil Hodgson : 07773 258379 BMC UK – Sole importer for the UK : 01924 227777 (A Trading Division of Pelican Engineering Co Ltd)
www.bmc-uk.net
RA RE O P P O RTUN ITY Single Deck, Double Deck & Hybrid
2005 28 st Pointer
2005 Scania E/Lancs
2007 Wrightbus Electrocity
For more details or to arrange a viewing call 07979 295668
682251-1075-Ventura
18/2/13
15:40
Page 1
683002-1074-Stafford
11/2/13
11:48
Page 1
681297-1074-Connaught
11/2/13
12:34
Page 1
Mini Coach Sales
BRAND NEW COACH BUILT MERCEDES 516 FERQUI SOROCO 16 high back leather trimmed reclining seats, courier seat, A/C, D/G, power door, large boot, DVD, silver metallic. AVAILABLE NOW.
BRAND NEW MERCEDES BENZ 516CDI EVM SHUTTLE 16 high back seats, 3 point belts, luggage racks and A/C.
BRAND NEW MERCEDES FERQUI TORO 28/32 high back seats + courier, A/C, D/G, forced air, reading lights, power door, large boot. Order now for April delivery.
MORE PHOTOS AND DETAILS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE:
BRAND NEW MERCEDES BENZ FERQUI SOROCO 19 high back seats, 3 point belts, A/C, D/G, forced air, reading lights and boot. Order now for May delivery.
www.connaughtpsv.co.uk
BRAND NEW MERCEDES BENZ 513CDI EVM CLASSIC 16/19 high back seats, 3 point belts, luggage racks and A/C.
2009 59 REG MERCEDES 311 CDI SPRINTER 16 high back seats, forced air, reading lights, luggage racks, and drop step.
2008 08 REG MERCEDES 515CDI SOROCO 19 high back seats, 3 point belts, A/C, D/G, forced air, reading lights, power door, boot in silver metallic.
2006 56 REG MERCEDES 616 SOROCO PLUS 16 high back leather seats, 3 point belts, A/C, D/G, forced air, reading lights, fridge, DVD, power door and boot.
2005 05 REG MERCEDES 814 VARIO MELLOR 33 high back seats, 3 point belts, forced air, reading lights, power door and boot.
2002 02 REG MERCEDES 413CDI SOROCO 16 high back reclining seats, 3 point belts, forced air, A/C, reading lights, power door, large boot.
2001 TOYOTA CAETANO OPTIMO V 22 high back seats plus courier, 3 point belts, forced air, reading lights, power door and boot. REDUCED FOR QUICK SALE
Steve Peach Tel: 01302 770863 Mob: 07836 551020 Email: steve@connaughtpsv.co.uk www.connaughtpsv.co.uk
683104-1075-Pickrell
H. W. PICKRELL
18/2/13
09:53
Page 1
MINIBUS AND WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES
Gardiners Lane North • Crays Hill • Billericay • Essex • CM11 2XE Tel: 01268 521033 • Mobile: 07860 894331 • Fax: 01268 284951
Email: sales@hwpickrell.co.uk - www.hwpickrell.co.uk Finance available on all vehicles (subject to status) Written details on request.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINI BUSES For latest stock arrivals follow @h_w_pickrell
06 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 411 CDI
11 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER
07 REG FORD TRANSIT 100 350 2.4 TDCI
06 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 413 CDI UVK TREKA
Auto gearbox, LWB, PAS, Frank Guy conversion, n/s full height electric power door, 16 high back removable seats on NMI quick release, Eberspacher, PLS underfloor tail lift, ex local authority, COIF’d, 103,080 kms.
Auto, 4600kgs, high roof, LWB, O&H conversion ambulance, SLD, Ferno Pegasus stretcher, full air con, Eberspacher, piped oxygen & Entonox, bulk head & rear bulk head storage unit, ex demo, cost new £95,000.00.
Manual, MWB, high roof, PAS, DL conversion, side loading door, AVS side step, 8 high back seats, fully Unwin tracked floor, Eeberspacher heater, Ricon tail lift, 28,779 miles.
Auto gearbox, LWB, PAS, climate control, n/s/f electric power door, 16 high back removable seats on NMI quick release, Eberspacher, PLS underfloor tail lift, ex local authority, COIF'd, 82,180 kms.
06 REG FORD TRANSIT 430 JUMBO 2.4TDCI
10 REG RENAULT MASTER LM39 2.5TD
08 REG FORD TRANSIT 430 JUMBO 2.4 TDCI
2009 59 REG VAUXHALL VIVARO SL28 2.0 TD
Manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, tacho, side loading door, side step, 11 rear high back seats, full Unwin tracking, Eberspacher heater, underfloor Ratcliff tail lift, 31,813 miles.
Manual, high roof, PAS, LWB, new conversion, side loading door, AVS side step, 14 high back seats, AMF m2 fully tracked floor, full air con, Ricon tail lift, tacho fitted, only 46,750kms.
Manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, tacho, side loading door, electric side step, 11 high back seats, Unwin tracked floor at rear, Eberspacher heater, underfloor Ratcliff tail lift, tacho, 34,955 miles.
Manual gearbox, low roof, O & H conversion, PAS, twin side loading door, side step, 4 high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, modified low floor, electric winch & fold out ramp, 15,491 miles.
08 REG FORD TRANSIT 430 JUMBO 2.4TDCI
57 REG RENAULT MASTER LM35 2.5TD
08 REG RENAULT MASTER LM35 2.5TD
07 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 313CDI 2.5 TD
Manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, tacho, side loading door, AVS side step, 13 rear high back seats, Unwin tracked floor, Eberspacher heater, air con, underfloor Ratcliff tail lift, tacho, 53,946kms.
Manual gearbox, PAS, LWB, Euromotive conversion, SLD, AVS side step, 12 rear high back seats, Unwin tested Innotrac floor, Ricon tail lift, ex local authority, 20,775 miles.
Manual gearbox, high roof, O & H conversion, PAS, side loading door, AVS side step, 8 high back seats plus 2 x w/chairs & driver, Unwin tracked floor, ricon internal tail lift, 33,175 miles only.
Manual, semi high roof minibus conversion, twin side entry sliding door with electric step, 14 x high back seats plus driver, air con front & rear, fully tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, ex NHS, only 25,000 miles.
2008 57 REG VAUXHALL VIVARO LH28 2.0 TD
60 REG FORD TRANSIT 330 2.4TDCI
57 REG PEUGEOT BOXER 2.5TD
54 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 413 CDI UVG TREKA
Manual gearbox, hi roof, O & H conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 5 high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, Eberspacher heater, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, 30,280 miles only.
6 speed manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, MWB, tacho, SL door, 12 rear standard factory high back seats, no tracking (can be fitted), underfloor Ratcliff tail lift, one owner local charity, 20,104kms.
Manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, O&H conversion SLD, AVS side step, 8 rear high back seats plus 1 x wheelchair space, Unwin tracking, Eberspacher heater, Ricon tail lift, ex local authority, 20,286 miles.
Auto gearbox, LWB, PAS, climate control, n/s/f electric power door, 16 high back removable seats on NMI quick release, Eberspacher, PLS underfloor tail lift, ex local authority, COIF'd, 104,180 kms.
56 RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.5TD
06 REG IVECO DAILY 50c13 IRIS BUS 3.0
58 REG IVECO DAILY 50c13 IRIS BUS 3.0
59 REG VAUXHALL MOVANO LM39 2.5TD
6 speed manual gearbox, high roof, O & H conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 6 rear high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, Eberspacher heater, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, 14,300 miles only.
Manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, tacho, power front entry door, 16 rear high back seats, Unwin tracked flat floor, Eberspacher climate control, underfloor PLS tail lift, COIF, 67,671 kms.
Manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, tacho, power front entry door, 16 rear high back seats,Unwin tracked floor, Eberspacher heater, destination board, underfloor Ratcliff tail lift, COIF, 63,371 miles.
Manual 6 speed, high roof, PAS, LWB, Mellor conversion, side loading door, new AVS side step, 14 high back seats, new AMF m2 fully tracked floor, AMF tail lift, tacho fitted only 35,749 kms. (22,214 miles).
07 REG VOLKSWAGEN CRAFTER CR50 UVG TREKA
09 PEUGEOT EXPERT TEPEE 1.9 HDI
56 REG RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.5TD
NEW UN REG IVECO DAILY 50c17 IRIS BUS 3.0
Auto gearbox, climate control, n/s/f electric power door, 16 high back removable seats on NMI quick release, Eberspacher, PLS underfloor tail lift, ex local authority, COIF'd, 81,280 kms.
Manual 5 speed gearbox, PAS, CD player, air con, twin side loading doors, 2 high back seat in rear, double passenger seat front, cut out floor, fold down ramp, blue metallic silver, alloy wheels, 14,932 miles.
Manual gearbox, high roof, Widnes conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 9 rear high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, 42,300 miles only.
Agile gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, tacho, power front entry door, 16 rear high back seats, Unwin Innotrax flat floor, underfloor Ratcliff t/lift, COIF/IVA to take up to 5 wheelchairs.
p57_CBW_1075
18/2/13
17:20
Page 57
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 57
Available Now!
Choice of 2 58 plated Setra 53 reclining seats with three point seat belts £110,000 + VAT
Choice of 2 59 plated Mercedes Benz Tourismo 49 reclining seats, executive finish £130,000 + VAT
Choice of 4 59 plated Mercedes Benz Tourismo 49 reclining seats, super executive finish £135,000 + VAT
Contact Paul Hockley on 0207 733 1124 phockley@redwing-coaches to view or for further information
Southdown PSV - 01342 711840 www.southdownpsv.co.uk
from £116,000 choice
New! Man SLF CitySmart 10.8m. 37 seats. Ex stock
from £27,500 choice
2003 SLF ALX 400 Volvo B7TL & Dennis Trident 2. 67-74 seats
Southdown PSV Silverwood Snow Hill Copthorne West Sussex RH10 3EN
from £39,500 choice
2003 Scania CN94 SLF Omnicity 12m - 42 seats
Prices quoted are subject to VAT @ 20%
p58_CBW_1075
18/2/13
18:32
Page 58
58 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
Passenger and Commercial Vehicles Recovery Dismantlers Parts Sales
B7 Deckers & ISB Plaxton Pointer Darts (51 plate)
Choice of 5 each, double doors, DDA compliant, Eminox exhaust systems, complete with tyres
Call: 01226 727769 Mobile: 07912 103497 Email: geoff-ripley@btconnect.com www.geoff-ripleysbuscoachsales.com
p59_CBW_1075
18/2/13
15:02
Page 59
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 59
HEAVY DUTY STEEL BUILDINGS
BUILDINGS
• Bus Workshops • Secure Storage
• Supplied any width, any length • Building to BS5590 • Doors high enough for Double Deckers • Finance available
Phone for further information
BLUELINE BUILDINGS 01709 578333 anytime HEATING
CHECKPOINTS
Heaters • A/C Equipment Blowers • Motors • Radiators Silicone Hose • Ducting Wiper Equipment • Gas Struts
Wheel Nut Indicators and Retainers
++44(0)1524 44(0)1524 2271200 71200 checkpoint-safety.com
www.
Tel: 01993 849522 Fax: 01993 706920 Email: sales@thhs.co.uk
www.thhs.co.uk
UNIT 9 NIMROD BUSINESS PARK DE HAVILLAND WAY, WITNEY OX29 0YG
GARAGE EQUIPMENT SPECIALISTS
GARAGE EQUIPMENT
Experts in Commercial Garage Equipment
www.bwsequip.co.uk BWS (0117) 9530381 SIGNWRITING
Sign Writing Services • School bus sign sets with suction cups – £15 + VAT • Vehicle livery design & supply – fitting by arrangement if required • Legal lettering & graphics supplied by post
Tel: 01884 290818 Mobile: 07583 334455 www.kjsupport.co.uk
ENGINES
TRAINING
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
THE DRIVER CPC IS HERE SAME DAY J.A.U.P.T. REGISTRATION SAME DAY C.P.C. CERTIFICATES DELIVERED AT YOUR OWN DEPOTS
REMEMBER-REMEMBER 10th SEPTEMBER WE WILL HOLD OUR PRICES FOR 5 YEARS
PCV DRIVER HIRE 0800-731-5007 CORPORATE DEALS AVAILABLE
MERIDIAN PCV DRIVER LTD Rising above all others
5 I F NB S L F U G P S 7 F I J D M F T 1 S P E V D U T B O E 4 F S W J D F T
www.meridianpcv.com
p60_CBW_1075
18/2/13
15:47
Page 60
60 | COACH & BUS WEEK | February 20, 2013
TRIM
BLACKPOOL TRIM SHOPS LTD
BRUN GROVE - BLACKPOOL - FY1 6PG - 01253 766762
Stock set of Esteban seats to fit Iriza Century coach. Newly trimmed with blue piping and inserts. £2200+VAT. Extra moquette available
Stock set of Plaxton Premiere seats, newly trimmed with white piping and inserts. £2200+VAT. Extra moquette available
Stock set of Plaxton Premiere seats, newly trimmed. £1800+VAT. Extra moquette available
Full set of 70 Cogent school bus seat covers, cut and sewn. £1000+VAT *** These are covers only ***
Vogal service seats, brand new. 9 doubles, 3 singles. £75+VAT per double £35+VAT per single
Vogal India service seats in red moquette. 9 doubles and 3 singles, brand new. £75+VAT per double £35+VAT per single
** We have full sets of pads for Esteban Civic V2, plus spares and other service seats in stock ** www.facebook.com/blackpooltrimshops sales@blackpooltrimshops.co.uk 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
VEHICLE SPARES
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
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
Call 01226 723147 Night Service 01226 716479 Fax 01226 700199 Email wigleys@btconnect.com
www.twigley.com
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 61
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
Alex shows his love for Lizzie As you will be all too familiar, we pride ourselves at CBW on being approachable. Every so often it’s nice to remind you of our human side. Therefore, when Alex Tyler, one of our News Reporters, turned up at the office on Thursday wearing this t-shirt, it was only natural for us to share it with you. Alex took up the story: “My better half Lizzie got it for me on Valentines Day. I guess she thought it would be funny. She jokingly said ‘You’ve got to wear that all day now’, so I did. Later on when I got home in the evening, she said, ‘It seemed like a good idea in the morning but I’m not so sure now as it’s not as funny as it was earlier’. However, I didn’t take it off till bedtime. I warned her that Gareth will be sure to mention this in the diary column but she doesn’t know this photo is also being published.” All good fun.
More cheese Alex...
Dilbert
Reflecting its former role, the bus has a decidedly utalitarian appearance
Maggie’s Ulster battle bus to be auctioned An armour-plated ‘battle bus’, believed to have been used by former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in Northern Ireland, is to go under the hammer – according to BBC News. The 28-tonne bus was thought to have been built in the 1980s for a visit by Mrs Thatcher, before being used to transport troops, auctioneers said. It has a blast-proof floor, armour-plated glass and was thought to be chemical, biological and nuclear-proof. It is expected to fetch £10,000 in Towcester, Northamptonshire this week. Auctioneer Jonathan Humbert said the bus, which can hold 35 passengers, has just 28,000km (17,398 miles) on the clock and it has
its own auxiliary generator and air supply in case anyone attacked it. It also has a Foden chassis, a body by Glover and Webb and is powered by a 12-litre Rolls-Royce engine, Mr Humbert of JP Humbert Auctioneers said. The sale comes from a private vendor who bought it from a research and development company, which in turn had bought it from the government. “This isn’t a good-looking vehicle by any stretch of the imagination - but is of social and historical interest,” said Mr Humbert. “It is an irreplaceable one-off, an iron bus for the Iron Lady.”
Monday: Press day. A larger issue size than normal, staff sickness and me working on CBW’s sister title GTW contribute to a later finish than we’ve become accustomed to – 2100hrs. Even last year, it would have been considered ‘early’ to finish the mag by this time but touch wood, revised procedures have helped to bring production under control. It’s enough to say this year we’ve managed to leave the office in time to have our evening meals at home. Tuesday: Arrive in the office promptly as always but I’m tired. Our weekly editorial team meeting takes place after lunch. We discuss events and features for the coming weeks. Wednesday: Take a hitherto rare day off midweek. With my fiancée on half term, it’s the perfect opportunity to forge on with the house project. I rise early and complete the final prep work before dashing to the post office to send off some items sold on ebay. Apply emulsion to the walls and do some more decluttering. It can be laborious but I feel a sense of achievement. Thursday: A hectic day in the office writing and catching up with admin, which I hate with a passion. Use my lunch hour to take my fiancée to school & back to swap piles of books. Who says teachers enjoy lots of holiday eh?! Mine has spent most of her ‘break’ doing paperwork…. Friday: A busy day in the office getting as much as possible to Keith to minimise the Monday crush. Chase up several leads for stories kindly supplied by friends. By late afternoon, we seem to be in a decent place in terms of production. In the evening, my better half arrives home on a high, having enjoyed a day trip with her mum to Lincoln on a Shaws of Maxey coach. A weekend of working on the house in Peterborough is in store. www.coachandbusweek.com
LastStop.indd 61
18/02/2013 13:19
Get your vacancy seen by quality candidates Full colour as standard All vacancies posted to www.coachandbusweek.com/jobs Details of all vacancies posted to our Facebook, Twi�er & Linkedin pages
et a g , k e e w e Book on price f l a h k e e second w EE! R F k e e w d 3 and a thir 7 May 201 un�l 2 d i l a v r e ff O
Contact Ian Gillis tel 01733 293484 or email ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com
www.coachandbusweek.com
People.indd 62
18/02/2013 19:05
RECRUITMENT & people
February 20, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 63
In association with
Deadlines Booking: Monday 5.00pm Full artwork: Monday 5.00pm Contact Ian Gillis T: 01733 293484 E: ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com
Wright appoints Business Development Director Wrightbus has appointed Robert Drewery as Business Development Director – UK & Europe. Group Managing Director Mark Nodder said: “I am absolutely delighted to bring Robert into the new organisation at Wrightbus. He is an exceptionally talented and goal-driven individual who will bring fresh and innovative ideas to market.” Robert will head up all sales, marketing and service activities for Wrightbus in the UK, Republic of Ireland and Europe. Robert’s background is in the transport and automotive-based business, until recently as Business Development Director for Pullman Fleet Services, a subsidiary of Wincanton PLC
New CILT PresidentElect
The CILT has announced the appointment of Jim Steer FCILT as its new President-Elect. Replacing Graham Inglis FCILT, Jim Steer will assume the one-year role from May 2013. Graham said: “Jim’s appointment comes at a critical time in the expansion of Britain’s transport network; the development of the North-South High Speed Rail link, the £37bn planned expansion by Network Rail and the on-going debate around London’s airport capacity make it an ideal time
Robert Drewery
Stagecoach NE Duty Manager retires A loyal employee at Stagecoach North East’s Walkergate depot is celebrating his quarter of the century tenure by taking a welldeserved retirement. Ray Purdy retired as a Duty Manager on Monday, February 11, a day after his 65th birthday following 25 years with the company, and 35 years in the bus industry. Ray joined Stagecoach North
East in its original incarnation as Busways in 1989 as a bus driver, before working up to his current position, learning every aspect of the business along the way. Ray commented: “I’ve stayed at Stagecoach North East for so long because I love my job and it’s as simple as that. Every day is different, though of course always busy and interesting. After a hard day at the depot I often experience a real feeling of satisfaction of a job well done and that makes it all worthwhile. But, the time has come to retire as I want to spend more time with my family, and pursue my hobbies such as swimming, walking, bowls and gardening.”
where he was responsible for development of commercial vehicle maintenance and management services. for him to take the helm. I know Jim will continue to focus on the Olympic transport legacy and champion road safety as I have during my term in office, and no doubt bring his own ideas to the role.” Jim is a co-founder of renowned transport planning company, Steer Davies Gleave (SDG), which began operations in 1978. He took a three-year secondment to the Strategic Rail Authority as a member of its senior executive team with responsibilities for all of its strategic planning activities. In 2005, he re-joined SDG’s Board. He is now the Director of Greengauge 21 which campaigns for a high speed line in Britain and he has also served as Vice President of the CILT.
www.coachandbusweek.com
People.indd 63
18/02/2013 19:05
683000-1074-GuideDogs
9/2/13
09:53
Page 1