Coach & Bus Week : Issue 1039

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Wednesday June 6, 2012 Issue 1039 | ÂŁ2.95 www.coachandbusweek.com

COACH:

Excelsior's MD Kathy Tilbury in BBC TV documentary p8

TRAINING:

AA Drivetech's range of courses covering Driver CPC needs p24

Peter Hendy on competition and 'dereg' to TSC

BUS:

Major MiX success with London United safety record p6

TECHNOLOGY:

Cost-effective electric buses using IPT Charge system p18

for recru i

JOB ADV tment EVERY WERTS EEK

p28

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THIS WEEK

Coach & Bus Week is published by Rouncy Media, 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@rouncymedia.co.uk Editor Gareth Evans 01733 293243 gareth.evans@coachandbusweek.com Technical & Minibus Editor Martin Cole 01733 293245, 07885 692144 martin.cole@coachandbusweek.com News Reporter James Day 01733 293244 james.day@coachandbusweek.com News Reporter Andrew Cream 01733 293482 andrew.cream@coachandbusweek.com News Reporter Alex Tyler 01733 293240 alex.tyler@coachandbusweek.com Art Director Keith Simpson Contributors Tim Deakin, Richard Charnley, Gabriel Conway, Alan Payling

ADVERTISING, MARKETING & EVENTS Advertising & Marketing Manager Ian Gillis 01733 293484 ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com Advertising Sales Executive Victoria Marshall 01733 293248 victoria.marshall@coachandbusweek.com Classified Sales Executive Jade Cassidy 01733 293247 jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com Advertising Production June Barnard 01473 858761 june@adsproduction.co.uk

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www.coachandbusweek.com ISSN: 1351-3877 © 2012 Rouncy Media 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. The opinions and views expressed by authors and contributors within Coach & Bus Week are not necessarily those of the Editor or its publisher Rouncy Media Ltd.

Hendy airs his views

I

read Peter Hendy’s evidence to the Transport Select Committee with interest. As you’ll read on p20, my colleague Andrew Cream has transcribed the discussions. Peter has provided us with insight on topics which are often kept behind closed doors for fear of upsetting folks – or so we are told in the media. Discussing funding, he said: “If I was running one of those ITAs, and faced with the sort of money they seem to have available, you would not be able to do much.” Some will doubtless conclude this opens up the question (wound even?) about the discrepancy in funding between London and the regions – a topic pteg has often highlighted. He also talks about the Competition Commission’s report. “I share some of the industry’s views that it seems to be a pretty major distraction without any great deal of outcome. It seemed to me not to directly answer whether the current system served the passengers well and actually what the reason for the provision of a bus

service actually is.” He goes on to talk about the information provision and integrated ticketing in London “without reference to who runs the services,” before adding: “The Competition Commission is trying to say that at the same time as trying to sort out how you do it in a market they would otherwise rather see as competitive.” He then concludes: “It’s a bit of a curious animal to devise.” Miaow! Part two, which includes evidence from Jeremy Peat, and his colleagues Douglas Cooper and Adam Land from the Competition Commission, not forgetting Norman Baker, will be published in a forthcoming issue. I for one look forward to reading their take on our industry. As ever, I may not agree entirely with what the say, but as an Editor I will defend their right to express their opinion. It’s called balance. Gareth Evans Editor

CONTENTS 4

18

30

The latest from across the coach and bus industry in the UK

12

IPT Charge hailed after 10 years of use in Turin and Genoa

20

The dangers of social media, new rules for self-employed drivers

IRU launches new group, doubledeckers return to Iraqi capital

14

Peter Hendy provides insight on funding, politics & regulation

24

SKF low energy actuator, pay as you go card from Fuelcard Company

What’s happening across the country’s regions. Plus Events Diary

16

A detailed look at the AA Drivetech Driver CPC training on offer

28

A lighthearted look at the industry. Plus Gareth’s Diary!

All the latest vehicle deliveries in operators’ yards across the country

Brand new Brighton & Hove Wright Gemini 2 Volvo B9TL

All the latest people moves from across the industry

News

International News Regional News Deliveries

Technology

London Bus Market Supplier Update The Big Picture

Legal Update

33

Products

53

Last Stop

54

People

For all the latest industry news and information, register with us online at:

www.coachandbusweek.com www.coachandbusweek.com

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4 | COACH & BUS WEEK | June 6, 2012

news

“If I was running one of those ITAs and faced with the money they seem to have available, you would not be able to do so much.” Peter Hendy

briefly The BBC is using MiX Telematics vehicle tracking as one of the systems to monitor the progress of the torch relay as it makes its way around the UK ahead of the opening ceremony on July 27, 2012. Fitted to the media car travelling with the relay, the system sends positional data to a dedicated website, (www.bbc. co.uk/torchrelay), which provides visitors with exact details of the torch’s whereabouts 24/7. MiX Telematics tracking equipment has been fitted to the BBC’s technical vehicles for several years. It is used both for tracking purposes and to allow controllers to redirect the nearest truck to the scene of breaking news. Crime on London buses fell by 9.4% to 9.3 crimes per million passenger journeys in 2011/12 (21,724) – 2,250 fewer than the previous year and the lowest figure for eight years. Crime on the Tube and DLR reduced by 1,357 offences, down 10% from the previous 12 months – 9.6 crimes per million passenger journeys. Robbery on buses, however, increased by 4.3%. Boris Johnson said: “With more officers on the network and targeted police operations, my teams have worked tirelessly to crack down on crime on our transport system, and to keep it down while passenger numbers soar.” Four of the proposed ‘Borismaster’ buses will operate by the end of the month after TfL originally announced eight would enter service on route 38. Boris Johnson has pledged to have 600 of the buses on London streets by 2016 Lib Dem AM Caroline Pidgeon said: “The Mayor has repeatedly made misleading claims about the new London bus. Initially he claimed the research and development costs would be picked up privately, but we soon discovered it would be taxpayers who would foot the massive bill.” Leon Daniels, TfL’s Managing Director of Surface Transport, said: “These prototypes are hand-built by a team of specialists, rather than a dedicated production line, and are delivered as soon as they are completed.” www.coachandbusweek.com

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Insight p20

Green growth gets £113 million transport boost The local schemes may provide national benefits by supporting economic growth and encouraging sustainable travel 30 local transport schemes aimed at delivering economic growth and reducing carbon emissions were given the green light on May 24 by Transport Minister Norman Baker. The projects have won funding totalling £113m as part of the second allocation from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. They are led by 29 English local authorities with many more as partners and cover eight regions. The successful schemes include a variety of measures including improving sustainable transport options for commuters, creating public transport hubs, building better cycling infrastructure and even providing a new ferry service. The schemes to be funded include Smarter Travel Slough which will reduce congestion on main roads in the rush hour by increasing the use of walking, cycling and public transport; Walk to School Outreach which sees

ATCO Summer Conference 2012 The Association of Transport Coordinating Officers (ATCO) will be holding its annual summer event in Birmingham on June 19–21. The event will showcase good practice and offer practical advice on adapting services to ensure they are ‘Fit for the Future’. However, it is not just the authorities who are challenged to reduce costs. Operators are being affected by BSOG changes and increases in fuel and staff costs, which means they are looking for ways to keep their business cost

Durham County Council working with national charity Living Streets and eight other councils to reduce congestion and improve health through exercise; Travel Torbay Regeneration Project delivers a new fast ferry service between Torbay and Brixham which will see journey times cut by half, a new cycle route to encourage more low carbon journeys and a supporting package of employer based travel planning to help increase use of public transport; Access to Jobs, Training and Services in Stafford aims to reduce congestion at peak times in Stafford by improving access to walking, cycling and public transport. People will be encouraged to reconsider their travel habits through offers of discounted bus travel and a new mobile cycle centre providing cyclists with information and advice as well as selling reconditioned bikes. Sustainable Transport Access to Tourism on the Isle of Wight will improve the island’s sustainable transport network to support its bid to become a leading destination for green tourism. This includes

Speakers will include Sir Brian Souter and trent barton’s Alex Hornby (pictured) effective and profitable. One key element of the ‘Fit for the Future’ theme is partnership, something colleague organisation the CPT believes in too. One example partnership is in Essex, where thrice-annual

the provision of transport hubs and easily-accessible live travel information to help visitors and local people plan their journeys. Walking and cycling routes will also receive a boost. Also, all the schemes for which funding has been confirmed are receiving contributions from the local council or the private sector. In total, the £113m provided by DfT is allowing more than double that amount to be invested. The projects are designed to reduce delays on the roads in urban areas, which reportedly cost around £11 billion a year. They also help tackle problems such as poor air quality and improved cycling and walking infrastructure will help to improve the health of the nation. Norman Baker said: “The schemes we are funding today will benefit communities from Devon to Durham by cutting carbon emissions, reducing congestion and stimulating economic growth in these areas. By investing in these projects we are signalling our commitment to green growth which will help to kick-start economic activity in local areas.” meetings allow CPT members and council officers to discuss issues openly. The partnership goes further, with CPT invited to user planning group meetings to learn from their customers issues being faced and often simple solutions to combat those problems. “Partnership is essential in transport,” said Tracy Jessop, ATCO Chairwoman. “We know just how tough things are but because we’re working together, we can pool ideas to design services which still keep customers at the heart of our thinking.” Event speakers include Sir Brian Souter of Stagecoach and Alex Hornby of trent barton as well as Greener Journeys, VOSA and CPT. There will also be a special focus on DRT and School Transport.

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June 6, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 5

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Stagecoach Manchester P&R plan Greater Manchester is set for its first park-and-ride bus scheme – which will be funded commercially by Stagecoach. Sir Brian Souter originally presented the scheme in 2005 at a meeting attended by a range of stakeholders which included politicians, transport experts, resident groups, business leaders and representatives from other key organisations. The plan would see a free 455-space car park for commuters built on a plot of wasteland at the junction of Buxton Road and Macclesfield Road in Hazel Grove, Stockport. Drivers would then pay standard fares for buses running on a stretch of the heavily-congested A6. The plans are due to be submitted to Stockport Council next month.

It is thought the £3m scheme will cut more than 6,000 car journeys every month and slash exhaust emission levels. Motorists would be able to park at the site, then catch the 192 Stagecoach bus service to stops in Stockport and central Manchester. Toilets, a waiting area and a refreshment block are

New ADL E400 Hybrids will replace the current diesel E400s on the 192 route

IRU welcomes EU digitach regulation proposals The IRU welcomes improvements made by the European Parliament TRAN committee to European Commission proposals to modify the EU tachograph Regulation. Notably the compulsory training of enforcement officers, the free use of the Global Navigation Satellite

included in the plan, which has been backed by Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell. Manchester-based transport consultants SCP have been working on the plans with Stagecoach, which will finance the scheme. Transport for Greater Manchester and Stockport Council have also

System (GNSS) signals, and a prohibition on automatic sanctions of the tachograph Regulation through the use of new technology fitted to digital tachographs. However, the IRU rejects the proposal to retro-fit all vehicles with digital tachographs, stating

such a move is neither technically feasible for all vehicles, nor justified. The IRU has called on the European Parliament to reject this aspect of the amendments at its July plenary session. The President of the IRU Commission on Social Affairs, Georges Causse, said: “The European Parliament has called for important security enhancements to tachographs and will better prevent tachograph fraud which

been consulted. The plans coincide with the purchase of 40 new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 Hybrids which are due to run along the 192 service line from 2013. They have cost more than £12m. Lee Kendall, principal transport planner at SCP, said the bus parkand-ride plan was a first for Greater Manchester and one of the first nationally to be entirely privatelyfunded. Stagecoach Managing Director Chris Bowles told CBW: “Stagecoach is an innovative company and leads the way in public transport growth around the country. We believe the key to reducing congestion and reducing our carbon footprint is to make public transport more attractive and accessible, and there are few better places to demonstrate this than at Hazel Grove.” MP Mr Stunell said: “I very much welcome the plans for a park-andride scheme in Hazel Grove and I’m pleased these long-standing proposals are moving forward.” can undermine road safety, fair competition and working conditions and thus damage the industry. Better trained and better informed control officers should take the burden away from law abiding operators. Remote communication from tachographs when fraudulent devices are detected will strengthen targeted enforcement but without ever leading to automatic penalties.”

www.coachandbusweek.com

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455

news › BUSeS

Number of car parking spaces Stagecoach hopes to create at its planned Hazel Grove P&R site

briefly Stagecoach Yorkshire’s new ticket offer for Nightrider services in Sheffield with fares on the N52 reduced from £2.50 to a flat fare of £2 throughout June. The late-night service, which has been in operation since November 2011, serves Sheffield city centre to Woodhouse and Hillsborough on Fridays and Saturdays. Buses run at regular 30-minute intervals from midnight to 0400hrs towards Hillsborough and 0445 towards Woodhouse. Rupert Cox, Stagecoach Yorkshire Commercial Director, said: “Following customer feedback, we have decided to lower our flat fare for the N52 during June in a bid to support our customers through the tough economic climate.” Salisbury Reds, part of GoAhead Group subsidiary Wilts & Dorset, has launched its new website. The operator has done away with PDF timetables, instead opting for easy-to-use pages with all the relevant information which don’t require any downloading. The timetable pages also include maps and the latest news. Customers can now receive route-specific news and updates by registering for news alerts and selecting particular services. There is also a ‘Things to do’ page and a town index, packed with ideas for places to visit and local services. Visit www. salisburyreds.co.uk The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) criticised Treasury ministers for failing to be clear on how they fulfilled their equality duties when they cut funding for buses in the 2010 spending review. The EHRC found that although the DfT produced some good information on the impacts of the cuts to Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), Treasury ministers made the final decision without the full information of the impact on those with disabilities. The Commission’s report called for greater transparency in future reviews, the development of a common model of analysis to predict the likely equality effects of policy and earlier use of the equality duties to ensure better targeting of funds and greater value for money. www.coachandbusweek.com

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The right Mix for London United Introducing MiX Telematics has helped reduce personal injury claims by 21% for RATP-owned operator Recently announced figures demonstrate the collaborative programme of risk reduction developed by bus operator RATP and MiX Telematics has been a major contributor to a significantly improved safety record, with the personal injury claim rate against RATP London United reduced by 21% compared to its standing prior to the introduction of the programme three years ago. MiX Telematics assisted the RATPowned operator in implementing a risk reduction scheme based on in-vehicle monitoring and targeted driver training designed to improve the behaviour of the firm’s drivers behind the wheel. “In the immediate programme post-launch period, we were encouraged to see personal injury claims reduce by 14%,” explained Owen Kirchin, Drive Well Coordinator for RATP London United. “Since then, we have been delighted at the manner in which the figure has continued to improve, as every personal injury claim has potentially significant consequences for the company.” The first MiX Telematics fleet management system was introduced into the RATP London United fleet, then known as Transdev in August 2009. The

Arriva Midlands opens new Telford depot

Arriva Midlands’ new Telford Depot was officially opened by David Wright MP on May 25, replacing the historic ex-Midland Red Wellington Garage. The 2.5-acre site, an investment worth over £400,000, houses its operations and engineering teams,

initial roll-out was for 147 units into the company’s Shepherd’s Bush garage fleet. In addition to a reduction in personal injury claims, the company also succeeded in achieving a 10% improvement in fuel efficiency, a figure which has been sustained over the longer term due to a driver training programme developed in conjunction with data gathered from its fleet management system. As an extra aid to drivers, London United uses MiX Telematics’ RIBAS display, which has contributed to a reduction of 30% in harsh acceleration and an 11% reduction in harsh braking. The London United risk

A London United Scania OmniCity passes Hounslow West Tube Station while working TfL route 111 with a total of 168 employees and 63 buses. The operator has invested in a heat recovery ventilation system which provides intelligent heating. It uses a low energy heat exchanger to replace stale damp air with fresh, filtered and, depending on outside temperatures, warmed air, resulting in improved distribution of clean air and climate control. In addition to this the company claims the engineering workshops provide a much improved working environment for employees. Later this year the new ATF Centre will be up and running to

reduction programme is based upon a combination of hardware, software and professional services, all of which are provided by MiX Telematics. In terms of hardware, RATP uses MiX Telematics’ Fleet Manager on-board computer and the optional in-cab RIBAS display unit. RIBAS provides instant driving-style feedback via a dashboard-mounted array of five LEDs which illuminate whenever the driver exceeds a pre-programmed vehicle parameter. Each LED is positioned alongside its corresponding letter, where: R = over Revving I = excessive Idling B = harsh Braking A = harsh Acceleration S = over Speeding The hardware is backed by MiX Telematics’ FM-Web reporting software, which delivers bespoke reports directly to the fleet manager and can be accessed from any internet-enabled computer. Together with this, MiX Telematics provides an on-going consultancy service to RATP. This focuses on a number of core elements, including performance measurement, realtime feedback, post-trip review and training and incentivising change to ensure maximum use is made of the system and that its full potential is realised. For more information, visit www.mixtelematics.co.uk

provide third party MOT vehicle testing, steam cleaning and vehicle washing. Bob Hind, Managing Director of Arriva Midlands, said: “The bespoke layout and design of the new site satisfies operational needs, reduces carbon footprint and provides greater cost efficiency to accommodate the business in the 21st century. The new site gives us the opportunity to grow the business by developing our core commercial services, competitive tendering, acquisitions, and diversity. This is a great time for us to be moving up a gear.”

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9.4% £400m

June 6, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 7

Amount which crime fell by on London buses in 2011

Approximate level of annual bus subsidy in London according to Peter Hendy

Eclipse buses carry 100,000th passenger

Eclipse network, what we have been particularly pleased with is the additional 23% growth we’ve seen on the corridor as a whole. This means instead of just attracting customers from other bus routes in the area, the Eclipse BRT network has, it seems, encouraged more people to use our services as well. “Overall we are pleased with how it is going so far and we hope the trend continues.” Councillor Mel Kendal, Executive Member for Environment and Transport at Hampshire County Council, said: “As more and more people begin to realise the benefits of travelling by Eclipse, we should

Less than a month after buses started running on the new Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit network in Gosport and Fareham, ticket machine data has shown more than 100,000 people have travelled on the new routes. The 100,000th passenger travelled on the bus on Thursday May 17. Data from First Hampshire and Dorset suggests there has been an overall increase in bus use in the area, with some people making the move from car to bus for travel between the two towns. Matthew Kitchin, General Manager of First Hampshire and Dorset, said: “In the first few weeks we saw a massive increase in bus use when compared to the passenger loading data from services 82 and 86, the routes which previously operated in the area. “While we had expected that to a large extent, as people swapped from conventional services to use the vehicles operating on the

start to see congestion on the A32 reducing. Assuming this momentum can be maintained, the case for attracting Government funding for future phases of the bus rapid transit network will be a strong one.” While the 100,000th passenger boarded Eclipse without any on board celebration, First has plans to mark the millionth customer when they travel later this year, rewarding the lucky person with free travel and a special commemorative certificate. Details: www.eclispebus. co.uk or visit www. firstgroup.com/hampshire

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Industry share prices at the close of the Stock Exchange on Thursday, May 31. Rotala saw the greatest proportional rise while Optare experienced the biggest proportional drop. Most figures obtained from www.iii.co.uk

272.95p

Price: Year High: 334.80p Year Low: 241.00p

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The Wright-bodied Volvo buses benefit from a distinctive livery and brand

Electric Optare Solo SRs on trial

Two electric Optare Solo SRs are being trialled on a route between Dorchester and the ‘model village’ of Poundbury. Funded by the Duchy of Cornwall, West Dorset District Council and Dorset County Council, the buses are expected to embark on passenger carrying service duties in the coming weeks. This is the first time the SR model has been powered by electricity and features the Enova P120, zero emission, full electric drive system which Optare says has been selected for its “optimised application in smaller vehicles”. The motor power is 120kW with a torque rating of 650Nm and there are 56 maintenance-free, lithium iron magnesium phosphate batteries housed in two separate packs which are assembled in parallel. The 100kWh battery pack

SHARE WATCH

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67.00p

This is the first time the SR model has been powered by electricity is expected to give an operating range of around 90 miles on a single charge. Charging is via a water-cooled 15.2 kW on-board charger which reaches full capacity in around six hours. The charging process is fully automated and the unit shuts all systems down at the end of the cycle enabling the vehicle to be left unattended.

The 8.9m Solo SR’s are fitted with 28 leather trimmed, Esteban Civic V3 seats, incorporating integral headrests. Mobitec LED destination and route number equipment is fitted together with an ACIS passenger information system. Further information will be given about the vehicles and the service at the official public launch planned for early July.

Price: Year High: 96.91p Year Low: 62.34p

17.50p

Price: Year High: 20.00p Year Low: 10.25p

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FTSE 100

5,316

Index: Year High: 6,104 Year Low: 4,791

-40

on last week

www.coachandbusweek.com

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8 | COACH & BUS WEEK | June 6, 2012

news › coaches

“Anyone can provide compliance training geared purely to comply with regulation. We want to return a value back into business.” Jason Vallint AA Drivetech

briefly Work along the A66 at Scotch Corner in North Yorkshire is due to get underway this week. A section of the westbound carriageway, as well as the roundabout with the A1, is being resurfaced in a £1.8m project which starts on June 6. The work, which is due to be completed by July 25, involves: resurfacing all lanes at the Scotch Corner roundabout, replacement of bridge joints at the Scotch Corner interchange and resurfacing five miles of the westbound carriageway of the A66 between Sedbury and Blackhill. Work will be carried out in two phases with repairs at the Scotch Corner Interchange taking place until July 1. All work during this phase will be done overnight between 2000 and 0600hrs. Lane and slip closures around the interchange will be taking place during the overnight works. A second phase of the project, with work taking place around the clock, will begin on July 2 and involves a contraflow between Sedbury and Blackhill and closure of some access points from local roads with clearly-signed diversions in place. Resurfacing work for five sections of the A69 is set to begin June 11. The overnight works take place from 1900 to 0700hrs. Temporary traffic lights will be in place and when required a convoy system will be used. There is a 40mph speed limit in place with a 10mph speed limit employed when the convoy system is in place. The resurfacing scheme also involves the overnight closure of the Lemington eastbound offslip at Lemington Roundabout, Newcastle and the A69 Stagshaw eastbound on-slip at Corbridge, Northumberland. A 50mph speed limit will be in place on the main A69 carriageway while works are underway on the slip roads. At Lemington a clearly-signed diversion will see traffic sent via the A69 eastwards to the A1/A69 roundabout returning to Lemington along the A69 westbound lane. At Corbridge motorists will be diverted along the A69 westwards to Bridge End roundabout at Hexham and along the A69 in the eastbound lane. The work is due to be completed on Friday July 20. www.coachandbusweek.com

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Supplier Profile p24

Kathy excels on TV Excelsior Coaches MD Kathy Tilbury to star in a BBC documentary Kathy Tilbury, MD of awardwinning Bournemouth-based coach operator Excelsior Coaches, will appear in a BBC documentary this autumn titled ‘Women at the top’. The programme focuses on the employment of women of a childbaring age and the effect maternity laws and legislation and maternity pay and time off has on small and medium businesses. Hilary Devey, famous for being one of the dragons on television programme Dragon’s Den, also

features in the documentary. Kathy told CBW: “This will definitely be good exposure for Excelsior Coaches. We spent the day filming onboard the coach and captured shots of the vehicle out on the road as well. “Working with the BBC on a topic and documentary as important as this, which most businesses will have a common interest in will most definitely be viewed by many people.” Commenting on the significance of the programme content, Kathy said: “This topic is hugely important – women play an important role within businesses and some of the most successful people in business

ROSCO’s John Miller (left) presents the inaugural ROSCO Award for Innovation in Road Safety to Kathy Tilbury at the UK Coach Awards 2012

are female. This topic will generate a lot of interest and get people talking from all industries.” About working with Hilary Davey, Kathy added: “It was an absolute privilege to meet Hilary Devey, a woman who is so successful in business. I am sure she has come up against the same sort of issues I have faced myself working in a predominately maledominated industry. “It was great being interviewed by her and the experience of the day as a hole was incredible.” ‘Women at the top’ is due to air this autumn on BBC2 at prime time. News of the documentary is the latest success for the operator, which recently managed to scoop three awards at the UK Coach Awards 2012. Not only did the firm win Top Medium Fleet Operator (16-50 vehicles), but it was also crowned Runner up UK Coach Operator of the Year. Furthermore, Excelsior won the ROSCO (Road Operators Safety Council) Award for Innovation in Road Safety, which recognised the company’s support of the Under 17s Car Club. The latter enables under age drivers to practice driving skills legally and safely under supervised conditions. Call Excelsior Coaches on 01202 652222. Visit www. excelsior-coaches.com

Epsom Coaches join the Rotary Club Epsom Coaches joined Epsom Rotary Club as its first corporate member on May 28, continuing a long-standing relationship between the two organisations. The late Roy Richmond MBE, the previous Chairman of Epsom Coaches, was a former President of the Rotary Club. Mr Richmond’s widow Nancy was a guest on the day. MD Steve Whiteway said: “We are delighted to become a corporate member of Epsom Rotary Club and continue to be involved with

Representatives from both Epsom Coaches and Epsom Rotary Club celebrate the occasion on May 28 its activities. The relationship will be of benefit to both organisations. Epsom Rotary Club has pioneered corporate membership in the UK

as Epsom Coaches are believed to be the first company to become a corporate member of Rotary in the whole of the country.”

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June 6, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 9

South West Coaches adopts TomTom South West Coaches is adopting a state-of-the-art fleet management system after looking to reduce fuel costs and improve driver efficiency. The operator is using TomTom Business Solutions’ tracking and Remote LINK Working Time system to better manage its vehicles and boost its green credentials. “We invested in the TomTom system having been convinced it could cut our fuel consumption and help monitor and improve driver behaviour,” said Peter Fairey, South West Coaches’ Operations Director. “We’re impressed by the support we’ve received from TomTom’s local partner, Fleetview Solutions and look forward to working closely with them in the months ahead.”

Late used Volvo 9700 for Catteralls

A South West Coaches Caetano midi coach is pictured in Brighton Giles Margerison, TomTom Business Solutions’ Director, added: “We are delighted such a long standing firm has recognised the gains our technology can deliver.” The Remote LINK Working Time device identifies the driver and enables employees to register working times while out on the road, producing a real-time record, reducing admin and costs.

TomTom Business Solutions specialises in fleet management and professional telematics services. Its online platform, WEBFLEET, is highly scalable and incorporates high reliability and security standards.

For further details, visit www.tomtom.com/business or Twitter @TomTomCorporate

Catteralls of Southam has boosted its fleet with the addition of a late used Volvo 9700. Acquired from Moseley PCV, the two-year-old coach was new to LL Travel. It replaced a 2001 Noge, which was new to Catteralls. As profiled in CBW1036, it operates a fleet dominated by Volvo and MAN. Matthew Catterall told CBW: “We’re very pleased with the 9700. It’s a bit of a step out of the norm for us – higher spec than we would normally go for. It’s a low-mileage Euro 4 vehicle which means it can tour Europe unimpeded. It’s performing well so far.” Visit Catteralls website at www.travelcatteralls. co.uk and Moseley PCV at www. moseleycoachsales.co.uk

Bus and coach ƃQDQFH up to 100% LTV.

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10 | COACH & BUS WEEK | June 6, 2012

news › heritage

‘Classic’ vehicles to be MOT exempt Vehicles manufactured before 1960 will be exempted from the MoT test from November 18 2012 Classic vehicles will be exempted from the MoT test, Roads Minister Mike Penning has announced. Penning said classic and historic vehicles are often well maintained by their owners and have a much lower accident and MoT failure rate than newer vehicles. The current requirement to undergo an MoT test goes over and above the obligations set out in

European legislation. Following a public consultation which showed high levels of support for the proposals, vehicles manufactured before 1960 will be exempted from the MoT test from November 18 2012, reducing costs for owners. Owners of affected vehicles can take exempt vehicles for an MoT test on a voluntary basis. The Government plans see vehicles of historic interest (vehicles manufactured prior to January 1 1960) exempted from the statutory MoT test, as allowed under Article 4(2) of the EU

Lodge’s Bedford OB (left) will play a starring role at the event

Lodge’s Bedford OB returns to limelight at film gala Exactly 60 years after it was filmed, the evergreen Ealing comedy The Titfield Thunderbolt is coming to life on the North Norfolk Railway. Billed as the most faithful recreation of the film ever staged, Titfield Thunderbolt Live! promises to be a hugely entertaining tribute to English eccentricity. Starring a 129-years-old carriage – sister to the one which played Mr Valentine’s (Stanley Holloway’s) bar car in the film – the event plays out famous scenes, including the ‘Inquiry Special’ competition with the Bedford OB of the villainous Pearce & Crump. In the film, the latter was the bus service which rivalled the railway. The Bedford OB for Pearce and Crump will be one of the pair operated by Chelmsfordbased Lodge’s Coaches - ‘TMY 700’, the one with the conventional fully

enclosed sides. The bar car will be hauled by the doughty black tank engine, with an antiquated wooden brake van exactly as in the film. The steamroller driven by Sid James will also be on hand. Holt Station will become Titfield, and Sheringham the branch line terminus at Mallingford. The film opened with a dramatic shot of a streamlined mainline engine thundering over a bridge on the branch line – echoing that, a former Southern Railway streamliner named Tangmere will be bringing a charter train over the level crossing at Sheringham (sorry, Mallingford) on the Saturday at about 1415hrs. Visit the North Norfolk Railway website at www. nnrailway.co.uk.

Directive 2009/40/EC and bring the age of vehicles requiring the statutory MoT test in line with The Goods Vehicles (Plating and Testing) Regulations 1988. Mike Penning said: “We are committed to cutting red tape which costs motorists money without providing significant overall benefits. Owners of classic cars and motorbikes tend to be enthusiasts who maintain their vehicles well – they don’t need to be told to look after them, they’re out there in all weathers checking the condition of the engine, tyres and

Heritage era debuts at Barry Festival of Transport This Sunday’s Barry Festival of Transport will see the heritage era public debut of newly restored ex Caerphilly Massey-bodied Leyland Titan PD3. It will be a special entrant along with around 200 other vehicles at the free Barry Festival of Transport on Sunday June 10 which takes place at the Waterfront on Hood Road and the former National Welsh bus depot in Barry. The Festival of Transport at Barry will see this newly restored bus, also known as Caerphilly 32 or GNY432C beside others at the bus depot, in various stages of

bodywork. “Owners of classic vehicles will still be legally required to ensure they are safe and in a proper condition but scrapping the MoT test for these vehicles will save motorists money.” The start date of 1960 means some Routemasters are exempt while others are not. However, it could be argued there has to be a cut off, which will inevitably lead to apparent inconsistencies. Visit the DfT website at www.dft.gov.uk

restoration. This includes a 61-yearold Caerphilly bus, number 3, and two former Western Welsh buses, one Barry double decker built 56 years ago and single decker built 65 years ago. The Barry Tourist Railway is running and a new book launched at the Bus Depot about the history of Western Welsh titled ‘Red, Cream and a touch of Grey’ by Colin Scott. Mike Taylor of the Cardiff Transport Preservation Group said: “We are keen to get heritage valley buses restored so people can ride on them. This year will see our first green and cream Caerphilly bus on show and our unique Bedwas and Machen double decker - the last low-bridge bus built, 43 years ago.” The Barry Festival of Transport is free and will be open 1000 to 1700hrs on Sunday June 10. Visit www.ctpg. co.uk

Free rides are planned on Sunday June 10 the CTPG’s 43-year old blue and cream Pontypridd bus, restored only last year

www.coachandbusweek.com

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June 6, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 11

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12 | COACH & BUS WEEK | June 6, 2012

news › international

Proposals to double ridership Group will focus on group coach travel, local buses, long-distance coach services and taxis EUROPE The International Road Transport Union (IRU), in co-operation with the European Commission, launched the PublicPrivate Smart Move High Level Group (HLG) last week. The group aims to double the number of users of passenger transport by bus, coach and taxis in the EU within the next 10 years by attracting users out of private cars, as advocated by the Smart Move campaign. The Smart Move HLG is composed of representatives from EU institutions, including the European Commission, Members of the European Parliament, and private businesses, representative associations and other sectoral stakeholders from civil society. It will focus its work on three main issues: intercity long distance regular services, group coach tourism, and urban transport and commuting, including scheduled bus services and taxis. Each issue will be analysed from its legal, fiscal,

social and customer aspects, with a focus on safety and sustainability, and in particular users’ needs. Yves Mannaerts, IRU Vice President and Member of the HLG, said: “We are extremely satisfied that this industry proposal is now supported by the European Commission, leading MEPs, and

Yves Mannaerts, IRU Vice President and Member of the HLG

partners from civil society. Our objective is to propose to European citizens, politicians and businesses an ambitious and pragmatic road map on how to make collective passenger transport by road the preferred choice of European citizens, and to reach the Smart Move objective to double the number of bus and coach users in the next 10 years. This will be a concrete contribution to the follow up of the EU Transport White Paper and the implementation of the EU 2020 Growth Agenda priorities, at the lowest costs to society.” The HLG is expected to produce: Policy and business recommendations on doubling the number of users of collective passenger transport by bus, coach and taxis; An Action Plan with recommended deadlines for the period 2013/2015-2030; and An Internet-based, publicly available and renewable compilation of policy and business best practices. A dedicated Internet page will be opened on the Smart Move website www. busandcoach.travel to allow all interested European citizens and stakeholders to follow the work of the Smart Move High Level Group and provide additional input to the debate.

Fuel-cell buses go into regular service in Switzerland

SWITZERLAND PostAuto Schweiz AG has become the first operator in Switzerland to deploy fuelcell hybrid technology for public transport. Since the end of 2011, five Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid models have been serving on routes in and around Brugg as PostAuto vehicles. Over the next five years, PostAuto will test the fuel-cell drive, using clean hydrogen as fuel. The routes operated by PostAuto around Brugg are ideally suited to the test with varied topography and a mixture of city traffic, country roads and village www.coachandbusweek.com

NewsIntl.indd 12

Roman Biondi, of Mercedes-Benz buses and coaches at EvoBus GmbH, presents the fifth Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid to Daniel Landolf, Head of PostAuto streets. The routes are operated by a subsidiary of PostAuto, VoegtlinMeyer AG, which also service and refuel the five fuel-cell post

vehicles at its garage location. Aargau Canton is supporting the fuel-cell bus project with a subsidy of 1.5 million Swiss francs from the Swisslos lottery fund. PostAuto

Doubledeckers return to Baghdad IRAQ A common sight before the 2003 invasion, Baghdad’s red double-deckers had all but disappeared, most either stolen or fallen into disrepair as Iraq struggled with the ensuing violence. More than 300 old buses have been dumped in a north Baghdad scrapyard. Iraq’s Transport Ministry says 60 new double-decker buses will enter service on state-run routes. The company manufacturing the buses, Jordan-based Elba House, first made its name constructing pre-fabricated buildings, but since 1992 has also built a variety of vehicles. The air conditioned Twin Star buses cost $205,000 each, have 77 seats and are equipped with cameras to allow the driver to monitor both floors of the interior. A conductor will be present to search each passenger getting on the bus. The Iraqi government has ambitious plans for major projects from a high-speed train to a metro line, but these have been met with public scepticism. expects to save around 2000 tonnes of CO2 during the test phase. Compared with the fuel-cell buses tested from 2003 as part of the CUTE and HyFLEET:CUTE projects, the Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid offers hybridisation with energy recovery and storage in lithium-ion batteries, powerful electric motors fitted in the wheel hubs with a continuous output of 120 kW, electrified PTO units and also more advanced fuel cells. These cells have an extended service life of at least five years, or 12,000 operating hours, with an operating range over 250km. As in the earlier fuel-cell buses, the two fuel-cell stacks are installed on the roof of the vehicle. A new addition is lithium-ion batteries, which store energy which is recovered during vehicle braking. With the electric power from this energy accumulator, the new Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid is able to run for a number of kilometres on battery power alone.

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551960-1031-Michelin

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MICHELIN Q&A

Ask the Michelin Man What is grip? If there was no such thing as grip, vehicles would not be able to move at all. The wheels would spin and the driver would not be able to move the vehicle. Even on a straight road and at steady speed, there is no alternative to grip. This is because a moving vehicle has to deal with natural forces, such as the camber, the slope or unevenness of the road, or rolling resistance, which are all constantly trying to slow the vehicle down or push it off its path. However, it is only during cornering or braking that a driver or passenger is really aware of grip, because the vehicle has to be steered or speed has to be reduced without skidding, even on a wet road. In all circumstances, grip and safety go together. As the only contact point between the vehicle and the road, the tyre has two fundamental functions. It gives the vehicle its directional stability, which the driver needs to steer it. The tyre also acts as a transmission component for brake and drive torque.

Does Michelin invest in eco-friendly (or biodiversity) projects and if so what are you doing in the UK? Globally, Michelin does indeed invest in such projects. Since 2001, when the Group formalised its traditional values in a corporate responsibility initiative (PRM), Michelin has continued its commitment to the environment by not only producing fuel-ef9icient tyres, but by reducing the environmental footprint of production sites and developing new ways to recover and reuse end-of-life tyres. As an integral part of Company action plans, eco-friendly projects are ongoing globally. Here in the UK, for instance, our Dundee plant in 2006 was the 9irst Michelin factory in the world to embrace wind energy with two wind turbine generators. In addition, our Northern Ireland factory is working on a similar project and hopes to become the 9irst commercial organisation in the Ballymena area to have wind power as an on-site renewable energy source.

How can I ensure that I get the most from my tyres? To get the best in terms of value for money and reliability from your tyres you should consider the following: • Have a written tyre policy and review it regularly • Choose the most suitable tyre for your type of operation • Ensure that you know the correct tyre pressures for each vehicle • Check the pressures of tyres on new vehicles before they go into service • Check your tyre pressures regularly • Regroove tyres • Remould your tyres once the regrooved tyre has worn to approximately 2 – 3mm remaining tread depth pattern • Ensure that your tyre policy is adhered to throughout the 9leet and on new vehicles Visit Michelin UK website or call the technical helpline for more speci9ic information relating to your application.

0845 366 1535 www.michelin.co.uk/atmm


14 | COACH & BUS WEEK | June 6, 2012

news › REGIONAL

NORTH

Wigton-based Reays is creating 20 jobs by making what the company has described as a “significant investment” by introducing new routes in the Lake District. The number 55 Lakes Hopper began service on June 4 and runs seven days a week from Keswick through to Bowness and back. As of July 3, Reays will also start running new early morning bus services from Carlisle to Penrith and from Penrith to Keswick to link in with its extended Lakes Hopper summer timetable, with return trips in the evening from Keswick to Penrith and Carlisle. The Lakes Hopper-branded buses will run year-round from Keswick to Bowness via Grasmere, Ambleside and Windermere, largely following the A591. Operating between Keswick Bus Station and Bowness Pier, the 55 service will also call at Windermere Railway Station, Troutbeck Bridge, the Waterhead Hotel and Rydal Church among other stops. Buses initially started at 0839 on June 4 and run regularly through to 1523, until the service is extended to a summer timetable from July 3 to include an earlier start at 0753 and a later finish at 1839hrs. The service will operate a winter timetable after November 4 through to next summer. New once-a-morning support routes from Carlisle to Penrith (R104 service) and Penrith to Keswick (R50 service) will also run during the summer timetable, with one-off return journeys in the evening following the same trip back to Carlisle via Penrith. Managing director Chris Reay said: “Our City Hopper service has been a tremendous success in Carlisle, where we are now carrying more than 25,000 passengers a week. So we are now looking to move into the heart of the Lake District by providing a new, quality bus service.” Reays will be competing directly with Stagecoach on its 555 and 499 routes. Andy Horn, Operations Manager for Reays’ bus division, told CBW: “We find competition to be healthy for both the passenger and employment in the area. Plus it helps keep fares down. “We can provide a local alternative to a larger operator, while investing in people and in the company.” A spokesman for Stagecoach told CBW: “We don’t have any problem with competition from other operators.” www.coachandbusweek.com

RegionalNews.indd 14

signs to emphasise the 20mph speed limit and extra training for disabled and visually impaired people. Robinson will make his first appearance before Coventry Magistrates Court next month.

KEY

SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND REP OF IRELAND NORTH WALES MIDLANDS EAST LONDON SOUTH EAST SOUTH WEST

WALES

Changes are being made to First Cymru’s bus network in South and West Wales from the beginning of June as the company takes steps improve the punctuality and reliability of its services and also better allocate its resources with demand. To coincide with the changes, First is also reintroducing its open top bus service, between Swansea and the Gower, for the summer period. The company is also restoring, from Llanelli, a direct link to Parc Trostre, Parc Pemberton and Morfa, following the reopening of the Piano Bridge to heavy traffic. The move is expected to be popular with shoppers in the area. Kevin Hart, General Manager for First in South and West Wales, said: “While we understand some customers may be concerned about these changes they are necessary as the company tries to balance the costs of operating its buses with the revenue taken on board them.”

MIDLANDS

Stagecoach driver Craig Robinson has been charged with causing death by driving without due care and attention following the death of a pensioner who was knocked down on a controversial shared space junction. Robinson was behind the wheel of the single-decker bus when it struck 71-year-old David Thompson in Coventry city centre

EAST

on January 10. Thompson, who was partially sighted, had been crossing the road when the crash happened at about 1225hrs. The OAP suffered a shattered pelvis, broken leg, broken arm and dislocated shoulder. He died in hospital after spending a month in the critical care unit. West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service confirmed Robinson had been charged with one count of causing death by driving without due care and attention. Graham Hubbard, sector crown prosecutor from the CPS, said: “Following a fatal road traffic accident which occurred on January 10, 2012 on Hales Street, Coventry, which resulted in the death of David Thompson, I have advised officers that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to charge Craig Robinson, aged 44, with one count of causing death by driving without due care and attention.” Traffic lights were removed from the junction in November last year to create a new style of crossing in the city centre, designed to make the roads safer. Since the incident Coventry City Council highways officers have insisted the ‘shared spaces’ are safe but in March agreed to carry out a review and make changes to improve safety around the junctions. These changes included flashing

Anglian Bus and First have revamped six bus service links across Lowestoft to help curb traffic congestion and promote greener travel. Anglian Bus is providing an extension of the 601 to allow a 30 minute service to Kessingland Beach, Lowestoft College, Tesco, Pleasurewood Hills and Gunton Hall. Meanwhile, First has enhanced five routes, including a 30 minute daytime service and an hourly service on evenings and Sundays for the 102; an hourly service during the evenings and Sundays for the 103; a 30 minute service between Monday and Saturday for the 104; a 20 minute daytime service, and an hourly service on evenings and weekends for the 105; and an hourly daytime service Monday to Saturday for the 106. The improvements are part of the second stage of the £6.25m Lowestoft Links project, which aims to boost travel options, improve people’s health and reduce traffic congestion over the next three years. The project, funded by the government and local councils, will also see the construction of a new pedestrian and cycle bridge at Lake Lothing and renovation of the forecourt at the train station. First and Anglian Bus have been subsidised by the DfT’s Local Sustainable Transport fund in order to deliver the enhanced service. Steve Wickers, Regional Commercial Director for First, said: “This project is just one part of an ongoing regeneration project. It is one way of encouraging people to use buses and to make sure there is a good network coverage across the Lowestoft area.” Andrew Pursey, Managing Director of Anglian Bus, said he was confident the services would continue once the subsidies stop in three year’s time. English Heritage says the development of Northampton’s controversial new bus station would “significantly harm” the town, the Northampton Chronicle reported. The group is a powerful voice and comes after fears have been expressed that the new station,

31/05/2012 11:22


which would be built on the site of the Fishmarket, would be too small to cope with the thousands of people who would use it every day. While English Heritage agrees it would be better for the town to lose the current Greyfriars building, which it described as “one of the acknowledged mistakes of the redevelopment of the town in the 20th century”, it has questioned whether the current car park close to the Crown Court in The Mounts would be a better location for a replacement bus station. The group also argued the Fishmarket building contributed to the history of Northampton as such buildings are rare “outside maritime towns and cities”.

SOUTH EAST

Passengers in Brighton are taking part in a consultation launched by Brighton & Hove City Council on proposals designed to significantly reduce the number of buses serving Brighton Station. The consultation, launched May 22, includes three options to change the road layout at the northern end of Queens Road. Each option seeks to provide more space for pedestrians. Option 1 includes modest changes to the current arrangements but Options 2 and 3 would have a much greater impact on buses. Roger French, Managing Director of Brighton & Hove, said: “I am

One of Bluestar’s double decker buses, an East Lancs-bodied Volvo B7, is to have a patchwork woolly jumper knitted to raise funds for Lymington’s Oakhaven Hospice. The charity is asking supporters and the public to knit a 6 inch (15 cm) square of any colour and design in a bid to cover the Bluestar bus once over 1200 have been stitched together. The bus and driver, complete with bus shawl, are set to appear in the Lymington Carnival Saturday July 14 from 1800hrs. Pictured here are Bluestar’s Gary Nicholls and Stacey Tucker with Oakhaven’s Events Manager Gemma Sinden. Gemma said the response from the area’s knitters has been fantastic: “We estimate the number of knitted squares sent to us so far will already cover one third of the bus. We have asked for a minimum sponsorship of £15 per square and thank everyone who has given generously so far.”

June 6, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 15

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 would like us to cover, contact James Day at james.day@rouncymedia.co.uk.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

surprised that with the constant calls for greater integration between buses and trains, plans have been drawn up which would see a significant reduction in space available for buses at Brighton Station leading to a loss of service”. Brighton & Hove claims proposed options 2 and 3 would mean there will no longer be room for buses on several routes which serve the station and would instead have to be diverted to terminate at the Clock Tower or Palmeira Square. It would also stifle any further growth in bus and train integration. Bus routes from the station affected include: n Route 12 peak hour journeys to the Coast Road, Rottingdean, Saltdean and Peacehaven; n Route 14 to and from Hangleton and the Coast Road and Peacehaven; n Route 22 evening peak hour period to Woodingdean; n Route 37 to and from Bristol Estate; n Route 48 to Lewes Road and Lower Bevendean; and n Route 50 to Ditchling Road and Hollingdean as well as Homelees House, Dyke Road. Bus passengers are encouraged to complete the City Council’s online questionnaire and show support for Option 1A or 1B to ensure buses are not excluded from Brighton Station. The closing date for responses is Friday June 15.

2012 n June 5 – 7 Transports Publics 2012. The European Mobility Exhibition, Paris. www.transportspublics-expo.com n June 10 Barry Festival of Transport. Organised by Cardiff Transport Preservation Group, Barry, South Wales. postmaster@-ctpg. co.uk. www.ctpg.co.uk n June 19-21 ATCO Summer Conference. Jury’s Inn Hotel, Birmingham. www.atco.org.uk n June 22 CILT Wales National Transport Awards lunch. Cardiff City Hall. 01446 451227. www.ciltuk. org.uk/pages/regions/wales n June 22-24 Titfield Thunderbolt Weekend. A celebration of the 60th anniversary of the filming of the famous Ealing Studios comedy film ‘The Titfield Thunderbolt’. North Norfolk Railway, Sheringham,
Norfolk. 01263 820800.

www.nnrailway.co.uk

n June 24 Hollycombe Bus & Coach Rally. Hollycombe Working Steam Museum
Iron Hill, Liphook, Hampshire. 01428 724900. www.

hollycombe.co.uk

n July 1 Reading Transport Great Knollys Street Open Day. 11 – 1600hrs. 0118 959 4000. www.reading-buses.co.uk n July 15 Alton Bus Rally & Running Day. Mid Hants Railway, Alton, Hampshire. www.watercressline.co.uk n July 16-18 TPM. The tenth annual conference of the Transport Practitioners Meeting (TPM) will be held at the John Moores University, Liverpool www.ciltuk.org n August 3-5 Bedford OB GetTogether. South Cerney Airfield, Cirencester, GL7 5QB. Contact the organiser Tim Wootton by email on tim@tjcs.freeserve.co.uk. Visit http://www.bedfordob.com/

Bluestar’s Customer Support Officer Gary Nicholls said: “We think some of our more creative customers could even do some knitting while on their bus journey. I’m sure they can’t wait to help drape the finished woolly jumper over the bus. It will be an unusual task for our engineering team!” Anyone wishing to support the Woolly Bus Appeal, and assist with the final stitching, can visit www. oakhavenhospice.co.uk or contact Gemma Sinden on 01590 613038.

n August 27 The National Association of Road Transport Museums gala day. The Transport Museum, Wythall, near Birmingham.

www.wythall.org.uk

n September 6 Association of Trainers AGM. Steele Road, Wembley Julia@asot.org.uk 01797 344251 n September 8-9 UK Bus Driver of the Year, Blackpool. Call competition secretary Bill Holmes on 01303 251462. www.bdoy.co.uk

The popular national bus and coach gathering Showbus will be held at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, Cambridgeshire, on September 16 this year. Pictured here are two vehicles from the Ensign Bus fleet at 2011’s event n Sept 9 Amberley Bus Show. Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre, West Sussex. www.amberleymuseum.co.uk n September 16 Showbus. Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire. www.showbus.com n September 20-27 IAA Commercial Vehicles. Hannover. +(00)49 30897842. www.iaa.de n October 14 Midland Red Centenary of the Reintroduction of Motorbuses. The Transport Museum, Wythall, near Birmingham. www.wythall.org.uk n October 18 CILT Annual Awards for Excellence Dinner. London. 01536 740104. www.ciltuk.org.uk n October 21 The Very Best of London Buses. Brooklands, Surrey. Featuring 50 years of Routemaster buses. London Bus Museum. www.londonbusmuseum.com n November 6-8 Euro Bus Expo. NEC, Birmingham. 01926 834790. www.eurobusxpo.com n November 20 UK Bus Awards London Hilton Park Lane. www.ukbusawards.org.uk

2013 n Jan 1 New Year’s Holiday Open Day. Oxford Bus Museum. www.oxfordbusmuseum.org.uk n March 20-21 UK Bus Awards Annual Conference. Venue to be confirmed, but will be in Central London. www.ukbusawards.org.uk n May 26-30 UITP Congress & Exhibition Palexpo, Geneva. www.uitp.org. +(00)32 2673 610

Do you have an event to promote? Send details to gareth.evans@rouncymedia.co.uk www.coachandbusweek.com

RegionalNews.indd 15

31/05/2012 11:22


16 | COACH & BUS WEEK | June 6, 2012

DELIVERIES

COACH SERVICES LTD Just 18 months after taking delivery of its first Wrightbus Eclipse2 bodied-Volvo B7RLE, Norfolk-based Coach Services has purchased a second example. Thomas Crawford, Operations Manager at Coach Services, said: “We think the reliability and build quality is

the best on the market and combined with the back-up we get from Volvo, it just keeps us coming back. We’re delighted with the bus and more importantly, it brings the average bus age on the Brandon – Thetford – Bury St Edmunds corridor down to two and a half years.” Established in 1947, Coach Services runs a 40-vehicle fleet, dominated by Volvo and Scania, comprising both

executive and standard coaches, plus low floor buses. The Thetford-based firm diversified into stagecarriage work when it took over the commercial operation of the route between Thetford and Bury St Edmunds. Starting with just one bus, the service now runs hourly Monday to Saturday. New routes were duly added between Brandon and Bury St Edmunds and most recently, the 200/201 Thetford, Brandon and Mildenhall.

Z&S INTERNATIONAL Z & S International has added two ADL Enviro200s to its 30-strong fleet to operate on its local routes in the Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Tring and Milton Keynes area.

FACT FILE

Chassis/body Volvo B7RLE

Wrightbus Eclipse

Engine Volvo D7E Transmission ZF 6 Seats 41 Spec GreenRoad on board Supplied by

Volvo 02476 210250 www.volvobuses.com

PARK’s OF HAMILTON Well-known Scottish operator Parks of Hamilton, has taken delivery of 10 new Plaxton Elite-bodied Volvo B9Rs. They take to 60 the number of Plaxton coaches run by Parks and follow earlier deliveries of B9Rs and of 13m- and 15m-long tri-axle Elites and Panthers. The 10 new coaches are to three different specifications with four vehicles for Parks’ private hire fleet, four for operation on Caledonian Travel holidays, and two for Glenton Tours top-quality Select holidays programme. “We get good service from the Plaxton Volvo combination,” explained Parks Director Michael Andrews. “The build quality

The family-run business has been in operation since 1983, providing coach hire and bus services across Buckinghamshire. The new Enviro200s are 10.8m models, powered by Cummins ISBe fourcylinder 160PS Euro5 engines coupled to Allison S2100

sunken WC and centre continental exit. The light construction allows the Elite to be built to a length of 12.6m on two axles, which helps reduce running costs and also maximises luggage capacity. The Volvo B9R chassis has a 380bhp 9.4-litre Volvo D9B engine which drives through the popular I-Shift 12-speed auto transmission. FACT FILE

is first-class, and we get good support from both Plaxton and Volvo. “We order coaches with various specifications for different areas of our operation. Plaxton has the flexibility to meet our needs.”

As an example of that flexibility, the coaches for the Glenton Select holidays are appointed to a particularly luxurious standard with just 46 reclining seats trimmed in nappa leather. These have a floor-level washroom at

the rear, a continental exit behind the rear axle, together with rear servery, carpet throughout the cabin floor and a sophisticated DVD entertainment system. The other eight coaches are 51-seaters with a centre

Chassis/body Volvo B9R/ Plaxton Elite Engine 380bhp 9.4-litre Volvo D9B Transmission Volvo I-Shift 12-speed auto Seats 46/51 Spec Private hire/Glenton/ Caledonian Supplied by

Plaxton Coach Sales 01909 551166 www.plaxtonlimited.co.uk

For all the latest industry news and information, register with us online at:

www.coachandbusweek.com

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Deliveries.indd 16

30/05/2012 17:46


June 6, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 17

Have you taken delivery of a new vehicle and want to tell the world about it? Email all the details and pictures to cbwinbox@ rouncymedia.co.uk

transmissions. Both have seating for 39 passengers. Commenting on the latest additions to the fleet, Umar Zaman, Director of Z & S International said: “We were looking for new buses to put on our Milton Keynes to Northampton route. After evaluating a number of options we decided the Enviro200 is the ideal vehicle. The new buses are proving popular with passengers and drivers, while also giving us reliability, fuel efficiency and lower running costs.” FACT FILE

Chassis/body ADL Enviro200 Engine Cummins ISBe 160PS

Euro5

Transmission Allison S2100 Seats 39 Spec Stagecarriage Supplied by

ADL 01483 825065 www.alexander-dennis.com

PREMIUM COACHES London-based operator Premium Coaches has taken a delivery of two new Jonckheere-bodied Volvo B9Rs. The vehicles will support Premium Coaches’ existing fleet, which already includes two Volvo B12Ms purchased in 2010. John Jamieson, Premium Coaches’ Operations Manager said: “The B12Ms we purchased in 2006 were extremely good. They’re reliable and durable, so when it came to upgrading our fleet again this year, we returned to Volvo. “We like the Jonckheerestyled bodywork, but it’s the performance and efficiency of the Volvo chassis which is the big seller for us.” He also acknowledged Volvo Bus Regional Sales

Manager, Jo Standbridge: “Jo has got great industry and product knowledge. We bought our B12Bs from her six years ago and we had the pleasure of dealing with her again on this purchase. It makes it so much easier when you deal with good people you know and trust.” Premium Coaches’ two new B9Rs feature the rearmounted D9B 9.4 litre engine,

generating 380hp. The diesel engine is connected to a Volvo I-Shift 12-speed fully automated gearbox and the result is a lightweight and versatile coach. One of the new vehicles features 55 passenger seats, whilst the other has 53, but includes a toilet and servery. Both coaches are fitted with onboard entertainment features including TV

monitors and CD/DVD player. Both of Premium Coaches’ new vehicles have been specified in metallic silver and feature a new dynamically designed purple livery across the front, back and sides of the vehicle. “It’s a pleasure dealing with Premium Tours,” said Jo Standbridge. “They appreciate good quality products and that’s exactly what we’ve provided for them with these two new B9R coaches.” FACT FILE

Chassis/body Volvo B9R Jonckheere Engine Volvo D9B 9.4 Transmission Volvo I-Shift 12 Seats 53/55 Spec Touring Supplied by

Volvo 02476 210250 www.volvobuses.com

www.coachandbusweek.com

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TECHNOLOGY › IPT

Above: The simplicity of IPT Charge is undeniable. Above right: The sunken charging point is activated only as the bus positions itself above it

IPT Charge – a workable electric bus scheme Conductix-Wampfler shows 10 years electric bus use in Turin and Genoa with IPT Charge proves it has come of age, establishing electric buses as a real alternative

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or two local public transport operators in Turin electric buses are the mode of transport for the future. With respect to the total cost of ownership over its entire service life, they claim an electric bus is far more economical to run than CNG-powered buses, hybrids or pure diesel buses. The electric drivetrain is a compelling solution due to its excellent energy balance: a recent comparison from the USA has revealed electric buses selected consumed about $9,000 worth of energy in a year, whereas a comparable diesel bus burns fuel worth some $50,000. The acquisition costs of an electric bus, which are still higher at present, pay off no later than in the fourth year of operation. In China this insight is no longer being called into question, but instead is being put into practice on a large scale – like www.coachandbusweek.com

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in growing cities such as Shenzhen. To boost the profitability of a bus fleet, however, it is not just about having the right drivetrain: you also need the right charging technology. Due to regular opportunity charging with IPT Charge, a wireless battery charging system from Conductix-Wampfler, fleet operators can buy cheaper buses with smaller batteries in which the cell chemistry is kept healthy by more-frequent, but shorter charging cycles, meaning the cells have a longer service life. With the operational concept termed opportunity charging, much less weight needs to be carried around and no special journeys to battery exchange stations are needed. This has a positive effect on the overall cost and on system efficiency - without even factoring in tax benefits, or the fact there are no emissions penalties to pay and that the maintenance costs are lower. Conductix-Wampfler has been

demonstrating for years how well inductive charging of batteries can work in the context of local public transport: there are about 30 electric buses in Genoa and Turin that have been using the company’s IPT technology since 2002. 10 years on, the Italian public transport companies AMT and GTT are in no doubt about the success of the application of this technology under everyday conditions. The buses in Turin travel 200km a day without needing to stop anywhere for a prolonged period or having to return to the depot for charging. However, the routes with IPT charging systems haven’t only proven themselves economically, but they are also very quiet and produce zero emissions. As the chargers can be integrated almost invisibly, they neither compromise the cityscape nor detract from tourist attractions. There are no trip hazards and no secondary costs due to vandalism or rodent damage.

Technology and vehicles Inductive Power Transfer (IPT) is an energy transfer system for electric vehicles which works by magnetic resonance coupling. The system consists of two main components: a primary coil, which is connected to the electricity grid via a power feed converter, and a secondary coil integrated in the bus chassis. This technology permits an efficient, automatic, contactless transfer of electricity. IPT focuses on short but regular charging for city buses. The battery is fully charged overnight and then topped up as necessary and as possible over the course of the day at suitably equipped stops, generally by about 10–15% of its capacity, depending on how long the bus stays at the stop. The topping-up of the batteries at bus stops, e.g. at terminals, railways stations or hubs, ensures the buses have sufficient range to reach the next charging point, so the energy they need to store can be kept to a minimum. This allows the capacity of the batteries to be reduced by as much as 75%, greatly reducing the purchase price and weight of the vehicles and not impinging on the size of the passenger compartment. The number of charging stations is individually adjusted to suit the size and the operating situation of the bus fleet: the more buses there are in a fleet and the more charging stations there are, the more flexible the system and the shorter the charging cycles can be. This also has a very beneficial effect on the

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acquisition and operating costs for the infrastructure (TCO), as the cost is divided over several buses. Today, buses can already be charged at sufficiently high charging capacities (60 kW or 120 kW) at bus stops or at route end stations, while the passengers embark and disembark. While charging, the pickup coil on the bus takes up a position about 40mm from the primary coil in the ground, which has two positive effects: magnetic field is 1 The concentrated in such a way that 95% of the energy taken from the electricity grid is transferred to the battery during normal operation. This makes the IPT technology, in a direct comparison, virtually as efficient as charging via a charging cable with high level battery chargers available today, and in many cases superior to lowpriced plug-in battery chargers. stray magnetic fields 2 The remain restricted to the immediate vicinity of the coil. Beyond the bus contours the field values are significantly below the values permitted by the ICNIRP’s recommendations. IPT charging stations are not subject to mechanical wear and doing away with plugs and cables boosts the cost advantage even further. Conductix-Wampfler has now launched the second generation of its tried-and-tested charging technology on the market: the system “Urban Solutions” is even easier to integrate in existing infrastructures. Thanks to its enhanced diagnostic

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functions and improved network connectivity, it now guarantees even greater operational transparency for the user.

Increased comfort and safety At bus stops the electric bus is automatically recharged inductively. This removes not only the need for handling heavy charger cables and plugs, but also the danger of forgetting to recharge the batteries on time – which can result in deep discharging which damages the bus battery. A well-positioned monitor in the cockpit allows the driver to keep an eye on charging from the seat: at no time are drivers required to leave the vehicle unattended. The contactless charging of the buses is more comfortable and safer for staff, especially when it is raining or snowing. As the driver doesn’t need to leave the bus for

recharging or never comes into any kind of contact with the charging accessories, there is no need for staff with electrical engineering training (as called for by local regulations in some countries when dealing with a connected load of over 30 kW).

Summary and outlook Further pilot and test projects have been or will be equipped with the same technology and operating approach as the one used in Turin, Genoa and industrial projects. Among these are local public transport scenarios in Japan, Lucerne (Switzerland), Lörrach (Germany), Rotorua (New Zealand), Utrecht (Holland) as well as Los Angeles and Chattanooga (USA). Even if the high initial investment in electric propulsion is a hurdle for operators at the moment, the

switch to hybrid or natural-gas buses is no real alternative for city buses in the medium term. It’s probably only a matter of time before the industry is hit by the next acute oil price rise, to which the price of natural gas is tied. The higher cost of investment in the electric buses breaks even within four years due to lower energy consumption. The zero-emission buses are also highly recommended in the light of international legislation: in California it is mandatory for 15% of all urban transport to be zero-emission and there are diesel restrictions in some megacities in Asia already. Based on the assumption prices of vehicles and batteries will continue to fall, the TCO models will come out in favour of electric buses with opportunity charging much sooner than expected. Once the increasing emissions offset costs of diesel and hybrid buses are included in the equation, the result of any comparison will be very conclusive.

Conductix-Wampfler is a manufacturer of systems for energy and data transmission to moving machinery. With its own companies and numerous partnerships with other companies, the Delachaux Group subsidiary is represented in nearly every major industrialised country. With some 1100 employees around the world, the Conductix-Wampfler Group generated sales of over € 200m in 2011. www.coachandbusweek.com

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insight › Bus competition PART ONE

Peter Hendy on London and competition in the local bus market Part one of the next instalment of the Transport Committee’s review of the Competition Commission’s findings. Andrew Cream looks at the Commissioner of Transport’s views on London’s bus service and how it differs from the rest of the country

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he House of Commons Transport Committee continued its review of ‘Competition in the local bus market’ on Wednesday May 16. The panel first met with Peter Hendy, the Commissioner of Transport for Transport for London. The committee, chaired by Mrs Louise Ellman, wanted to gain a comprehensive understanding on how bus services in London work and whether anything could be learnt from the franchised system.

London’s advantages

Mrs Ellman started off the meeting by asking Hendy whether he was satisfied with London’s bus services.

“Yes, the system we operate as an authority has evolved over time to changing political and economic conditions,” he said. “I think the previous mayor and the present one view the existing bus service as satisfactory and the system that provides it as satisfactory.” He added: “We have all the major players, except National Express, and they are actively competing with each other. “There are 700 bus routes in London of various sizes, ranging from ones with one bus to ones with 70 or 80 buses. I think the average number of bids of three is a demonstration of adequate competition. The operators never fail to tell me their margins could be higher, but it’s their competitive bids which produce them, which

Peter Hendy believes there is adequate competition for tenders in London www.coachandbusweek.com

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is entirely satisfactory from the point of view of a public authority spending public money. “Generally they combine their complaint of the relative lack of margin with a request for more work so it’s hard to see that actually they’re not doing reasonably well out of it. We obviously have a duty to make sure changes in the market, acquisitions, and changes of ownership don’t reduce market competitiveness but I don’t think there is any evidence that the market is insufficiently competitive.” On the reasons why bus services in London are more successful than outside the capital, Hendy explained: “One of the reasons for the subsidy in London is because of the purpose of the bus service. One of the characteristics of the London bus service and one of the reasons it needs support is because we plan to carry everybody in the peaks who present themselves. We’re not trying to limit peak capacity on the grounds of the good economics of the bus service, we’re trying to create a circumstance in which people who live and work in London can get to work. “Those peak buses are very expensive but they also create the circumstances where actually the bus service is catering for the demand for it. Having got that peak service we’re able to offer off-peak journeys relatively cheaply and the consequence of that

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There are 700 bus routes in London of various sizes, ranging from ones with one bus to ones with 70 or 80 buses

www.coachandbusweek.com

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insight › bus competition PART ONE is most London bus services now run at a frequency when you don’t need a timetable, you only need to know they’re more frequent than five buses an hour so you just turn up and go. “All those characteristics – together with reliability and security, as we pay a significant sum to the police for policing on buses and information – all contribute, as does the growing population, to the increasing bus usage.” Hendy believes buses play a vital role in the economy: “You don’t make a good case for transport on transport grounds; you make it on economic growth and social grounds. “That is, I believe, why both mayors have consistently supported the development and high quality of the bus service; they believe it contributes to London’s economic success.”

Deregulation

Hendy was then asked to give his view on how London’s services would perform if they were deregulated. “The first thing to say is I have absolutely no evidence that anybody intends that,” he replied. “[Having been a bus operator] I would certainly not seek to cater for the maximum peak demand at affordable fares because it would give me a cost profile where the last peak bus would be extremely expensive and I’d never recover it from the fare income. “Every peak bus we put on, in effect, costs money, so we are trying to do our best to restrain the number of peak buses we put on by managing the service which absolutely suits the demand at the peak level. “What I would do, is what you can see people doing in the rest of the country, which is trying to flatten out the peak demand through fares and service provision and then run an adequate allday service with those sorts of resources. If we tried to do that here we would simply leave thousands and thousands of people behind and it would be entirely unsatisfactory, certainly if you adjudge the purpose of the bus service to be the one which I’ve set out.” “I think the biggest thing you would see is a sharp change in peak fares and a sharp change in peak provision,” he added. “Simply because it’s entirely uneconomical on a rational basis for the provider www.coachandbusweek.com

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alone to provide the last peak bus. “The ideal bus service is so frequent you don’t need a timetable and so reliable you can turn up and catch one. “It would be so radically different because of the level of subsidy, which is about £400m. If that’s not there, which is one of the features of deregulation, then actually the whole picture would look different. Fares would be much higher and the general division of services in any event would be much lower. There might be overprovision on some corridors. I suspect in some parts of suburban London the housing densities are so low there probably wouldn’t be any service.”

Keeping up standards

The panel was keen to ascertain why certain operators have withdrawn from London in the past, or why they have sold off depots. Hendy said: “I’ve heard it said that FirstGroup sold its depot because of low margins but I’m not sure that holds up because another major commercial player bought it. “I think it’s on the public record that Stagecoach sold their bus companies to Macquarie for a very high price and bought them back at a modest price. It is not evidence you can’t make any money in this market because evidently they wouldn’t have returned at any price if that were the case.” Referring to a comment Hendy made during the Great Bus Debate, the committee then asked him who shouldn’t be in the bus industry. “I think the resource which goes into the regulation of the bus industry outside London is frankly insufficient and you can get into and remain in the bus industry for rather too long in circumstances where if there were more regulatory activity and more inspection you will be found out quicker,” he said. “When I took over Surface Transport in 2001 I found people on our list of approved tenderers whose vehicles I would not travel in as a citizen in the places where they operated. I took the view that there were people there who had been properly issued with a licence by the Traffic Commissioners (TCs) but who were frankly unsuitable to run a high quality service. We took them off the tender list. “I think running urban bus services in developed first world cities is a serious activity and you do need to show more than the

The Mayor gives a lot of financial support to the system in London in order to support London’s economic growth, according to Hendy basic conditions under which you can gain an O-licence to do it. We apply more stringent criteria for people to provide bus services in London and indeed award tenders to some extent on people’s ability to do what it is we’re currently asking them to do. “I think the TCs are one of the few regulatory authorities in both the bus and haulage sectors who are greatly supported by those industries. They deserve more support than they get in their own activities. The policing activity of VOSA, as it were, could also be better supported than it is.”

“Having a politician in The Competition charge who can argue Commission’s report with Government for Getting more to the crux of the meeting, Hendy was asked his the financial resource thoughts on the Competition Commission’s report. He said: “I you need to do it is share some of the industry’s views extremely important.” that it seems to be a pretty major Peter Hendy

distraction without any great deal

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of outcome. It seemed to me not to directly answer the questions about whether the current system served the passengers well and actually what the reason for the provision of a bus service actually is. “I think the reason the Mayor places such emphasis on the strength of the system in London is in order to support London’s economic growth. That is the reason why you seek to move people about on public transport. There are clearly other issues like congestion but in those terms it seems to me that, whether or not they feel they were asked that question, it’s not a question which was answered. It seems to be at the heart of why it is that you might want to run a good bus service in urban areas. If you can answer that question and if you can then determine what level of public support you would be prepared to put into the system, then defining how the system would actually work seems to me to be much easier to do.”

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“The policing activity of VOSA, as it were, could be better supported than it is.” Peter Hendy

The panel then moved onto the subject of the power of local authorities, the power large operators hold and how they “get away with what they get away with”, with Manchester used as an example. Hendy said: “In my position it would be much less satisfactory to have both the amount of control and the amount of responsibility we have if we had insufficient resource to buy what is needed. The real difficulty in a place like Manchester is that, for the former PTE, or now the ITA, to have real influence over bus operation, frankly you need to be able to buy it. You need to be able to buy the services you want or have such an accord with the people who run them that what they are running on a commercial basis accords so closely with your view about what is needed for the economic development benefit of the city that it is exactly the same. What I don’t think you want as a public authority is a lot of responsibility for something you can barely influence because you have no cash to do it. “If public authorities have very little money to spend, or could spend money on it and do not, then you might be better to leave it to these people, however unsatisfactory or satisfactory you feel their provision is, because you have no public money to influence it. If one of your overwhelming priorities is to get people to work, school or whatever, then the provision itself beyond the normal flow of traffic all day is an expensive thing to do, and probably needs to be paid for at reasonable fares. “It’s a whole other question about the degree of devolution of

Hendy said customers want consistent information and common ticketing

finance in major urban areas and the extent to which politicians in those areas control. If I was running one of those ITAs, and faced with the sort of money they seem to have available, you would not be able to do much. The panel’s last question to Peter Hendy was: “What lessons can transport authorities outside London learn from the London experience?” He answered: “The authority I run has been much better provided for financially by having someone in a strategic political position in London as a region who can argue for the financial resource in order to develop the city’s economy. In the course of that it has provided us with the money – we could always spend more if there was some – which has given us the resource to have this huge influence over the provision of the bus service, the way it’s provided and the sort of services provided. “Having a politician in charge who can argue with Government for the financial resource you need to do it is extremely important. If the politician isn’t there, if there’s no strategic authority or if there’s no money you’re really most unlikely to see the sort of result we’ve produced here. “The two pieces of our system which mean the most to passengers who go around London are consistent information provision and common ticketing. There’s no doubt at all those two features are the backbone of the provision of all the public transport in London. The fact the Oyster card is used on every mode of transport, the fact the information provision is consistent, complete and can be accessed without reference to who runs the services is really important. I can’t believe anybody wouldn’t support those developments in the rest of Britain. There are some strides towards it. It’s very much easier for us to do it in London because of our control over the whole system but those are good things to do anyway. “The CC is trying to say that at the same time as trying to sort out how you do it in a market they would otherwise rather see as competitive. It is a bit of a curious animal to devise.” Part two of this meeting, featuring representatives from the Competition Commission and Norman Baker, will follow in a forthcoming issue.

www.coachandbusweek.com

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17

SUPPLIER PROFILE › AA DRIVETECH

Total number of Driver CPC courses offered by AA Drivetech

Training the risk out of PSV driving Coach and Bus Week’s James Day talks to Jason Vallint, Business Development Director of AA Drivetech, about its portfolio of training and development courses

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fter some interesting satnav directions attempted to make me park on a dualcarriageway hard shoulder, I found my way to the AA Drivetech Headquarters and was treated to my favoured mug of Earl Grey tea and a warm welcome. The tower is 18 storeys high and used to be the tallest structure between London and New York, before another structure nearby added a mast. It offers impressive views while contrasting with the surrounding greenery and the Basingstoke skyline. It certainly beats the small office village and loud builders around the CBW premises. I’m here to meet with Jason Vallint, Drivetech’s Business Development Director, to find out about AA Drivetech, a subsidiary which AA acquired in 2009. The original business was established in the late 90s by a Thames Valley policeman, who operated it from his home and the third anniversary of its acquisition is approaching. It is made up of four divisions: Division: police 1 DriverAware provided training designed for motorists and riders; Division: stated as 2 FleetSafe “fleet risk management for everyone who drives for work”; & Passenger 3 Commercial Vehicle Division: geared for LGV and PCV drivers; and Division: for training 4 Academy the trainers. The Commercial and Passenger Vehicle Division of DriveTech was added in 2010 to provide www.coachandbusweek.com

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Courses

Workshops (FD: Full Day, HD: Half Day): n Safe Culture Workshop (FD) n Speed Workshop (FD) n Urban Workshop (FD) n Customer Service Workshop (FD) n Tachograph & Drivers Hours (HD) n Eco Driving Workshop (HD) n Mobile Phone Workshop (HD) n Vehicle Checks & Effective Loading Workshop (HD) n Good Samaritan Workshop (HD) Practical Training n Real-World Training (FD) n Real-World In Vehicle Training (FD) n Eco Driver Training Course (FD) n Reversing & Manoeuvring (HD) Specialist Courses (FSDF) n On Vehicle Equipment Workshop (HD) n Food Hygiene and Personal Standards Workshop (HD) n Cold Chain Workshop (HD) n Food Quality Workshop (HD) Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) training for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, which includes the coach and bus industry and some larger minibuses. It currently offers 17 courses varying from full to half day in length, both in practical and workshop form. It’s fair to say the market for DCPC training remains relatively new and undefined, as Jason explained. “There are about 1,500 Joint Approvals Unit Periodic Training (JAUPT) registered training providers, but the buyer and provider market is very

naïve. Providers have little in the way of track records to go by and there is no benchmarking and no standards in place, only the JAUPT requirements. “Operators who use in-house training will find it hard to work out if training elsewhere is of a higher standard and there is significant market confusion and scepticism. They really need to do their homework. “Drivetech has an advantage in the AA brand, which provides a comfort factor and reassurance as it is a well known business, but I’d say we’re not often thought of as a provider of PCV training.”

AA Drivetech says being a responsible driver is an important aspect of customer service

The AA Way

Jason described how Drivetech’s philosophy is to provide training which is relevant and beneficial to the business partaking in it, not something designed to tick the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) boxes. “Anyone can provide compliance training which is geared purely to comply with regulation. We want to return a value back into business,” he said. “Many operators are reluctant about DCPC as they view it as more restrictive bureaucracy. Yes, it’s a requirement now, but operators really should have been doing some supplementary training anyway. The drivers are the face of any bus or coach business and carry a lot of responsibility, yet investment in them is often disproportionate to investment in capital assets. “DCPC should not be viewed as something operators need to ‘get out of the way’. Our courses and methods are an opportunity to reevaluate your business and provide

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1,500 35 The number of JAUPT registered training providers in the UK

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Hours worth of training required every five years under DSA regulations training which can be customised to give maximum benefit. Ensuring a safe culture and managing risk doesn’t have to result in a boring, rule-driven operation. It’s value added training which operators should take in their stride.” DCPC requires 35 hours of training every five years, but exactly what form this training needs to take is not regimented, leaving plenty of space for flexibility. Drivetech’s 17 JAUPT registered courses cover a wide range of areas, but Jason stated the key focus of Drivetech was in risk management, both from the perspective of driver and passenger safety and in terms of financial security. “The aim is to eliminate death and reduce injury on board, but also reduce cost and increase efficiency with simple things like fuel savings and reduced bent metal costs,” he explained. “These two aims fit together quite well, as safer driving standards tend to result in reduced fuel consumption and wear and tear. Vehicle sympathy lowers long term maintenance costs, can stretch service intervals and lengthen the life of a vehicle. These are all cost reducing measures. “Operators also need to consider the driver when they invest in new kit. Hybrids and vehicles with new technology usually require a different style of driving. Hybrids are much quieter than regular vehicles and articulated buses can have the engine so far behind the driver that pedestrians won’t hear it getting close. With buses being driven in areas packed with pedestrians, drivers of these vehicles must understand how careful they need to be.” Jason also brought up the importance of proper customer service, suggesting there is more to it than some operators may realise. “Customer service from drivers is more than just meeting, greeting and dealing with awkward customers,” Jason explained. “Driving the vehicle in a smooth manner which keeps passengers comfortable is an important customer service too. You could argue the same is true for interactions with other road users, as there’s a chance they would consider using the bus, so it’s important to be courteous to them.” Jason also explained how Drivetech looks beyond the front lines to see if the operator itself can make any www.coachandbusweek.com

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SUPPLIER PROFILE › AA DRIVETECH

improvements. “We look into the company culture of our clients. Having company policies in place isn’t enough. They have to be followed through but this doesn’t always happen. This isn’t necessarily because firms are negligent – people are just busy and factors are easy to miss. There can also be voids left behind when somebody leaves a company, with small jobs not being picked up. “By performing a full spectrum of assessment on the business we can identify where there is any personal or financial risk, or help operators to improve efficiency.”

Flexibility

One advantage for Drivetech is its entirely self sufficient nature. It has complete control over quality standards, products and its booking process, which allows the company to be very flexible. “The courses themselves are very adaptable,” Jason explained. “Any combination of courses can be taken so long as any half-day courses are matched with another to fill the full day. It also doesn’t matter what stage of the DCPC a driver is in if they have already started – we can train drivers at any stage in their DCPC. “We don’t expect operators to send drivers all the way to Basingstoke – we have coverage UK wide and are happy to make arrangements in areas where our trainers are not based. Most of the training we do involves our staff travelling to the operators’ premises and because of the wide coverage we offer it isn’t necessary for us to charge travelling costs.” Online booking is available for Drivetech’s workshop courses, which, according to Jason, is

remarkably easy to use. “It was quite funny – we actually had a driver call us after booking online because he found it so easy and assumed he’d missed something out,” he mused. “You just need to put in driving licence, group and payment details, then choose the course. The system remembers all your information, so on subsequent visits you only need to choose the course to book your next seven hours. “Last-minute bookings are fine – we’ve taken bookings at 24 hours notice.”

In the future

Jason said while awareness of DCPC was quite good, a number of large operators had yet to undertake it and appeared to be waiting to put their staff through it in large blocks. “While there’s nothing illegal about doing the training in an intensive manner, it’s not in the spirit of taking the training responsibly and can leave a firm’s entire driver team with just a single week of training in five years. “Other operators seem not to be proactively managing their training. It shouldn’t be an onerous task and it’s essential for them and their staff.” Jason said there was potential for adding new courses but operators should focus on what is already available. “While we are willing to customise courses to suit the operator’s needs, we’d rather the industry took advantage of what is already on offer. “Our latest is the half-day Good Samaritan Workshop, designed to inform drivers on what they should do when first on the scene of an accident. We subscribe to the mentality many passengers have of expecting the driver to be proactive in such a situation.”

Workshops on effective loading can reduce risk to drivers and passengers

Drivers need to know how to competently care for disabled passengers

AA Drivetech Academy All AA Drivetech DCPC trainers are professionals in their field and have worked in the industry but the only standards applied to DCPC instructors are those imposed by the training provider itself. AA Drivetech’s quality control comes from the Academy. All potential instructors go through a selection process and are only permitted to teach if they meet standards set by the company. Jason said: “Not everybody with the knowledge has the ability to effectively teach or pass it on in an effective way. Across all of our training divisions we teach 500,000 people a year so it’s important to be responsible about maintaining standards. “We encourage an interactive style of teaching because many of the drivers going through DCPC have significant experience already, so it makes sense for participants to learn from each other. You get a lot of drivers who are quite stubborn and think they cannot be taught anything new, but we encourage these individuals, because they will often leave pleasantly surprised. “Many drivers aren’t used to spending time at length in a classroom, so we are keen to avoid the ‘death by Powerpoint’ style of training.” Jason highlighted some problems which could arise from in-house training: “A problem with how training has been approached previously by many operators is how it has been used as a notice to improve, which means drivers often feel like their professional integrity is being called into question. This can be compounded if the training is done in-house, as it is often delivered by peers who the drivers may know, which can cause problems. “It’s very difficult to measure just how good the in-house training is. It could very well be better than we offer, or it could be worse, but it’s hard to judge. With the academy, which not all training companies have, operators can be sure investment is being made to ensure we give them the best training we can.”

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THE BIG PICTURE

Go-Ahead Group-owned Brighton & Hove Bus & Coach Company has boosted its fleet with the acqusition of 20 brand new Wright Gemini2bodied Volvo B9TLs. Of these, 18 have been built to what might be termed ‘normal bus specification’, while the remaining two are intended to join the firm’s private hire fleet. These are due to enter service in the next week or so once final details been finished. The bus specification vehicles, one of which is seen here, have entered service on route 1, which links Mile Oak with Whitehawk, via Portslade, Hove and Brighton city centre, and operates up to every six minutes. Registered ‘BF12KXR’, fleet number 438 has been named ‘Lord Trafford’. The Geminis have replaced eightyear-old Scania OmniDekkas, which have been cascaded to other routes to replace Tridents. 438 was caught on camera by Patrick Stringer, the firm’s Operations & Commercial Manager, outside St Andrew’s Church, on Church Road, Hove.

www.coachandbusweek.com

BigPicture.indd 29

31/05/2012 16:32


30 | COACH & BUS WEEK | June 6, 2012

LEGAL update

In association with

The perils of Facebook Employees have faced disciplinary action over supposedly private comments made on social media sites Last month several First Devon and Cornwall drivers were suspended for alleged offensive comments posted on Facebook against elderly passengers who had complained about an increase in fares. The remarks were spotted by the administrator responsible for the page and by a member of the public, who contacted the company to alert them. The comments were subsequently taken down and a spokeswoman for First said: “Those writing these things were not making official comments and the views expressed are in no way representative of how we think and feel about our customers.” The posting of comments by employees on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter regarding employers or other staff members has been the subject of much debate in Employment Tribunals. There have been a number of recent decisions which highlight this issue as to whether the posting of derogatory statements can be considered a Gross Misconduct Offence. These decisions are dependent on the facts of the cases in question; however employers should be aware of the decisions and have a clearly defined policy regarding the use of Social Media. The first reported cases of dismissals arising out of comments made on Facebook were in the cases of Preece v JD Wetherspoons and Crisp v Apple Retail (UK) Ltd. Both these claims concerned employees making derogatory comments about their workplace and the Appeals Tribunal found they were fairly dismissed. Perhaps this was due to both employers having a clearly drafted policy which warned against

The issue of employees posting questionable remarks on Facebook has recently been in the spotlight making derogatory comments in social media given the case of Whitham v Club 24 Ltd in which an employee was found to be unfairly dismissed for making “relatively minor” comments about her workplace. The above cases refer to comments concerning the employer, however in the case of Teggart v TeleTech UK Ltd, the Northern Irish Employment Tribunal considered an allegation of unfair dismissal where an employee was dismissed for making comments regarding another employee. Mr Teggart posted an obscene comment about the promiscuity of a female work colleague (F) on Facebook. A number of other employees read the comment and it specificially mentioned TeleTech. F had not seen the comment but it was brought to her attention and she asked Mr Teggarts girlfriend to get it removed. Mr Teggart then posted a further lewd comment about F.

F did not complain to Teletech, but it was brought to the employers attention by a third party. The allegation was investigated and Teggart admitted to posting the comments. Teggart was then dismissed for harassment of a fellow employee and for bringing the company into disrepute. Teggart appealed the decision to the Northern Irish Employment Appeals Tribunal, claiming he had been unfairly dismissed and had suffered a breach of his Human Rights (privacy, beliefs & freedom of expression). The Tribunal found there had been no breach of his Human Rights as the comments were no longer private when posted on Facebook. Also, the definition of belief did not extend to the promiscuity of a female work colleague and that freedom of expression must be exercised responsibly and did not allow Mr Teggart to damage F’s reputation and infringe her right to not suffer harassment. Furthermore, the Tribunal

Backhouse Jones acts for clients in the private and public sector, both national and international operators from one to several thousand vehicles. Backhouse is absolutely “industry specific”. Whilst the company can trace its heritage to 1819 it only represented it’s first Road Transport Operator in 1930. The explanation for this is that the first transport act was only introduced in 1930.The Independent Chambers Guide 2009 describes Backhouse Jones Limited as a specialist company with a national reputation for “first class strength, experience and understanding of the transport industry”. n Contact 01254 828300. Visit www.backhousejones.co.uk www.coachandbusweek.com

LegalUpdate.indd 30

found the posting of the lewd comments satisfied the definition of harassment in Teletechs dignity at work policy as they were unwanted, violated F’s dignity and created a degrading and humiliating environment at work. However, the Tribunal found the allegation of bringing the company into disrepute was not substantial, as it had not been dealt with during the disciplinary process. Given the circumstances, the Tribunal considered the allegation of harassment was sufficiently serious and dismissal was in the band of reasonable responses. The decision highlights inappropriate or offensive comments using Facebook may justify dismissal for Gross Misconduct even where comments are made out of work and in the employees own time. The decision also shows the need for clearly drafted work policies setting out the guidelines for use of social media platforms by employees.

Working time rules apply to selfemployed drivers

The Road Transport (Working Time Amendment) Regulations 2012 made in April 2, 2011 came into force on May 11, 2012. The Regulations amend the Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations 2005 by extending their scope to apply to selfemployed drivers. The 2005 Regulations implement the Road Transport Directive (2002/15/EC). Directive 2002/15/EC1 sets minimum social protection standards for mobile workers in road transport and aims to improve the health and safety of mobile workers in the sector. At the same time it aims to ensure fair competition by setting equal minimum conditions for all businesses active in road transport within the EU.

30/05/2012 17:22


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June 6, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 33

PRODUCTS

SKF’S CARBONCUTTING ACTUATOR SKF claims a single bus using its new Bus Door Actuator, a BeyondZero Portfolio product for operating bus doors, saves 1.9 tonnes of CO2/year when compared to a bus using pressurised air. This figure is valid for one city bus, diesel hybrid with six doors (one actuator per door). “The actuator requires 80 to 90% less energy than a pneumatic system and because of this, the compressor system size can be reduced to require smaller engines,” said Richard Klausen, GM of SKF Actuation System. “These two benefits produce almost a 3% improvement in the fuel economy. There are a few examples available of electromechanical systems being used for bus doors, but, as far as we know this is the first one living up to all the specifications.” SKF partnered with a customer in the automotive market to develop an alternative to pneumatic dooropening systems which would be more reliable and require less energy. The resulting solution is an actuator which integrates electrical and mechanical elements to precisely control the door’s speed and position. It has been subjected to extensive testing and verification. SKF claims its Bus Door Actuators increase bus availability because

Email martin.cole@rouncymedia. co.uk to get your new product or service in the spotlight

they are driven by electric motors and do not require air pressure. Also, due to their controlled motion, there is much less wear of mechanical parts. The robust construction and integrated electronics deliver repeatable function regardless of temperature, load or wear variations. “The BeyondZero portfolio is a major step for SKF in our development of solutions with reduced environmental impact for our customers. SKF products, systems and services are already improving performance for our customers and enabling them to be more efficient,” said Tom Johnstone, SKF President and CEO. “The launch of these special BeyondZero portfolio solutions shows how further additional energy savings can be achieved and measured in specific applications. The BeyondZero portfolio fully complements the existing range SKF offers for our customers.” Other SKF products in the BeyondZero Portfolio include:

SKF Low Weight Hub Bearing Unit: reduces 0.25 g CO2 per km in a light commercial vehicle with four SKF Low Weight Hub Bearing Units. When based on an annual mileage of 14,500 km, the saving is 3.6 kg CO2 per year. If 1m cars used this the yearly CO2 reduction would be 3,600 tonnes. SKF Rotor Positioning Bearing: it is an integral component of Stop-Start systems for micro-hybrid vehicles. In dense urban traffic, StopStart can reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions up to 15%. Based on an annual mileage of 14,500 km, this saves 75 kg CO2 per year. SKF Low Friction Engine Seal: reduces friction by up to 55%. When installed in a gas-fueled engine it provides a CO2 savings of over 1g per km. Based on an annual mileage of 14,500km, this equates to a reduction of 14.5 kg/ CO2 per year. If 1m cars were equipped with this the reduction would be 14,500 tonnes of CO2 per year. For more information, visit www.skf.com

Simple bus door actuator from SKF contributes to greater fuel economy

EATON LAUNCHES VARIABLE VALVE ACTUATION SYSTEM RANGE Eaton Corporation is launching a range of variable valve actuation systems for light and medium duty diesel engines. These systems are claimed to eliminate the common trade-off between fuel economy and power by providing the ability to switch valve lift profiles to provide more flexible and adequate gas exchange control. With these systems Eaton will help its European customers to meet mandatory emission reduction requirements and improve fuel efficiency. The valve actuation systems are part of a range of next-generation variable valvetrain systems for diesel engines, in industrial applications and commercial vehicles, which Eaton

Eaton’s Valve Actuation components for light and medium duty diesels recently announced will debut with multiple European and global engine platforms over the next three years. Among these systems are: Switchable control of internal exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), allowing a controlled amount

of exhaust gases to be reused for combustion, significantly reducing poisonous NOX gas emission Variable valve lift event (late intake valve closing), allowing the engine to switch from Diesel cycle to Miller cycle providing fuel

FUELCARD COMPANY TO LAUNCH PAYG CARD The Fuelcard Company has revealed launch plans for a pre-pay fuel card called diesel Advance. The ‘pay as you go’ card, which has no upper limit, can be topped up online via a credit or debit card or weekly Direct Debit. It will be available in the coming weeks. The Fuelcard Company promises competitive diesel pricing based on a fixed weekly price taken from the bulk fuel market. The service also provides free online reporting and account management plus an automated email alert service when the card balance drops below 25%, 15% and 0%. Colin Peters, Head of Marketing at The Fuelcard Company, said: “Diesel Advance is the first card of its kind in the UK and, as such, a major step forward for both The Fuelcard Company and for transport sector operators. “We’re anticipating a substantial uptake in this new facility and consequently working with a new and much broader customer base, encompassing clients from the sole trader ‘white van man’ to multinational haulage operators.” Visit www.dieseladvance. co.uk and www. thefuelcardcompany.co.uk efficiency improvement and NOX gas emission reduction. Both systems have been developed in Eaton’s R&D centre in Turin, Italy. They are two completely independent functions in two different operating modes. But depending on application and operating mode they could be combined with benefits especially for industrial applications like fork lifts and gen-sets. “Variable Valve Actuation systems for light and medium duty diesel engines are Eaton’s answer to ever growing demand for a cleaner and more efficient combustion,” said Carlo Ghirardo, Vice President and General Manager, Eaton Global Valvetrain Business. “Our solution allows our customers to take the next step in significant NOX and CO2 emission reduction in line with European legal requirements.” Visit the Eaton Corporation website at www.eaton.com www.coachandbusweek.com

Products.indd 33

31/05/2012 16:40


Filler NEW copy

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June 6, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 35

COACH&BUSMARKET – the place to buy and sell

To advertise on these pages for as little as £30 just call 01733 293247 7HO

Over 150 Minibuses / Coaches / Welfare Buses Weekly All Vehicles Direct Fleet Many With COIF’s, PSV’s, Wheelchair

Bullseye. Looking for a used Dennis Dart?

Access Lifts

& Ramps

Then you’ve just hit the jackpot. We have over 50 up for sale at amazing prices. Starting at £4,995 on plates ranging from P to V. Join Our Club & We’ll Do All the Work for You Including Bidding

Call us at the double on 01922 457003 to find out more and to book a viewing and to make sure you’re going home with more than just your bus fare home.

Finance Available & Most vehicles with FREE Warranties

Volant PVS Ltd Beecham Business Park, Northgate, Aldridge WS9 8TZ T: +44 (0)1922 457003 volantpvs.co.uk

2003 Ford Transit 410

For Sale: Due to fleet replacement, we need to sell up to 5 of the following and don’t mind which 5!

Coach build body, taillift, powerdoor, 65,000 miles Class 5 MOT

Dennis Plaxton R Series Cummins 420 2003: 2 x 49/53 seats with WC, 3 x 53 seats 2004: 5 x 53 seats 2005: 2 x 53 seats Volvo B12B Plaxton Paragon: 2006: 2 x 49/53 seats with WC, 1 x 53 seats All are well maintained, low mileage examples (approximately 62,000km per annum) with long MoT, air conditioning and AStronic/Easyshift gearboxes. Owned by us from new and used on our own holiday programme. All over cream. Priced to sell at £37,000 (03 reg), £48,000 (04 reg), £59,000 (05 reg) and £89,000 (06 reg) plus VAT (£3,000 premium for WC). Sorry no part exchange facilities!

To view contact Tom Smith, Operations Manager, Alfa Travel on 08451 305777

MERCEDES 814D OPTARE NOUVELLE ’54 Plate

5 speed manual, 29 recliners + crew seat, 3 point lap belts, water boiler + fridge, dark-tint windows, in-swing door, carpet, curtains, large boot, radio/PA/CD/ PA/DVD+Monitor. Full MOT if required. £34,500.00 + VAT.

Tel : 01905 458529

For more information visit

£5450

www.staffordbuscentre.com Tel: 01782 791774/07803 222552 2004 (54) Neoplan Starliner Tri-Axle Corporate/Team Coach

32 leather seats around 8 tables, full rear servery with fridges, ice machine, hot water, microwave and airline style food warmers, 3 extra fridges throughout coach, airline style overhead lockers, 240v inverter and onboard generator, Blaupunkt sound system with DVD & SKY TV (2 screens), extra mini screens on a separate channel on both front tables, ASTronic gearbox, A/C, WC, fully carpeted, removable ski box, spare seats.

Volvo B12M VanHool

£94,000 + VAT o.n.o.

Manual, choice of two, 2002 & 2003, both with new MOT, low miles, owned from new, both 51 seaters, full exec with rear toilet and rear servery, selling due to fleet upgrade

For more details call Patrick or Murray 01787 477701/ 07730 671064

Contact Ian 01443 681995

£55,000 and £65,000

Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@rouncymedia.co.uk


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36 | COACH & BUS WEEK | June 6, 2012

COACH&BUSMARKET – the place to buy and sell

To advertise on these pages for as little as £30 just call 01733 293247 1999/2000 Dennis Trident Alexander ALX 400

Network Warrington have the following vehicles for sale

V and X reg, long wheelbase, EURO 4

For more information visit

www.staffordbuscentre.com Tel: 01782 791774/07803 222552 2009 09 REG FORD TRANSIT

15 seat factory bus with only 9K miles, tacho, COIF applied for

Dennis Dart SLF 10.8m 1999, Choice of 6, Cummins 6BT, Allison AT545 4 speed auto, Marshall body, 40 seats. Contact Damian Graham (Engineering Director) Warrington Borough Transport Ltd Wilderspool Causeway, Warrington WA4 6PT. Tel 01925 634296

Passenger and Commercial Vehicles Recovery Dismantlers Parts Sales

Dennis Pointer Dart Mk2 x 100 All spares available - includes engine, gearboxes, seats, etc.

Call: 01226 727769 Mobile: 07912 103497 Email: geoff-ripley@btconnect.com www.geoff-ripleysbuscoachsales.com

2003 DENNIS JAVELIN PLAXTON PROFILE Registered Dec 2003, double glazed tinted glass, Cummins 275 engine, 6 speed manual gearbox, 49 seats, toilet & washroom, ready for immediate use, MoT tested, 120,000 miles, choice of two. Straight from MOD.

£P.O.A

£14,250

For more information visit

www.staffordbuscentre.com Tel: 01782 791774/07803 222552

COACH&BUSMARKET

Looking for a great deal to sell your vehicles? Contact Jade Cassidy now for details of our current offers : 01733 293247 jade.cassidy@rouncymedia.co.uk Coach & Bus Week – the only paid-for weekly magazine in the bus and coach industry – there’s no comparison!

Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@rouncymedia.co.uk


553368-1036-Pembridge

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NEW PRE-REGISTERED FORDS

New Ford Transit 17 seat 4.3ton 135ps minibus. From £20,595 + VAT

OTHER MAKES

FORD TRANSIT MINIBUSES

(11) 2011 Ford Transit 9 seat Shuttle Bus, twin side loading doors, large rear luggage area, delivery miles only £16,995 (11) 2011 Ford Transit 15 seat 3.5 ton, 2.4tdi engine 115ps, tacho, 10,000 km £17,500

(10) 2010 Ford Transit 17 seat M/R 140PS with air-con, tacho, COIF/PSV £17,995

SOLD

(08) 2008 Ford Transit 3.5ton 15 seat 2.4tdi, 115ps, high back seats with three point belts, tacho £13,800 (

(56) Ford Transit 17 seat 2.4tdi 115ps, high back seats, electric windows, central locking, 66,000 miles, FSH, COIF/PSV £9,995 (53) 2003 Ford Transit 17 seat 2.4 td minibus, high back seats with three point belts, tacho, air-con, COIF/PSV £6,995 (52) 2003 Ford Transit 17 seat 2.4tdi, tacho, towbar, high back seats with three point belts, COIF/PSV £6,495

LDV MINIBUSES

(57) 2007 LDV Maxus 15 seat minibus, high back seats with three point belts £7,495

(03) 2003 LDV Convoy Maxi XLWB 17 seat mini-coach, 2.4 Tdi, front entry drop step, luggage racks, rear heating, wide aisle, rear row of seats removable, New PSV £6,495

OTHER MAKES

New Renault Master 17 seat LM35/ 2.2di 125ps, six speed, satnav, tacho, fully tracked floor with removable seats £21,995

New Peugeot Boxer 16 seat 3.5 ton and 17 seat wheelchair accessible minibuses, 2.2 diesel 120ps, six speed gearbox, LEZ COMPLIANT From £23,500 + VAT (09) 2009 Renault Master 16 seat minibus, tacho,high back seats with three point belts, 35,000km £15,650 (07) 2007 Peugeot Boxer 3.5 ton 17 seat minibus, high back seats, rear two rows of seats on tracking, 33,000 miles COIF/PSV £9,500 (07) Peugeot Boxer 3.5 ton 17 seat minibus, 2.2 diesel with three point seat belts, 28,000 miles, COIF/PSV £10,495

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS

(08) Renault Master LWB 3.5 ton, 2.5 tdi, six seats, fully tracked floor, inboard Ricon Clearway lift, one owner from new, 40,000 miles £16,750 (57) LDV Maxus LWB 9 seats tracking to take two wheelchairs, inboard lift, 49,000 miles, £9,995 (54) 2005 Renault Master 13 seat wheelchair access minibus, inboard Ricon lift, fully tracked floor, rear heating, electric side step, 56,000 miles £8,995 (03) 2003 Fiat Doblo SX 1.9 diesel, low floor, four seats plus one wheelchair, lightweight ramp, 45,000 miles £3,495 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%


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Ensig DOUBLE DECK 1999 T/V REG DENNIS TRIDENTS

LEZ

COMPLIANT

Cummins/Voith, LEZ compliant with traps, Plaxton President bodies, 62 seats dual door (£13,000) or 70 when converted to single door (£16,000).

Cummins/Voith, LEZ compliant for 2012 with traps to Euro 4, CCTV, Alexander ALX400 bodies, DDA compliant or upseated to 80 seats.

1999/2000 T/V/X REG DENNIS TRIDENTS

Cummins / Allison, Wrights Cadet body, ramp, wheelchair space, Hanover LEDʼs, CCTV, 39 retrimmed individual seats, from our own fleet and very tidy.

2000 DAF SB120

1999 T/V REG DENNIS DART SLF’S

Caetano Compass bodies, 39 seats, ramps, £7000 each plus tyres.

1998 R REG VOLVO OLYMPIAN

2000 W REG MERCEDES 814 VARIO

Manual, tacho, 28 coach seats with 3 point belts.

ZF automatic, 74 seats, dual door, CONVERTIBLE open topper, so can still be used in the Winter! One only.

1995 M REG DENNIS DRAGONS

2000 X REG VOLVO B7LA ARTIC

Cummins/Voith gearboxes, Duple Metsec bodies, recent floors and 92 coach seats.

120 capacity, new MOT on sale, last one remaining.

2001 DDA COMPLIANT DENNIS DARTS

Plaxton Pointer 2 dual door bodies, 31 seats, CCTV, particulate traps fitted, LEZ 2012 compliant, only £6,500 each plus tyres (£400)

2001 Y REG DART SLF’S

Cummins/Allison, LEZ compliant for 2012 with traps to Euro 4, CCTV, Alexander ALX200 bodies with either 30 seats and 2 doors or 34 seats converted to single door, ramps, DDA certified and compliant. 10.8m 37 seaters now available.

OPEN TOP BUSES A SPECIALITY -

Juliette Close, Purfleet Industrial Telephone 01708 865656 Fax: 01708 8 Visit our website for current s


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nbus ER SPECIALIST 31 seats, Euro 3 Mercedes engine, new MOT.

2004 OPTARE SOLO

GREAT VALUE DENNIS DARTS!!!

DDA compliant, 8.8m, 28 seats, LEZ compliant, Hanover LEDʼs, from our own fleet.

2001 Y REG DART MPD

1996/7 N and R Reg with Plaxton bodies, 35/40 seats, single door, long tests. £4500 plus tyres

Hanover LEDʼs, East Lancs Myllenium body, 39 seats.

2003 MAN 14220

Euro 3, ZF automatics, 35 seats, East Lancs Myllenium bodies.

2003 MAN 11.2220’S

Euro 4, Wrights Gemini bodies, dual door, 68 seats.

Cummins Euro 3 ISB engines, Allison gearboxes, Caetano Nimbus bodies, 10.7m, 37 seats, full DDA.

2002 DENNIS DART SLF

£7000 just spend on recon engine, MCV Evolution body, 40 seats, DDA, Hanover LEDʼs.

Volvo engines, Euro 2, 78 seats, converted to single door, new COIF, tyres included, UK registered ready to work. Seat belted examples now available.

1999 S REG SUPER POINTER DART

1997/8 VOLVO OLYMPIANS

2001 X REG DENNIS DART MPD’S 25 seats, ramps, good MOTʼs.

2007 VOLVO B9TL’S

2007 MAN 14.220

11.3m, uprated engine and Allison World Series gearbox, 41 seats. (Pic YN04LWU)

ZF automatic, SLF, Wrights body.

2000 X REG VOLVO B6

- BRITAIN’S BIGGEST BUS DEALERS Park, Purfleet, Essex, RM15 4YF 8 864340 e-mail: sales@ensignbus.com t stock at www.ensignbus.com


555537-1039-Edinburgh

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Have the following coaches for sale

2 x 2003 SCANIA IRIZAR CENTURYS

LEZ

COMPLIANT

With 49 reclining seats. One vehicle is white with no markings and and is MOT’d until Sept 2012. The other has removable vinyls and is MOT’d until May. Toilet, PA system, aircon in both and they are in very good condition. £57,500 LEZ Compliant £50,000 non-Compliant

2002 MAN MAGO I Charcoal grey with 33 reclining seats. Air-con and PA system. To be sold with new MOT. A rare vehicle possibly the only one in the UK. We have had this Midi coach since new and it has performed very well for us. Priced at £25,000 o.n.o

Call Peter today on 0131 554 5413


555649-1039-Bowen

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555525-1039-Connaught

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Mini Coach Sales

BRAND NEW MERCEDES OPTARE TORO 32 high back seats, A/C, D/G, forced air, reading lights, power door, large boot.

2010 10 REG IVECO 50c15 IRISBUS 16 high back seats, 3 point belts, luggage racks, power door and under-floor wheelchair lift.

BRAND NEW MERCEDES OPTARE SOROCO 19 high back reclining seats, 3 point belts, A/C, D/G, forced air, reading lights, power door, large boot.

MORE PHOTOS AND DETAILS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE: www.connaughtpsv.co.uk

BRAND NEW MERCEDES BENZ 513CDI EVM CLASSIC 19 high back seats, 3 point belts, luggage racks and A/C.

2006 06 REG MERCEDES BENZ 413 CDI SPRINTER 16 seats, 3 point belts, forced air, reading lights, large luggage boot.

2006 06 REG IVECO 40c12 16 high back seats, 3 point belts, forced air, reading lights and power door.

2003 03 REG MERCEDES BENZ 814D OPTARE NOUVELLE 29 high back seats plus courier, 3 point belts, A/C, forced air, reading lights, power door and large boot.

2002 02 REG MERCEDES BENZ 814D PLAXTON CHEETAH 33 high back seats, 3 point belts, forced air, reading lights, power door and boot.

2002 52 REG MERCEDES 413CDI SPRINTER 16 high back seats, 3 point belts, forced air, reading lights, auto gearbox, LEZ compliant.

2000 W REG MERCEDES 814D VARIO OPTARE NOUVELLE 25 reclining seats plus courier, 3 point belts, A/C, forced air, reading lights, power door, large boot.

1999 V REG MERCEDES 814 BEAVER 33 high back seats, 3 point belts, power door, 12 months test.

Steve Peach Tel: 01302 770863 Mob: 07836 551020 Email: steve@connaughtpsv.co.uk


p44_CBW_1039

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44 | COACH & BUS WEEK | June 6, 2012

COACHES & BUSES WANTED FOR AUCTION for our UK & Commonwealth buyers Our main interest is equipment available due to Retirement or Fleet Reorganisation.

2003 FORD TRANSIT 410

17 seat factory bus, ex-council, low mileage, Class 5 MOT

ÂŁ4,950

For more information visit

www.staffordbuscentre.com Tel: 01782 791774/07803 222552

All equipment would be marketed worldwide through our Special Auction Events Team.

2005 Ford Transit 410

Factory minibus, fitted with 14 moquette h/b coach seats, COIF, tacho and new PSV, 120,000 miles

See our website history for people we have worked for.

For further information please call Malcolm Harrison on 01630 674326 or email malcolm@malcolmharrison.co.uk MALCOLM HARRISON AUCTIONS

ÂŁ5950

For more information visit

www.staffordbuscentre.com Tel: 01782 791774/07803 222552

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p45_CBW_1039

31/5/12

15:16

Page 1

June 6, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 45

SF05 YHH – 2005 Bova Futura 55 seat exec, centre sunken toilet, Air Con, no sign writing, metallic silver, ready to go, 6 speed Manual, TAX and MOT. £75,000 + VAT GO03 ECB – 2003 Scania Irizar Century 49 Seat exec, rear sunken toilet, Air Con, no sign writing, Hanover boards – DDA SCH.3, 7 speed comfort-shift, TAX and MOT. £45,000 + VAT

T13 TSE – 2000 (W) Bova Futura 49 Seat Exec, Centre Sunken Toilet, Air Con, Automatic (ZF), interchangeable boards to sides and rear, DDA Sch.3, Hanover boards, TAX and MOT. £35,000 + VAT

Call Junior – 07779 801862 – 01922 647100

QUALITY USED VEHICLES Coaches 2010 DAF E4 auto TEMSA SAFARI HD 55 rec seats 2 point belts, air con LEZ COMP 2008 SETRA E4 AS-tronic MERC eng 49 rec seats, centre toilet, fridge, drinks, air con LEZ COMP 2007 VDL SB4000 XF auto VANHOOL ALIZEE T9 47/51 rec seats, rear toilet, wheel chair lift, air con LEZ COMP 2007 MAN E4 auto TEMSA OPALIN 9 35 rec seats, air con LEZ COMP 2006 VDL SB4000 XF auto VANHOOL ALIZEE T9 42/49 rec seats, rear toilet, fridge, boiler, air con 2006 BOVA man FUTURA FH 49/53 rec seats, centre toilet, fridge, drinks, air con 2006 VOLVO B12M I Shift PLAXTON PANTHER 55 rec seats, rear toilet, wheel chair lift, air con 2006 IVECO EURORIDER E3 AS-tronic BEULAS CYGNUS 49 rec seats, centre toilet, fridge, drinks, air con 2006 VDL SB4000XF auto VANHOOL ALIZEE T9 42/49 rec seats, rear toilet, fridge, boiler, air con 2003 VOLVO B12B auto VANHOOL T9 49 rec seats, centre demountable toilet, fridge, drinks, air con

Buses 2010 TEMSA auto AVENUE 42 seats plus 28 standees 2009 VDL SB200 auto WRIGHTBUS PULSAR 2 44 fixed seats plus 28 standees 2006 DENNIS DART ADL Special Offer £38,000 29 seats plus 17 standees 2002 VDL SB200 auto WRIGHTBUS COMMANDER 44 fixed seats plus 29 standees 1997 DAF SB220 auto OPTARE DELTA 49 seats plus 23 standees

01274 681144

Gomersal, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, BD19 4BJ Email: busandcoachsales@arriva.co.uk www.arrivabusandcoach.co.uk Bus and Coach

take a test drive today

Kinglong Scotland KINGLONG 2012

XMQ 6127 53/49 luxury recliners, DVD, Flatscreens, W/C, A/C, many extras as standard From £179,950 + VAT

XMQ 6900 35 leather recliners or 31 with W/C, DVD, Flatscreen, many extras £134,950 + VAT

XMQ 6800 8 metres of luxury mini coach, 31/29 recliners, DVD, Flatscreen, A/C £99,950 + VAT Manual £109,950 + VAT Auto XMQ 6130Y TRI AXLE!! Ultimate coach, 55/59 seats @ 13 metre, D/G, A/C, W/C, MP3, 3 flatscreens, drivers bunk!!! £229,950 + VAT secures 13 metre

AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW!!!!

XMQ 6127J Ultimate City Bus, Low floor entry with tilt, LEZ compliant, Euro 5 Cummins, LED as standard, CCTV, 12 metre gives 37 + 3 + 34 standees only £134k + VAT 9 metre gives 24 + 3 + 17 standees only £109k + VAT All the above come with 2 year warranty!!!!

Used, nearly new stock available!!

Authorised stockist Kinglong parts and glass.

01651 872864 Office 07769719252 Mobile 24/7 kinglongscotland@yahoo.co.uk

Station Yard, Oldmeldrum, AB51 0EZ


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46 | COACH & BUS WEEK | June 6, 2012

2007 Ford Transit

17 seat factory bus, only 39,000 miles, COIF, tacho and new PSV

2005 MAN 14.240 MCV EVOLUTION SERVICE BUS

£12450

For more information visit

www.staffordbuscentre.com Tel: 01782 791774/07803 222552

VOLVO B6 BLE ALEXANDER ALX P & R REG 35 seats

From £3,750

For more information visit

www.staffordbuscentre.com Tel: 01782 791774/07803 222552

2004 Optare Solo M920 33 seats, Mercedes engine, Allison automatic gearbox, MOT Nov 2012, direct local authority. Fitted with all new aluminium side panels repainted in Diamond white. Additional options include electronic destination and repaint into your livery if required £27,950

2003 Mercedes 814D Vario 33 seat coach. 5 speed manual gearbox. Three point seatbelts, boot, luggage racks. £23,450

1999 Mercedes 814D Vario

1999 Mercedes 814D Automatic

4.2 litre turbo diesel, 5 speed manual gearbox, 33 bus seats fitted with retractable lapbelts. Ready to work. In daily use. Photo shows typical bus. Choice available. £9,250

4.2 litre turbo diesel, Allison automatic gearbox, 31 bus seats, repaint in white, ready to work. £8,950

1996 Dennis Dart Plaxton Pointer SLF 37 seats. In daily use. Vehicle has been recently repainted. (number plate and electronic destination not included). £5,000

1997 Mercedes 814D Plaxton Beaver 33 seat with belts, Allison automatic gearbox, both vehicles MOT to Sept 2012. Ageless plate fitted. Choice of 2. 1 with 'urban' bus seats and the other with retrimmed bus seats. £4,950

40 seats, NEW MOT TO MAY 2013, repanelled and repainted 2 pack white, engine overhauled, Hanover LED destination gear, drives fantastic, superb condition.

£26,500 + VAT o.v.n.o.

Contact Steve on 07795 347476 or 01492 640320 (North Wales)

1999 Mercedes 814D Vario Repanelled as required, repainted in diamond white, 33 coach seats fitted, 2 point retractable seatbelts, long MOT. £14,950 + VAT

2002 Mercedes 814D Vario 33 seatbelts, 4.2 litre turbo diesel, 5 speed manual gearbox, MOT August 2011. £11,950

1997 (but you’d never know) Marshall Capital Dennis Dart One previous owner from new, well maintained example direct from municipal bus company. Retrimmed seats. Tinted glass. £8,450

1996 SLF Dennis Dart

Ex-major operator, MOT expired, but in good order. Sold as seen £3,500 or with 12 months MOT £4,500 + VAT

1997 Marshall Capital, Dennis Dart One previous owner from new, well maintained example direct from municipal bus company. Tinted glass. £6,000

DON’T FORGET OUR BUS RENTALS Short and long term hire available on any of these vehicles, ask about ‘Rent to Buy’ as well !

Nextbus Ltd, Chippenham, Wiltshire Tel - 01249 462462 - 24 Hr Mobile - 07590851477 www.next-bus.co.uk email - sales@next-bus.co.uk


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SDRC0ACHhelp

June 6, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 47

MAYPOLE COACHES COACH OPERATORS FOR OVER 50 YEARS DUE TO RESTRUCTURING HAVE THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES FOR SALE: Belted, S/D con, tacho, Eminox, Euro 4, driver air con, 60 mph, 12 mths MOT £16,000 + VAT

81 SEATS VOLVO OLYMPIAN

“Assisting the Coaching Industry”

Eminox exhaust, air con, 60 mph, 12 mths MOT, £11,500 + VAT

74 SEAT BELTED

As above £10,000 + VAT

74 SEATS WITHOUT BELTS

2 x 1990 Volvo B10M Manual Plaxton Paramount 3500 57 Seaters With Courier Seat, Long Test, Brand New Re-Trim & NEW Sprayed White £8,500.00 + VAT

1994 VOLVO B10M JONCKHEERE DEAUVILLE

Retrimmed 2 yr ago, 12 mths MOT, 51 seats with belts, toilet, DVD/monitor £12,500 + VAT

1993 VOLVO B10M VANHOOL T8 BODYWORK

12 mths MOT, toilet, DVD/monitor, 49 seats with belts £11,000 + VAT

1996 Dennis Javelin Manual Berkhof Excellence 2000 63 seats, ZF auto, 3 point belts, 12 mths MOT, tacho £5,500 + VAT

1992 LEYLAND LYNX

60 coach seats 3 point belts,Cummins/ Allison, 12 mths MOT, tacho, radio £5,900 + VAT

1996 BLUEBIRD BUS

Tel: 0151 547 2713 or 07802 235778

53 Seater With Courier Seat, Tested Till June, But Will Supply New Test & NEW Spray White £7,500.00 + VAT

D L O S

2008 Mercedes 613D Oynx

DARTLINE

Manual, LEZ 4, Minicoach 24 Seats, AIR CON, Long MOT & London LEZ Euro 4 £38,000.00 + VAT

1995 Volvo B10M Auto Plaxton Premier 350 53 Seat Standard Exec, Level Floor, Mounted Toilet, NEW Retrim & Spray, Long MOT, Mint! £16,000.00 + VAT

READY FOR START OF SEASON Volvo B10M Plaxton Premier 320 Automatics Brand New Converted 70 Seat Coaches, New Seats & Spray, Certified And Ready To Go...

3x Optare Solos

2005, 33 seats, 9.2m long, Mercedes engines, approx. 200,000 miles each, well maintained, Mobitec destination boards, MOTs Nov/Dec 2012

£35,000 each, reduced if more than 1 taken

Contact Simon on 01392 872900

www.SDRcoachhelp.com 24 Hrs 0844 576 3300 1 x 1993, £18,500.00 + VAT 1 x 1994, £22,500.00 + VAT

1 x 1995, £26,500.00 + VAT 2 x 1997, £29,500.00 + VAT

Hunnable Industrial Estate, Toppesfield Road, Gt Yeldham, Essex CO9 4HD


555589-1038-Pickrell

28/5/12

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Page 1

H.W. PICKRELL 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.

WH E E LCH AIR ACCE S S IBL E MI NI BUS E S

07 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 313CDI 2.2

07 REG FORD TRANSIT 350 2.4TD

2004 54 REG IVECO 50c13 IRIS BUS 2.8 TURBO DIESEL

56 REG RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.5TD

6 speed manual, a/c, Frank Guy crew van, side loading door, 8 x high back Cogent reclining removable seats, tracked floor, large storage area ideal airport shuttle bus, 34,500 miles only, choice of two.

Long wheelbase, high roof, 6 seater crew van, PAS, SLD, rear partion for storage & tools in rear, Eberspacher heater, overhead storage, microwave, hot water box, wash facilties, 27,000 miles only.

Manual, LWB, PAS, factory conversion, electric windows, cruise control, low front entry slam door, 16 high back seats with all age seat belts, full air con, exlocal authority, COIF, new PSV MOT, only 80,341 kms.

Manual gearbox, high roof, Warnerbus conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, sat nav, 6 high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, air con, Unwin Innotrax floor, Ricon tail lift, 14,300 miles only.

09 PEUGEOT EXPERT TEPEE 1.9 HDI

06 REG RENAULT MASTER LM35 2.5TD

2009 59 REG VAUXHALL VIVARO SL28 2.0 TD

06 REG RENAULT MASTER SM33 2.2TD

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, PAS, LWB, PTS ambulance conversion, SLD, 6 rear high back seats, Ferno stretcher locks, Ricon stretcher lift , Eberspacher heater, Unwin tracking, exNHS, 36,100 miles only.

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.

Manual gearbox, high roof, O & H conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 6 high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, Eberspacher heater, air con, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, 21253.441 miles.

07 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 313 CDI 2.2

53 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 416 CDI

58 REG FORD TRANSIT TOURNEO CONNECT 1.8 HDI

07 REG RENAULT MASTER LH35 2.5TD

6 speed manual, a/c, Frank Guy conversion, side loading door, 8 x high back Cogent reclining removable seats, tracked floor, PLS in board tail lift, 34,500 miles only, choice of two.

4x4 ambulance, LWB, Wilker box body conversion, full air con/climate, side loading door, 3 high back seats, Falcon stretcher, PLS stretcher lift, very high spec, one owner ex Air Force, only 25,950 kms.

Manual gearbox, CD, electric windows & mirrors, A/C, twin side loading doors, 2 high back seat in rear, single passenger seat front, cut out floor, air suspension, fold down ramp, high spec, 24,000 miles.

LWB, hi roof, multi purpose office/comms unit, PAS, SLD with AVS side step, awning, 3 x workstations, amber light, bars front and rear, overhead storage lockers, heating, generator, microwave, tv, only 1,500 miles.

60 REG RENAULT MASTER SM33 2.5TD

2008 08 REG IVECO 50c15 IRIS BUS 2.8 TD

2009 09 REG VAUXHALL MOVANO LM39 2.5TD

3005/06 MERCEDES SPRINTER 413 CDI UVK TREKA

Manual gearbox, high roof, Advance conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 6 high back seats plus 2 x w/chair, heater, air con, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, 2,060 miles only.

Auto Agile gearbox, Irisbus conversion, electric windows, power front entry plug door, 16 high back removable seats with all age seat belts, Rratcliff tail lift, COIF, new PSV MOT, only 45,000 kms.

Manual, high roof, PAS, LWB, new conversion, side loading door, AVS side step, 14 high back seats, AMF m2 fully tracked floor, new Ricon tail lift, tacho fitted, only 6,646 miles.

Auto gearbox, LWB, PAS, N/S/F electric power door, 16 high back removable seats on Unwin tracking, Eberspacher, Ratcliff underfloor tail lift, ex-midland council, COIFʼd, choice of 3.

2008 57 REG VAUXHALL VIVARO LH28 2.0 T D

06 REG FORD TRANSIT T300 125BHP 2.2TD

54 REG M ERCEDES SPRINTER 411 CDI

07 REG RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.5TD

Manual gearbox, hi roof, O & H conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 4 high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, Eberspacher heater, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, 30,280 miles only.

6 speed geabox, high roof, SCW conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 6 high back seats plus 2 x w/chair, Eberspacher heater, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, only 2,682 miles, ex-NHS.

Tiptronic gearbox, Euromotive PSC bus conversion, front entry slam door with low entry step, 16 x high back removable seats, Eberspacher, ex local authority, COIF'd, tacho fitted, only 66,780 kms.

Manual gearbox, high roof, Warnerbus conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, sat nav, 6 high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, Webasto, Unwin innotrax floor, Ricon tail lift, 14,300 miles only.

06 REG RENAULT MASTER SL33 2.2TD

2005 05 REG FORD TRANSIT 2.5TD

06 REG RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.2TD

2004/05 54 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 416CDI AMBULANCE

Manual gearbox, low roof, O & H conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 4 high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, Eberspacher heater, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, 17,491 miles.

Manual, high roof, PAS, LWB, new conversion, side loading door, AVS side step, 11 high back CT seats, m2 tested fully tracked floor, roof vent, new AMF tail lift.

Automatic gearbox, high roof, SCW conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 7 high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, Eberspacher heater, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, 11,831 miles.

LWB, Macneillie van conversion, SLD, 2 rear high back seats, Ferno Falcon stretcher & locks, stretcher lift, blue light bars and siren, very high spec, low miles 65-85,000 miles only, choice of 8.


p49_CBW_1039

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June 6, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 49

2003 Neoplan Skyliner • 75 seater • Low mileage and excellent condition • Euro 4 with RPC • Mercedes V8/AsTronic box. • Ski box • MOT Oct 2012 Probably the best Skyliner available Photos available

Bargain at £89,000 + VAT

Tel: 01296 398300 Motts Travel, Buckinghamshire

COACH&BUSMARKET Looking for a great deal to sell your vehicles? Buy 3 weeks get a 4th week

FREE!

Contact Jade Cassidy now on :

01733 293247 jade.cassidy@rouncymedia.co.uk Coach & Bus Week – the only paid-for weekly magazine in the bus and coach industry – there’s no comparison!


p50_CBW_1039

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50 | COACH & BUS WEEK | June 6, 2012

COACH&BUSCLASSIFIED CHECKPOINTS

AUDIO &VIDEO

ENGINES

Crewe Engines Ltd TO PURCHASE CHECKPOINT/DUSTITE loose wheelnut indicators or to locate your nearest stockist:

Tel: 01524 271200 www.checkpoint-safety.com

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

MERCEDES ENGINE SPECIALISTS

WE ALSO RECONDITION ALL MAKES OF BUS & COACH ENGINES

Direct from the UK’s No.1 since 1975 Call now for a quote or more information

01270 526333

Federation of Engine Re-Manufacturers

www.creweengines.co.uk

VOLVO - CUMMINS - SCANIA MAN - DAF - IVECO FULL FITTING FACILITIES

Phone for further information

BLUELINE BUILDINGS 01709 578333 anytime GARAGE EQUIPMENT

Commercial Garage Equipment Brake Testers

Inspection Pits

Commercial Lifts

Mobile Lifts

Tel: 07538 218194 www.commercialgarageequipment.co.uk Email: sales@commercialgarageequipment.co.uk

COACH&BUSCLASSIFIED Looking for a great deal to promote your products and services? Contact Jade Cassidy now for our current offers: 01733 293247 jade.cassidy@rouncymedia.co.uk Coach & Bus Week – the only paid-for weekly magazine in the bus and coach industry – there’s no comparison!

GARAGE EQUIPMENT


p51_CBW_1039

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June 6, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 51

COACH&BUSCLASSIFIED HEATING

TRAINING

Heaters • A/C Equipment Blowers • Motors Radiators • Silicone Hose Ducting • Wiper Equipment Gas Struts

Tel: 01993 849522 Fax: 01993 706920

Don’t forget to say that you saw it in

Email: sales@thhs.co.uk

www.thhs.co.uk

UNIT 9 NIMROD BUSINESS PARK DE HAVILLAND WAY, WITNEY OX29 0YG

REGISTRATIONS G

TRIM

SPEEDY REGISTRATIONS CO LTD G ‘Buy with confidence – CNDA Member’

£750 44 NXA 80 HXE 99 HXY ALZ 303 AXZ 88 ECR 767 IIG 89 RXI 85 YIL 71

£350 £99 £99 £50 JBZ 484 HIG 5338 MNZ 1195 CXZ 4471 KBZ 505 HIG 5339 ONZ 1180 CXZ 4472 NUI 636 IIG 7764 REZ 3369 DFZ 4697 NUI 737 IIG 7765 RUI 2117 DFZ 4698 PXI 494 JIG 8894 SEZ 5766 DRZ 7321 RBZ 696 JIG 8895 SUI 8836 DRZ 7322 SCZ 878 KIG 5113 SUI 8837 IFZ 8350 SXI 292 KIG 5114 TJZ 1116 IFZ 8360 UIW 626 MJZ 6749 TJZ 1119 JFZ 8377 We Buy for Cash, also Part Exchange

Tel: (028) 6638 7124 Fax: (028) 6638 7771

Millwood, Lisbellaw, Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland BT94 5HQ

TICKETING

£50 JFZ 8378 JIG 8947 JIG 8948 KIG 5158 KIG 5159 RNZ 2214 RNZ 2215 TUI 5755 TUI 5756

COACH TRIMMERS LTD

Supplying the Bus and Coach Industry with quality seat retrims and interior refurbishment. Full floors re-laid and centre gangways. Collection and delivery service anywhere in the UK, seven days a week.

Email: info@eastgate-coachtrimmers.co.uk Web: www.eastgate-coachtrimmers.co.uk

TYRE EQUIPMENT

Tel/Fax: 01751 472229


p52_CBW_1039

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52 | COACH & BUS WEEK | June 6, 2012

COACH&BUSCLASSIFIED TYRES

• Tyre fitting machine now available •

JUNE SPECIALS 205/75R 205/75R 215/75R 215/75R 245/70R 265/70R 265/70R 275/70R

17.5 BUDGET STEER 17.5 BARUM STEER 17.5 BUDGET STEER 17.5 BARUM STEER 19.5 BUDGET STEER 19.5 BUDGET STEER 19.5 BARUM STEER 22.5 BUDGET STEER

£102.00 £132.00 £99.00 £132.00 £128.00 £136.00 £185.00 £175.00

Remould and premium tyres price on request Free delivery on 4 tyres or more We have more tyres in stock – please give us a call for quotes

275/70R 275/80R 295/80R 295/80R 315/80R 315/80R 11R22.5 305/75R

www.tdtyres.com

22.5 BARUM STEER 22.5 BUDGET STEER 22.5 BUDGET STEER 22.5 MIDRANGE 22.5 BUDGET STEER 22.5 MIDRANGE BUDGET STEER 24.5 GOODYEAR NEW

£245.00 £190.00 £178.00 from £245.00 £198.00 from £255.00 £175.00 £550.00

ew Number N 01684 560029 Adam : 07841 239411 Mark : 07545 735303 All prices subject to VAT and availability.

VEHICLE SPARES

Passenger and Commercial Vehicles Recovery Dismantlers Parts Sales OUR SERVICES: • • • • • • • • • •

Recovery

Refurbishment Testing

Repairs

Engine/gearbox rebuilds Fault finding

Buying & selling vehicles

DISMANTLING/SPARES: • • • • • •

Reconditioned engines Reconditioned gearboxes Engine spares Windows

Windscreens Seats

Trevor Wigley & Son Bus Ltd

TW FULLY LICENSED END OF LIFE VEHICLE CENTRE

TW REDUNDANT AND SCRAP VEHICLES TAKEN TW PROFESSIONAL, EFFICIENT SERVICE TW ALL REQUIREMENTS CATERED FOR TW VARIOUS SPARES AVAILABLE TW CONTACT US FOR FULL AVAILABILITY

Export to foreign markets Repairs

Finance repossession and storage

CALL: 01226 727 769 Bus sales: www.geoff-ripleysbuscoachsales.com Geoff Ripley, Boulder Lane (off Shaw Lane), Carlton, Barnsley S71 3HJ

Mob: 07912 103 497 or 07711 750 434 Fax: 01226 727 607 Email: geoff-ripley@btconnect.com

Call 01226 723147 Night Service 01226 716479 Fax 01226 700199 Email wigleys@btconnect.com

www.twigley.com


June 6, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 53

Seen something funny? Send it to gareth.evans@rouncymedia.co.uk, fax 0845 2802927 or write to: Last Stop, Coach & Bus Week, 3 The Office Village, Cygnet Park, Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX

Sunday: I’m ‘back home’ with my parents for the weekend. Rise bright and early. The sun is shining and the birds are singing to their hearts’ content. Two coffees and a lot of laughter later, I’ve got my laptop out. Spend a couple of hours writing CBW, including turning some news stories around. Write my Editorial, which I often describe as being like a sermon. You have to discuss a current, relevant topic but you also have to make it interesting to keep the reader interested – and me being me, I try to make it fairly upbeat, despite the negativity of some of the topics. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. You may or may not be aware of Private Eye’s nickname for the Department for Transport. Well, in the glossary section of a 2010 report by Atkins Transport Planning and Management, the nickname seemed to have taken hold. Popular rail industry blog Railway Eye lived up to its name when it spotted the abbreviation (mistake?), where the DfT was written as “Daft.” How many “Daft” decisions made recently do you think have lived up to this alternative name? We’ll leave you to decide and save digging a deeper hole in public…

WA11 KER pulled from auction DVLA has been caught with its trousers down after it removed an offensive personalised number plate from the June auction. The registration in question was “WA11 KER,” which just so happened to have a bolt fitting the plate to the car positioned between the two numbers, turning them into a single “N”. It had been advertised

Dilbert

for weeks before it was deemed too offensive for British roads with just over a week until hammer time. DVLA said it originally included the number plate “in salute of the race walking fraternity” as well as for the popular surname, Walker, but later said: “This is something we would not tolerate and as such the decision was taken to withdraw it from the sale.” Offensive plates usually do not get issued. The DVLA is even known to take back inappropriate registrations, so it is wondered why it took this long to realise the mistake or if public complaints

prompted the removal. Eric Craggs, the Chairman of National Numbers, said: “It is a very good number plate for the Walker surname. We have received a lot of interest from customers and I imagine it could have gone for a lot of money.” The last Walker number at auction was “W41 KER”. It sold for £16,000 in the year 2000. The number plate “BO11 LUX” was taken from a car in Chesterfield last year. We in the CBW office suspect we know what the owners thoughts were when told of the possible offence caused…

Monday: Press day. It’s hot outside and extremely warm inside the office, so don shorts – I like to be comfortable. Bring in a large container of bread pudding kindly made for the office by my father the day previously. We’re on track for a very early finish but then some potential clangers are spotted, which have to be rectified. Ah the joys of subbing… Still manage to finish much earlier than normal. Tuesday: Wake up at 0630hrs. CBW is whizzing round in my head. Lounge in bed for half an hour, before getting lunch together for my fiancée. Drop her off at work before opening up the office. Spend the day making phone calls gathering news, which I enjoy as it’s a prime opportunity to catch up with people. Wednesday: A busy day in the office writing and chasing news for this issue. Also edit material prior to submitting it to Keith for design. At the close of play, I’m happy with the point we’ve reached in terms of production. Thursday: The second press day of the week - it’s hectic but happy. Rise at 0600hrs. It’s hot but I feel it’s no longer warm enough for shorts. www.coachandbusweek.com

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54 | COACH & BUS WEEK | June 6, 2012

RECRUITMENT

New CILT President Graham Inglis, DHL Supply Chain’s CEO for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, is the new President of CILT. Inglis was inaugurated at an event in London on Tuesday, May 22. and succeeds former President Peter Hendy CBE, the Commissioner for Transport for

Graham Inglis, President of CILT

London. Paying tribute to his predecessor, Inglis said Peter Hendy’s role in planning for a successful transport and freight operation during a forthcoming sporting event could help produce a legacy of long-term benefit for the logistics industry. He said: ‘This summer will test our road transport network like nothing before. But goods and services still need to be moved around. Deliveries to shops, businesses and homes still have to be made - on time.” Inglis said he believed the event provided opportunities to demonstrate delivery arrangements which, if operated well, could establish themselves as an efficient and welcome means of future operation. Additionally, he suggested the requirements for increased security and fewer deliveries during the event could lead to smarter operations. Mr Inglis also revealed he will concentrate on transport safety

Driving Standards Manager

Deadlines Booking: Monday 5.00pm Full artwork: Monday 5.00pm

Contact Ian Gillis 01733 293484

during his Presidency. He is particularly concerned to further improve childrens’ awareness of safety around trucks. CILT members attending the event were addressed by guest speaker Mike Penning MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport. Mike Penning told members he was very pleased to hear

the President’s commitment to enhance road safety, particularly regarding cyclists. He said although many cyclists had experience of driving a car, few had driven a lorry and therefore could not always appreciate the potential difficulties involved.

ian.gillis@rouncymedia.co.uk

Visit www.ciltuk.org.uk or phone 01536 740104

Your First Choice for Recruitment

Based in London & Surrey Competitive salary and Benefits package We are currently advertising vacancies for a Driving Standard Manager for Walworth and Twickenham depot. The successful applicants will assist the Operations Manager and depot and be responsible for all matters related to driving standards and their effective and efficient management and control to meet TfL and company requirements. A key part of the role will be to investigate all accidents and incidents involving the Company’s vehicles and take appropriate action with staff and where necessary liaise with the Intervention Team as appropriate. Ensure all accidents e.g. road or personal injuries and employer liability are recorded and investigated. And investigate and make sure Customer Complaints are internally being responded to in a timely manner as appropriate. You will be required to have a good working knowledge of all relevant legislation and ensure compliance with Drivers Hours Regulations, Health and Safety Regulations and all company policies and procedures. You will assist in developing all members of your department by identifying and organising job related training and development needs. Further details of the role are included in the role profile / job description which can be obtained from Jackee Adamson, HR Advisor by calling 0207-788-8722. Applications by way of a C.V. and covering letter clearly detailing your experience, knowledge and suitability for the role are to be forwarded by email to jackee.adamson@abellio.co.uk or post to: Jackee Adamson - HR Advisor, Silverthorne Road, Battersea, London, SW8 3HE Closing date for applications: 15th June 2012 Abellio is an equal opportunities employer

www.abellio.co.uk

Join the team where your skills and experience will be respected.

Coach & Bus Week’s well-established recruitment portfolio attracts candidates across sales, marketing and management, delivering not just quantity but quality candidates, providing exceptional value for money. In addition to our unrivalled print-based product, at no extra cost recruitment adverts are also automatically placed online at www.coachandbusweek.com, where they remain on view until a position’s closing date. Coach & Bus Week and www.coachandbusweek.com combine to create the ultimate recruitment solution, guaranteeing your vacancy is seen by every jobseeker that matters from sales agents to board level. To get your vacancy seen by quality candidates, call Ian Gillis on 01733 293484 or email ian.gillis@rouncymedia.co.uk

www.coachandbusweek.com

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