Wednesday July 4, 2012 Issue 1043 | £2.95 www.coachandbusweek.com
COACH:
Parking, pick up/drop off details for London Olympics coaches p8
ATCO:
Sir Brian Souter hands out good advice at ATCO conference p22
BUS:
TECHNOLOGY:
West Yorks operators Communicating tyres reject QC proposals for – Michelin employs partnership plans p6 RFID chips p18
for recru i
Viseon's LDD13: the cost-effective alternative to artics?
JOB ADV tment EVERY WERTS EEK
p30
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THIS WEEK
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Metro: Listen to Brian
W
est Yorkshire PTE’s decision to continue working towards the implementation of a Quality Contract (QC) will come as no surprise to many industry professionals. You will doubtless already know what my views on QCs are, but as ever I shall defend the right of those who have other ideas. Read the interesting comments in a debate on our Facebook page. Metro should take heed of Sir Brian Souter’s words to the ATCO Conference – remember “the four Ps” and “exploit the commercial model.” Citing Manchester, Sir Brian says growth is possible in a PTE area, given the right policies. However, it’s akin to asking a Communist to listen to a Tory (or vice versa).... Meanwhile, in the world of
coaching, the peak season is well and truly in action. It’s the time of year I know from personal experience of working for a family-run firm that it’s best not to bother operators as they’re working their socks off with tours, school trips and private hires. The decision not to impose a further fuel duty rise is surely to be welcomed, particularly just before the start of the new school term . On that note, reports have reached the CBW office of one local authority which appears to need a steel toe cap up it’s rear (not advocating violence) over the way it’s handling – or rather perhaps not – the retendering of its school contracts and local services, something which impacts on almost all operators in that part of the world. There’s nowt like a bit of uncertainty in the current climate – more in a future issue when I’ve dug deeper... Gareth Evans Editor
CONTENTS 4
16
30
The latest from across the coach and bus industry in the UK
10
Trading updates from Optare, NatEx, Go-Ahead and Stagecoach
18
New dual-purpose low floor double decker from Viseon
Updates from three alternative vehicle propulsion systems
12
Communicating Tyres RFID/TPMS - a new tool for tyre management
22
Age discrimination ruling and pension schemes unde TUPE
Ashok Leyland plans to outsource and expand internationally
14
Key speakers from the ATCO Summer 2012 Conference
28
A lighthearted look at the industry. Plus Gareth’s Diary!
What’s happening across the country’s regions. Plus Events Diary
New livery introduced by Peoples Bus is showcased on an MPD
All the latest people moves from across the industry
News
Technology News
International News Regional News
Business News Technology
Conference Report The Big Picture
Vehicle Launch
34
Legal Update
53
Last Stop
54
People
The opinions and views expressed by authors and contributors within Coach & Bus Week are not necessarily those of the Editor or its publisher Coach and Bus Week Ltd.
For all 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 | July 4, 2012
news
“It was very tempting to tell certain operators where to go and to leave them to sort out the problems they created... ” Steve Burd Stagecoach Midlands
briefly RATP-owned Epsom Coaches Group has become a corporate supporter of the London Bus Museum based at the historic Brooklands site in Byfleet. The museum aims to preserve London Buses and it has an impressive collection of vehicles, housed in a new museum building within the Brooklands site. Epsom MD Steve Whiteway, said: “It’s vital our heritage and the rich seam of social history in London’s Buses is preserved. We have for many years provided support for the Museum and its work and I am delighted we are able to become more formally linked as we join their corporate membership scheme.” Richard Hayes, the new President of the Institute of Highway Engineers has suggested the government should consider banning trucks from UK motorways on Sundays. Hayes said restricting use of the road network on Sundays for LGVs is commonplace throughout the rest of Europe and something he “strongly believes we should consider introducing in the UK.” “Weekends should be a relaxing time on our roads when the network is used mainly by the general public going about their leisure activities,” he said. “Surely it is not too much to ask that we take some of the tension out of the system for one day a week.” Scottish coach and bus operator Aberfoyle Coaches, which operated a number of local bus services, demand responsive transport (DRT) and school contracts on behalf of Stirling Council, has had a liquidator appointed and ceased to run these contracts following the close of operation on the evening of Saturday June 30, 2012. As of Monday July 2, the services have been operated by First Scotland East. These contracts have no Sunday timetable. All five (DRT) services have been suspended until alternative arrangements can be made. Further information and details can be found on First’s website at http://www.firstgroup. com/. The news has come as a sad loss to many in the industry – as evidence by comments on Twitter. www.coachandbusweek.com
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ATCO Conference p22
£266m transport boost for green growth and infrastructure These local schemes are designed to bring national benefits by supporting economic growth whilst enabling and encouraging people to make more sustainable travel choices Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced availability of £266m for transport schemes to boost towns and cities across England - boosting greener growth. The funding forms the third allocation from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, under which 12 major projects have won funding totalling £225m, while 15 smaller schemes are receiving a total of £41m from the Department for Transport. This includes an additional £40m on top of the previously-announced £560m funding available under the scheme. This central funding will be matched by a further £194m funding from local authorities and businesses, bringing the total value of the schemes to £460m. Since the Local Sustainable Transport Fund was created following the General Election of 2010, almost a hundred schemes have benefitted from more than £1bn.
The schemes announced are led by 24 local authorities, with many more as partners and cover eight regions. Each of the projects will provide a transport package delivering carbon savings, economic growth and in many cases will see major investment in local transport infrastructure. Successful projects include a variety of measures comprising
Tracy Jessop, Chairman of ATCO, issued a response to the announcement
in detailed preparations Stagecoach at involved with LOCOG for over a year. The will provide around half of the the Olympics firm required 1,000 buses and coaches, Stagecoach bus and rail employees from across the UK are to play a key role in supporting the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games. Around 2,630 bus drivers and support staff will help provide transport for athletes and media throughout the Games after the firm was selected by the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) to deliver one of the largest transport contracts for the event. With more than 14,700 athletes and 21,000 media representatives attending the Games, Stagecoach’s UK Bus Project Team has been
improving sustainable transport options for commuters, encouraging parents and children to walk to school, creating public transport hubs and building better cycling infrastructure. Norman Baker said: “The schemes we are funding will improve life for millions of people in towns and cities up and down the country and show cutting carbon
with the remaining vehicles being provided by other UK bus and coach operators. Stagecoach will manage two bus depots throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games – one at West Ham and one at Beckton. Stagecoach West Scotland Operations Director Rob Jones and Stagecoach East Midlands Operations Director Richard Kay have been appointed as depot General Managers, while Stagecoach Midlands Operations Director Elizabeth Esnouf was seconded to the role of Olympic Project Director in 2011. Stagecoach is no stranger to
providing transport to high profile global events, including the Ryder Cup, the British Grand Prix, the Wimbledon tennis championships and the 2010 Papal visit to Glasgow and almost all of Stagecoach’s 100 depots across the UK will help provide resources for the Games. The firm’s involvement will need varying levels of support from its regional bus operating companies. The vehicles provided by Stagecoach will be a mixture of brand new and existing vehicles from its fleet which are able to be released for Olympic duty while at the same time allowing the firm to continue running all of its normal scheduled services. Stagecoach Group CEO Sir Brian Souter said: “The London 2012 Games are a once in a lifetime
02/07/2012 23:02
July 4, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 5
Join the discussion on Twitter by following us at @cbwtweets and find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/coachandbusweek and boosting economic growth go hand-in-hand. Investing in these initiatives shows we are serious about funding infrastructure where there is a clear business case for doing so. The money we are putting into these projects will unlock much greater economic benefits for communities as well as improving the environment – it’s a win-win.” The schemes to be funded include: Reading, a boost for bikes, including a London-style cycle hire scheme and a new state-of-the-art pedestrian and cycle bridge crossing the Thames. New park-and-ride scheme and improvements to existing schemes to help commuters access key employment hubs. Merseyside, a project providing better public transport and cycle infrastructure, linking areas of deprivation with areas of employment. It will include realtime travel information and extra services for bus users as well as station improvements on the local rail network. Nottingham, the smartcard initiative expanded to cover all of the city’s buses, trams and trains with more outlets offering top-up services for the cards. The funding will also cover cycle storage and hire schemes, as well as a network of local travel hubs set up to address the specific travel needs of different communities. These local projects are designed to bring national benefits. In addition to supporting economic growth, enabling and encouraging people to make more sustainable
travel choices, the projects will reduce delays on the roads in urban areas, which cost the economy around £11bn a year. These schemes will help tackle problems such as poor air quality, and improved cycling and walking infrastructure will help to improve the health of the nation. Association of Transport Coordinating Officers (ATCO) welcomed the announcement but warned the recent bid programmes from the Department are swayed towards higher population densities and therefore large conurbations. The organisation is concerned this may come at a long-term cost to travel networks in other parts of the UK. ATCO Chairman Tracy Jessop said: “Any additional funds for transport are welcome. However, people who live in low density populations have as much right to a regular sustainable travel option. Many areas of the country are losing some of the most basic passenger transport services due to the tough decisions being taking at a local level forced by reduced government funding. Of course we understand why the recent bidding rounds are targeted this way: there is a need to focus on economic growth and reducing carbon and this gets bigger bangs for the DfT buck. However, there will be serious long-term consequences on network stability in suburban and rural areas if this trend continues.”
opportunity for our people to be involved in a global event on this scale. We are proud to be involved in the Games and look forward to helping make the event a success for spectators and athletes alike. We also send our best wishes to the British Olympic and Paralympic teams. The whole country is behind them and we all hope they are among the medals when the competition starts.”
(Northampton); Cozy Travel; EYMS Group; Golden Boy Coaches; Bakers Coaches of Biddulph; Heyfordian Travel; Holmeswood Coaches; Impact Group; Logans Executive Travel; London Borough Redbridge; Marshalls Coaches; Marshalls of Sutton-on-Trent; Matthews Coach Hire; Metroline Travel; National Express; Redline Buses; Regent Coaches; Safford Coaches Ltd; Simonds Coach & Travel; South Mimms Travel; Southgate and Finchley Coaches; Stephensons of Essex; Suffolk County Council Travel Services; Sullivan Buses; Thamesdown Transport; Thirlwell Coaches; Translink; Travel London (Abellio London); W&H Motors; and Wicksons of Brownhills.
Operators confirmed by LOCOG as being involved in delivering the Olympic and Paralympic Games Athlete and Media contract, include: Allenby Coach Hire; Barnes Coaches; Baynes Travel; Bluebird Coaches (Weymouth); Centaur Minicoaches; Country Lion
A full list of the schemes can be viewed at www.dft. gov.uk/news
Josie Pearson, Maria Miller MP and Andrew Cleaves
National Express marks 10 years of accessible coaches Minister for Disabled People Maria Miller MP and Paralympic hopeful Josie Pearson joined National Express last week to mark 10 years since the introduction of firm’s first wheelchair accessible coach. Appropriately, this took place at London’s Victoria Coach Station – where its first accessible coach was launched in 2002. It was also announced National Express would be providing transport for the Paralympic team at its training ground in the Algarve. “The introduction of wheelchair lifts transformed the scheduled coach industry 10 years ago – making affordable travel readily accessible to wheelchair users for the first time,” said Andrew Cleaves,
MD National Express Coach. “I’m proud to announce we’re on track to become Britain’s first fully accessible, scheduled coach operator with over 90% of our fleet fitted with wheelchair lifts.” Changes to the Disability Discrimination Act in 1995 mean all bus and coach operators must be fully accessible by 2020. In addition to this, EU Passenger Rights legislation due to come into force in March 2013 will mean operators have a greater duty of care to customers when services are disrupted. National Express claims it is “leading the industry” in its preparation for these measures, with many of the requirements already in place.
Stagecoach is to source around half the required 1,000 vehicles from its regional operating companies, including Stagecoach East www.coachandbusweek.com
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6 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 4, 2012
21
news › BUSeS
The number of years Prentice Coaches has been operating
Preston Bus has announced its support for the 2012 Guild celebrations as it becomes one of the main sponsors for the event. The company has pledged a £30,000 package to support the 2012 Guild and will also be headline sponsor for the Riversway Festival which will be staged July 20-22. Preston Bus will also be putting on special bus routes for the Riversway Festival and introducing a commemorative Guild ticket. The Riversway Festival is set to attract hundreds of people across the country to celebrate Preston’s connection with the sea complemented by a wide range of entertainment over the two days. In addition to supporting the Guild and Riversway, Preston Bus will be dressing two double decker buses as ‘Guild’ specials, which will help to promote the forthcoming event. Go-Ahead Group-owned Wilts & Dorset has invested £5.5m in the purchase of 36 Volvo Wright single decker buses which will be used on the company’s expanding more m1 and m2 services between Poole, Bournemouth, Castlepoint and Southbourne. The more routes have experienced passenger growth year-on-year since the launch in 2004 and now carry over 6.5m customers each year and have more recently seen the expansion of services into Southbourne, as well as a more extensive night service. Andrew Wickham, Managing Director, said the current more fleet, introduced in December 2004, will be cascaded internally. “The new Volvo Wright buses offer greater levels of comfort, with spacious interiors,” he said. Chinese transport professionals recently met their counterparts in York to swap ideas on how to keep cities on the move. A 14-strong delegation, which was led by Peng Lui, the Director of the general office of China’s Ministry of Transport, discussed York’s transport strategy and the city’s public transport plans when they met representatives from City of York Council and FirstGroup. York benefits from an excellent Park & Ride service, which is easy to use. www.coachandbusweek.com
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One step closer to Quality Contracts ITA have yet to reveal specific details regarding the schemes Operators in West Yorkshire have expressed ‘surprise’ and ‘dismay’ over West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority’s (ITA) rejection of comprehensive partnership plans, which the Association of Bus Operators in West Yorkshire (ABOWY) claim would have transformed local bus services across the region. The allparty decision made June 29 by the ITA will see continued development of its plans to introduce a Bus
Quality Contracts Scheme in the region. ABOWY Chairman Keith McNally said: “Up and down the country, in places like Nottingham, Brighton, Oxford and Liverpool, partnership approaches have been proven to deliver benefits for passengers. Similar plans for West Yorkshire are ready and waiting to be introduced almost immediately without any extra cost burden to local council tax payers. “The ITA had been very complimentary about these plans and we believe they have the
ABOWY says partnerships have worked in Nottingham (pictured) & Oxford
Metrobus opens driver training school Metrobus has officially opened a new driver training school at its headquarters in Crawley. The facility has three fully equipped classrooms and exam suites staffed by eight Driver Trainers for up to 10 new recruits in the school at any one time. Training drivers for Crawley, Orpington and Croydon depots. The school provides an ideal base for new driving recruits as it is adjacent to the working bus depot. It also provides facilities for current
From left to right, Andrew WardMinter Metrobus Training Manager, Joanne Gaywood Metrobus HR Manager, Alan Eatwell Metrobus Managing Director and Nicholas Denton Traffic Commissioner for London and the South East drivers to have additional training and for gaining their Driver CPCs. Once drivers are fully trained and have successfully taken the PSV test, they are then provided with
support of passengers. The plans are the result of long and detailed discussion with the ITA and we are very surprised it has now turned its back on them and decided instead to ‘go it alone’ rather than work in partnership.” “Quality Contracts, which the ITA is now backing, will take years to put in place, are completely untried and will cost millions of pounds,” he continued. “The administrative cost, including consultants fees, of just setting up a quality contract scheme, will, we understand, be some £3m and the scheme will then cost many millions more to operate every year. Metro and the ITA have not yet said what the precise cost of their plans will be to local tax payers and are yet to demonstrate they can be afforded. “Bus passengers want to see improvements in bus services but we believe this should be done by working with bus operators and not by a return to cumbersome and expensive town-hall style control of buses, which we last saw in the 1970s and 1980s. Importantly, as major employers in the region, bus operators are also concerned the ITA’s plans will mean the jobs of bus workers across the region, about 4,500 people, will now be put out
STEVE HODGSON
briefly
type training for specific duties and those earmarked to drive the routes on behalf of Transport for London undertake further training to achieve a BTEC qualification. Also, each new driver is assigned a personal mentor for the first two weeks after taking the test to help them gain confidence before driving a bus alone. Training is both classroom-based and out on the road in specially-adapted buses. Trainees also learn the company’s expectations for customer service, defensive driving and disability awareness. The Metrobus Training School was officially opened by Nicholas Denton, the newly appointed Traffic Commissioner for London and the South East. The event was his first official visit to a bus operator in his new capacity.
02/07/2012 23:24
July 4, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 7
2,500 £300k The number of pupils The Green Bus carries each day
to tender.” Metro Chairman Cllr James Lewis has described the decision made June 29, as “good news for the county’s bus users.” “Everyone involved in transport locally realises we need to do something to make bus travel more attractive and address falling patronage. With taxpayers meeting half the total cost of bus services, there needs to be more accountability,” he said. “Although the ITA welcomed the ABOWY offer of enhanced partnership, the proposals currently fall short in the key areas Metro believes needs to change particularly in providing a seamless, common integrated ticketing option without the confusion caused by the current mix of passes that can only be used on one operator’s services or premium-priced multioperator passes. “Metro will continue discussions with the bus operators and listen to their suggestions as well as consulting with other partners as it prepares a draft Public Interest Statement,” continued Cllr Lewis. “Future Authority approval of the Public Interest Statement would then lead to a full public consultation exercise towards the end of the year and submission to the Quality Contract Scheme Board. “I would also like to stress the Authority’s ambition is to work with operators and District Councils in making local bus services into a growing, not declining, market – which would benefit everyone as well as protecting jobs.”
SHARE WATCH
The amount Arriva has invested in its Greenline coach fleet
Industry share prices at the close of the Stock Exchange on Monday, July 2. FirstGroup saw the greatest proportional rise while Optare experienced the biggest proportional drop. Most figures obtained from www.iii.co.uk
290.50p
Price: Year High: 334.80p Year Low: 241.00p
Both new ADL Enviro200s proved to be the centre of attention
Open Day and New Enviro200s for Prentice Coaches East Lothian-based Prentice Coaches held an open day at its premises on Saturday (June 30) to celebrate 21 years of service and the launch of the firms two new ADL Enviro200s. MD Ross Prentice told CBW the event was well attended by customers, enthusiasts and local councilors alike. “Among the things we did were a treasure hunt and word search for the kids,” he said. “A raffle in aid of our local OAP
Association raised almost £100 and people enjoyed a general look around our facilities and vehicles.” The two new Enviro200s attracted most attention but the company also had a selection of its coaches on display including a 1975 Bedford YRQ Plaxton Elite III. Visitors could also see maintenance facilities, coach wash and the rainwater harvesting tank used to collect water from the workshop roof in before being used in the coach wash. Ross also said the company has bought an ALX 200 Dart as a back up and fitted a TV/DVD in it, which showed its Youtube clips including the latest one ‘Creating a Supersonic Livery!’
View ‘Creating a Supersonic Livery!’ at http://youtu.be/ uFBlElXkEpg
Denbighshire SP Technical Research to to save £145k investigate TfL’s bus �ires Denbighshire Council is consulting over £145,000 proposed cuts to bus services following reduced Welsh Government funding. Bus users are being asked to submit their views by July 13. Possible changes include reductions on Ruthin to Mold and Ruthin to Wrexham services. The council thinks £18,000 could be saved on Ruthin to Mold services, withdrawing the Saturday afternoon 38 Prestatyn town service could save £5,000 and £19,000 could come from reduced X50 Ruthin to Wrexham services. The findings will be submitted to a working group for discussion.
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Transport for London (TfL) has commissioned SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden (SP – featured in CBW issue 1040) to study the effectiveness of fire suppression systems in buses. There is currently a lack of information concerning the performance of bus fire suppression systems in real bus fires which have occurred in TfL’s fleet. The proposed study will review all recent fire incidents in TfL buses with installed suppression systems. The results will be reported back to TfL to help provide recommendations concerning updated system
specification. SP Fire Technology has been actively conducting research into bus fire safety since 2004, specifically supported by the Swedish and Norwegian Road Administrations. Since 2010 SP has developed a fire test standard for active fire suppression systems in bus engine compartments. An engine compartment mock-up has been built and used to examine the impact of various parameters. Recently SP has extended this work to include the development of a standard related to detection capabilities for different detection systems.
234.10p
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+10.55 on last week
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FTSE 100
5,641
Index: Year High: 6,104 Year Low: 4,791
+190 on last week
www.coachandbusweek.com
02/07/2012 23:24
8 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 4, 2012
news › coaches
briefly The route to Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 3 has changed this week, according to CPT. All drivers are required to follow the new route around the Old Control Tower. Switching to the revised route means the old road can be freed up to make way for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic coaches. Drivers will see branding for the London 2012 Games on the hoarding as they head down the new route to Terminal 3. The annual French ban on vehicles with more than nine seats, including the driver’s seat, carrying school children is scheduled to take place on Saturday August 4, from 0000 to 2400hrs. Work on a new £14m dual carriageway improvement on the A57 in Rotherham can now start, according to Transport Minister Norman Baker. The new mile-long stretch of road will run from the M1 J31 to the B6463 junction. The A57 M1 to Todwick scheme was one of 10 projects given funding approval as part of the Spending Review announcement in February last year. Work can now start on the main construction with the road scheduled to open in December 2013. The anti-clockwise link road from the M25 to the M4 in both directions is scheduled for closure overnight between 2200 and 0500hrs this Saturday (July 7) for litter clearance. Drivers will be directed to follow a fully signed diversion route via junction 14. Resurfacing work is due starts this week on the northbound A34 in Hampshire between the Kings Worthy and Three Maids Hill junctions. This essential maintenance is expected to last for three weeks. To minimise disruption to peak traffic, the work will be carried out overnight between 2200 and 0600hrs, Monday to Friday, during which time the A34 is due to be closed between the A303 (Bullington Cross) and the A33 (Kings Worth). www.coachandbusweek.com
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Coach Parking at London 2012 If you’ve haven’t already done so, follow the procedures or risk getting hammered Limited numbers of private charter coach spaces are now released at most Olympic venues – according to the CPT. All coach spaces for the London2012 Games need to be booked (see below) directly by the coach operator. Spaces are in high demand and will be assigned on a first come first served basis. All drop off and pick up times as well as coach parking must be booked in advance. Private hire coaches will only be allowed to pick up and drop off in the designated areas around venues. In all cases a vehicle access permit (one per coach) will need to be obtained and displayed so that your coach can enter the site and allow passengers to disembark at one of the designated drop off points. There is absolutely no question of being able to seek entry on the day. Additionally, coach operators are advised of the very strict parking restrictions which will be in operation in the immediate vicinity of all venues. However, operators should be aware layover parking is not available at every site. It is
advised to check with the London 2012 contact centre for more information. London Venues: Olympic Park [OPK], Wembley Arena [WEA], Wembley Stadium [WEM], Wimbledon [WIM], Greenwich Park [GRP], Royal Artillery Barracks (Woolwich) [RAB]. Outside London Venues: Hadleigh Farm (Essex) [HAD], Lee Valley (Hertfordshire) [LVC], Weymouth and Portland [WAP], Eton Dorney [ETD]. Regional/ National Football Stadia: Millennium Stadium (Cardiff) [MIL], St. James’ Park (Newcastle) [SJP], City of Coventry Stadium [COV], Old Trafford (Manchester) [OLD], Hampden Park (Glasgow) [HAM]. Paralympic Venues: Olympic Park [OPK], Greenwich Park [GRP], Royal Artillery Barracks (Woolwich) [RAB], North Greenwich Arena [NGA], Excel [EXL], Brands Hatch [BRH], Eton Dorney [ETD]. There will be no private coach parking at the following venues: Earls Court [EAR] Lords Cricket Ground [LCR], North Greenwich Arena [NGA] Horse Guards Parade [HGP] Hyde Park [HYD] The Mall [MLL]. If you haven’t registered and wish to purchase a drop off/ pick
£300k upgrade for Arriva’s Green Line 758 coach fleet Arriva the Shires has invested £300,000 as part of an upgrade of the coach fleet used on its Green Line 758 service, which links Hemel Hempstead with London. The five-strong fleet of Van Hool T9-bodied DAF SB 300s have been replaced with an identical number of DAF SB 4000 models. The replacement 49-seater coaches offer free WiFi and air-conditioning. Linsey Frostick, Marketing Manager for Green Line Coaches, said: “By upgrading our fleet, we have further reinforced our commitment to improving the quality of our services.
One of the Van Hool T9 coaches allocated to service 758 “By opting for coach travel, passengers are not only guaranteed a seat rather than having to stand in a packed train carriage, but great
up slot at the transport hub you should do so immediately. It must be stressed that no guarantee can be given that all requirements are met. (ODA regret that due to capacity constraints they are no longer able to offer any further free parking during layovers at the Barking Bus Centre beyond those already requested). The cost of coach parking other than the arrangements at Olympic Park is £50 during a twenty-four hour period. The cost of a movement (drop off + pick up) at the Olympic Park is £60. As explained previously it means that if a coach does two separate movements into and out of Olympic Park in the course of a day the cost would be £120 etc. (which would entail two drop offs and two pick ups). All charges are subject to booking fees and VAT. The contact centre number is 0844 921 2012. The booking website is http://www. firstgroupgamestravel.com. Remaining venue bookings will be uploaded onto the website as soon as possible. You are referred to the contact centre if they are not shown. Queries on Olympic coach parking should be emailed to ODA’s Mark James at Mark.James2@London2012.com value journeys which also deliver excellent cost savings.” The 758 route, which was a product of the deregulation of coach services, started on September 26 1981 and today’s route remains virtually unchanged since the original launch. It was the first Green Line service to serve housing estates and pick up commuters and was an immediate success. On the first day of operation, Nicholas Lyell QC, the then MP for Hemel Hempstead, travelled on the service along with 14 other people and after two weeks’ operation, the coaches were full. The first vehicles used were 1979 AC Reliance Coaches, later replaced by Plaxton-bodied Leyland Tigers.
02/07/2012 22:02
“From an extremely challenging position three years ago all the principle objectives of turnaround plan have been achieved...” Jim Sumner Optare
Business News p16
Reading Transport to support RailAir First Beeline Buses and Reading Transport Ltd (RTL) have announced they have agreed in principal a new contractual relationship under which RTL will provide engineering services for the 10 coaches which First Beeline operates on the high-profile RailAir service between Reading and London Heathrow Airport. First’s RailAir coaches have been parked overnight at RTL’s Great Knollys Street depot for some years now and the new arrangement is described as a logical progression from this. At present the coaches are maintained out of First’s Slough depot and the new arrangement is intended to improve service delivery on RailAir coach services
First introduced two Plaxton Panther-bodied Volvo B9s to its RailAir service between Reading and Heathrow last autumn, as pictured here by Matthew Wool in addition to greater engineering efficiency. RTL will be contracted to provide all engineering support for the RailAir coach services including maintenance, routine checks, annual MoTs as well as washing, interior cleaning and parking. Welcoming the move, First Beeline Buses’ Chief Operating Officer Bob Dorr said: “This is about making sure we provide a truly great service to our RailAir customers. This will enable us to
VOSA Authorised Testing Facility
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provide an even better quality of service than now and will be more cost-effective as well.” James Freeman, RTL’s Chief Executive Officer commented: “We are delighted to be able to offer a high quality engineering support service for the high profile RailAir service from our depot at Great Knollys Street, which is just down the road from the Reading Station terminus of the RailAir route. This is in line with our strategy to increase the use of our very comprehensive engineering facility by offering our engineering services to other bus and coach operators.” If all goes to plan, it is expected that the new arrangements will take effect in mid-September 2012. RailAir is a non-stop coach service which shuttles between Reading Station and Heathrow Airport up to every 20 minutes, serving Terminals 1, 3 and 5, with free connections to Terminal 4. The service has existed for over 40 years.
Edwards charity partnership Edwards Coaches has named Age Cymru, the Welsh national charity for older people, as its charity of the year. The two organisations have agreed to work together for the next 12 months on projects to benefit older people across the country. Jason Edwards, Commercial Director at the Llantwit Fardrebased operator, said: “As a Welsh company we always look to support the people of Wales where we can, and feel this partnership will help us give our local people that little bit extra back. “Due to the nature of our business we have a strong relationship with the older generation and are looking forward to building a strong partnership with Age Cymru.”
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10 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 4, 2012
news › technology
Volvo claims a 37% fuel efficiency gain over conventional diesel buses with its latest hybrid developments
Volvo hybrid improves 25 Volvo hybrid buses operating in Göteborg On June 11 Volvo Buses delivered 25 new hybrid buses to the city of Göteborg, marking a major step in the city’s drive to switch to a fossil fuel-free, quieter and cleaner public transport system. “It’s particularly gratifying our home town of Göteborg is choosing to invest in the best environmental alternative available on the market,” said Volvo Buses President Per Carlsson at the handover of the hybrid buses at Gustav Adolfs Torg in central Göteborg. In Göteborg, a decision was also taken to run the city’s hybrid buses on biodiesel, which further reduces their climate footprint. Emissions of particulates and nitrogen oxides are half those of a conventional diesel bus. Since Volvo Buses started commercial production of hybrid buses two years ago, demand has increased steadily. To date 725 hybrid buses have been sold in more than 18 countries. For the 260 buses already in regular operation, their total mileage is equivalent to 200 times round the planet. In the Nordic region, the number of www.coachandbusweek.com
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hybrids in operation now totals 100, including the 25 recently delivered to Göteborg. “Our hybrid buses are a huge sales success. The experience our customers have so far as regards fuel consumption, reliability, environmental impact and passenger perception exceed even our own expectations. I’m convinced that the people of Göteborg will also appreciate their new hybrid buses,” said Per Carlsson. Volvo claims a 37% fuel efficiency gain over conventional diesel buses with its latest hybrid developments.
IMPROVEMENTS IN EFFICIENCY When Volvo Buses began field testing hybrid buses in 2007 it calculated on a fuel saving of about 25% in urban operations compared with corresponding diesel buses. The first commercially built hybrid buses were launched two years later and their fuel consumption was about 35% lower. Since then the fuel consumption of new hybrid buses has dropped even more, thanks to lower vehicle weight and electric drives for several auxiliary systems. “The fuel data from the 260 Volvo hybrids already in service
throughout the world show reality surpasses our calculations. At the same time we are continuing to develop the technology towards even better fuel efficiency and lower emissions,” said Edward Jobson, Environment Manager at Volvo Buses. One of Luxemburg’s largest travel and transport companies, SalesLentz, took delivery of its first Volvo hybrid in 2009 and now runs a total of 11, operating both in inner-city urban traffic and in rural areas. A further two Volvo Hybrids will be delivered in September 2012. The company maintains thorough records of its operating costs and notes that its hybrid buses more than match expectations. “The fuel consumption of our Volvo hybrids is an average of 25.7 litres per 100 kilometres, which is a very good figure. At the same time, we’re making a positive impact on the environment, which is appreciated by drivers and passengers alike,” said Jos Sales, CEO of Sales Lentz. Volvo’s hybrid bus is propelled entirely electrically, is quiet and emission-free from start and up to 15-20 km/h. At higher speeds, the bus is powered by a small
4-cylinder diesel engine which can operate under optimal conditions within a narrow rev band. The energy generated during engine braking is stored in the bus’s batteries and is used to power the vehicle’s electric motor and various auxiliary systems. The choice of gearchanging system also helps cut fuel consumption: hybrids are equipped with I-Shift, which results in far lower energy losses than from conventional automatic transmission. While at a standstill at a bus stop or traffic light, the diesel engine shuts off and all auxiliary systems such as the climate unit, doors, power steering are powered electrically. “It is not uncommon for a city bus to spend between 30% and 40% of its operating time idling, so this solution not only saves fuel, it also significantly improves the local environment around the bus,” explains Edward Jobson. The latest version of Volvo’s hybrid bus weighs about 500 kg less than before. This means it can carry another seven passengers, raising the vehicle’s productivity by 8%. This in turn means 112 Volvo hybrid buses can carry as many passengers as 130 diesel buses can. “Our experience so far shows our hybrid delivers what it promises, beating our fuel economy and environmental performance expectations by a wide margin. Compared with corresponding diesel buses the hybrid emits 30% to 40% lower emissions of climateimpacting carbon dioxide and only half the nitrogen oxides and particles. What is more, the hybrid is far quieter,” said Edward Jobson.
Plug-in advantage While continuing to optimise hybrid technology in today’s buses, Volvo Buses is also testing a variety of additional solutions such as plug-in hybrids, where the bus batteries are recharged via the main electrical grid. With this system, fuel savings of up to 60% are possible. Since Volvo Buses started series production of hybrid buses in 2010 it has sold more than 650 units to customers in 18 countries - making Volvo the leading supplier of hybrid buses in Europe. For more information, visit the Volvo Buses website at www.volvobuses.com, where you can also find a link to the manufacturer’s YouTube channel.
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news › international
Ashok Leyland: growing Allison building and through local partnership 1000 2000 series The parent company of Optare is planning to outsource and establish operations internationally INDIA Ashok Leyland is targeting growth in five areas – West Asia, Africa, Russia, Asean and Latin America. The Indian bus manufacturer and parent company of Optare is planning to export or start local operations in these areas in a bid to gain new customers for its bus range. Last year, the company hired Per Gustav Nilsson from MAN as Executive Director, International Operations, to spearhead this strategy. In an interview with the Indian business media, Vinod K Dasari, Ashok Leyland Managing Director, said the idea is to either take Indian products to these market clusters or bring in multinational products. For example, Optare buses are already being sold in South Africa. Ashok’s plant in Ras-al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates achieved full capacity last year, rolling out four buses a day to West Africa and West Asia. Some buses for African markets are supplied direct from Ashok facilities in India. Dasari explained the company believes in entering markets by partnering with local players which have both market access and
VDL Bus & Coach takes over VDL Bus Danmark
DENMARK On June 21, 2012 VDL Bus & Coach acquired all the shares of VDL Bus Danmark A/S. As a 100% subsidiary the new name of this branch will be VDL Bus & Coach Danmark A/S. John Lausen is continuing as Managing Director with his present team. VDL Bus & Coach is convinced his leadership, sales and after sales activities will be further www.coachandbusweek.com
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knowledge. Ashok Leyland provides a chassis or chassis kit on which the local player builds the body. “This strategy has worked well in markets such as Russia and Ukraine”, said Dasari, “and we now have local partners in Chile and others coming forward in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. “Though Ashok Leyland is keen to have local partners, it is not averse to acquisitions. Even a big ticket acquisition. But it must give us two things: market access and technology. We will not acquire companies just to make ourselves
bigger,” said Dasari. Exports grew to 25% of Ashok’s total sales last year and amounted to 12,852 vehicles. Jim Sumner, Optare’s CEO, commented: “Being part of Ashok presents us with tremendously exciting opportunities in export markets. Our recent breakthrough contract in South Africa is but the first of a series of opportunities we are working on through a combination of Ashok’s marketing and financial muscle with the excellence of Optare’s low floor and low carbon designs.”
Last November Optare confirmed it had received an £18m order for the supply of 190 Solo SRs to the City of Cape Town expanded and optimised. The sales history of VDL products in Denmark is extensive. Products from previous VDL brands Jonckheere and Bova have been well-known in Denmark since the eighties. In 2004 Jonckheere Danmark A/S was founded. In 2005 the name changed to VDL Bus Danmark A/S. In only five years VDL Bus Danmark delivered 300 vehicles including the 100th Ambassador. The milestone of the 100th Ambassador was reached in only three years. This sets high expectations for its successor the Citea LLE. Rémi Henkemans, Managing Director VDL Bus & Coach, said:
“This takeover is a logical step in our strategy to be present in key markets. We are proud to further build on the basis of established co-operation between VDL Bus Danmark and VDL Bus & Coach over recent years. We look forward to further intensifying our activities in the Danish market together.” John Lausen added: “We look forward to becoming a full member of the VDL Bus & Coach family which is a natural result of our good and long-term relationship. I am convinced our customers will also appreciate to entrust their bus and coach orders with a strong co-operation partner like VDL Bus & Coach.”
in Chennai
INDIA Allison Transmission has begun producing 1000 and 2000 transmissions at its plant in Chennai, India. Over 1 million of these units have been manufactured at Allison’s Indianapolis, Indiana campus since 1999. Co-production capabilities of the 1000 and 2000 Series transmissions at the Chennai plant and in Indianapolis help Allison expand its global footprint, as well as its presence in India. “Our growth outside North America will be facilitated by our established relationships with OEMs worldwide and operations such as our Chennai multi-purpose facility,” said Lawrence E. Dewey, Chairman, President and CEO of Allison Transmission. “Markets outside North America represent a growth opportunity for Allison where we are strengthening our presence, and we believe opportunities for increased market share exist.” Allison Transmission’s multipurpose Chennai operation has been manufacturing high-quality precision vehicular drive train components for nearly two years and has served as a transmission Customisation Centre for almost a year. Allison Customisation Centres around the world configure transmissions to a specific OEM’s requirements prior to delivery, which reduces their assembly costs and shortens vehicle build times. Over a two-year period, the Chennai facility earned the right to produce the Allison 1000 and 2000 Series transmissions by demonstrating the ability to meet Allison’s global best-in-class manufacturing practices. During this timeframe, the Chennai plant was also awarded two of India’s most prestigious Golden Peacock National Awards; the first in 2011 for Occupational Health and Safety and the second in 2012 for Total Quality in the Automotive Sector. Allison estimates global sales in 2011 amounted to 62% of all fully automatic transmissions in the end markets it serves.
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news › REGIONAL
NORTHERN IRELAND
The latest edition of the Northern Ireland Road and Rail Transport Statistics, containing statistics for January to March 2012, has been released. All data were compiled from a number of sources including the Driver and Vehicle Agency and Translink. The key findings are: Of the 779 heavy goods vehicles registered for the first time in Northern Ireland during the quarter, 67% (525) were previously used vehicles. There was a weekly average of 1.33 million public bus passenger journeys made during the quarter, a decrease of 1% from 1.34 million in the corresponding quarter of 2011. During the same time period, weekly average bus passenger receipts decreased by 1% from £2.36 million to £2.33 million. The weekly average rail passenger journeys in January to March 2012 increased by 5% to 0.21 million from 0.20 million compared to the corresponding quarter of 2011. During the same time period, weekly average rail passenger receipts increased by 3% to £0.62 million from £0.60 million. Compared to the same quarter five years ago, average weekly bus passenger journeys have decreased by 2% (from 1.36m in JanuaryMarch 2007 to 1.33m in JanuaryMarch 2012). Whereas, over the same time period, average weekly rail passenger journeys have increased by 31% (from 0.16m in January-March 2007 to 0.21m in January-March 2012). Over the period April 2011 to March 2012, the overall pass rate for car ‘L’ driving tests in Northern Ireland was 52%, 58% for males and 47% for females. Over the past five years, there has been an upward trend in the overall pass rate for car ‘L’ driving tests in Northern Ireland which has increased by five percentage points (from 47% in April 2006 - March 2007 to 52% in April 2011 - March 2012).
NORTH
City of York Council has started the search for a firm to build two new Park&Ride sites for York as part of a £22m project aimed at tackling congestion. Contractors from across Europe have until July 23 to complete pre-qualification questionnaires, which will be assessed by City of York Council and whittled down to www.coachandbusweek.com
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KEY
SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND REP OF IRELAND NORTH WALES MIDLANDS EAST LONDON SOUTH EAST SOUTH WEST
a shortlist of five or six contenders. These firms will then be issued with detailed tender documents in August so they can provide a price, with the work set to start next January and be completed by April 2014. The official contract notice for the construction of a larger site at Askham Bar, replacing the existing facility and a new site near Poppleton, has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, marking the beginning of the tendering process for the scheme. “This is a significant step forward for the procurement process for the construction of the main elements of the project,” said Cllr. Dave Merrett, the council’s cabinet member for transport, planning and sustainability. “The project represents one of the largest single investments in the city’s transport infrastructure since the northern ring road was built in the late 1980s.”
MIDLANDS
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has suspended the opening of the city’s new bus station over concerns that completing the move in December could disrupt festive trade. Construction work on the £15m station at the site of the former John Street car park in Hanley was due to be completed by the autumn, but contractors say delays caused by having to fill in underground basements mean it will continue
into mid-December. The station is now due to open in January. Traders and shoppers have welcomed moves to avoid disrupting bus routes over Christmas, but are disappointed by the delay. Council leaders were criticised for closing John Street car park in March last year, despite construction work not starting until August. The authority blamed the delay on an ‘intensive bank holiday period.’ The council said 15 basements, which had not been identified on site investigation drawings, were discovered during preliminary work. They had to be excavated and filled before work continued, while further stabilisation work caused by poor ground conditions added to the delay. Councillor Ruth Rosenau, cabinet member for regeneration, planning and transport, said: “Everybody knows there are challenges with ground conditions in Stoke-onTrent. We don’t want to rush what is a bespoke building. We want everything done properly.”
EAST
Work on a new £22m package of sustainable town centre transport measures in Ipswich has been given the final go ahead by Transport Minister Norman Baker. ‘Ipswich – Transport Fit for the 21st Century’ is an integrated scheme designed to deliver a step change in travel behaviour.
The project was one of 10 in the Supported Pool of local authority major schemes announced in October 2010 following the Spending Review. Work can now start on the initiative and is forecast to be completed in summer 2014. The measures include: n changes to the town centre bus interchanges; n expansion and improvement of other bus facilities; n an Urban Traffic Management and Control system; n a Real Time Passenger Information system; and n a detailed programme of improvements to walk/cycle routes and crossings in and around the town centre. Norman Baker said: “This innovative scheme will make a huge difference to the way people travel around Ipswich and will be a real boon to the local economy by making new business and housing sites more accessible by public transport. Strong transport infrastructure which helps to tackle congestion and reduce carbon will help the city achieve sustainable economic growth.”
LONDON
Transport for London is introducing a new night bus route to improve bus services in the Mill Hill, Watford Way and Hendon Way areas. The N113 operated by Metroline started running on June 30 and follows requests from passengers and local residents for improved links to and from central London. The service runs every 30 minutes every night of the week between Edgware Station and Trafalgar Square, following the same route as the 113 day service from Edgware via Apex Corner, Watford Way, Hendon Way, Finchley Road, Swiss Cottage, Gloucester Place (northbound), Baker Street (southbound) to Oxford Street, then via Oxford Circus, Regent Street and Piccadilly Circus to Trafalgar Square. The new N113 follows the same route as the existing N13 night bus between Fortune Green and Trafalgar Square. Also from June 30, the N13 will operate at a reduced frequency of every 30 minutes during the week and every 15 minutes at weekends. This ensures the same overall capacity will be maintained where both routes run in parallel. Elsewhere on route N13, Golders Green is also served through the night by route N5 from
02/07/2012 17:21
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. central London and orbital night routes 83 and 102. North Finchley is also served by night routes 134 and N20 from central London. John Barry, Head of Network Development for London Buses, said: “London’s bus network is kept under constant review to ensure we provide the best possible service for passengers. The introduction of new night route N113 reflects our continuing efforts to listen to our passengers and develop the network to suit their needs.”
SOUTH WEST
South West Coaches has been forced to withdraw four of its bus services in Somerset and make several other alterations to its timetable. Route 10 service from Ilminster to Yeovil has already stopped running. Service 40 from Yeovil to Taunton, 40A from Wincanton to Minehead via Yeovil and route 665 between Yeovil and Street were cancelled on June 28. Other timetable alterations have been made to routes 19/19A between Bruton and Yeovil, which will now run on Fridays only from June 29. Service 33 from Wincanton
to Frome via Bruton will run on Wednesdays and the No. 81 Yeovil to South Petherton route has been amended to include South Petherton Hospital. There have also been frequency changes made to the timetables for the No.1 service from Yeovil to Shepton Mallet and the No. 68 between Yeovil and Pen Mill, while changes to route and frequency have been made to the No. 11/11A service in Yeovil - it now serves Lynx West Trading Estate. In addition, a new Yeovil service has been introduced. The No. 12 started on Monday, stopping at Yeovil Hospital, Sparrow Road, Milford, Bucklers Mead, St.Johns Road and Meadow Road. A South West Coaches statement said: “Due to ever-increasing subsidy cuts coming from the Government, South West Coaches has had to fine tune the operations and services which it currently runs. “We are continuing to look at new ways in which we can provide improved services to our current and prospective customers in and around our villages and towns, which you will hopefully see from some of the changes we have made.”
July 4, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 15
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Gillian Merron, Chairwoman of Bus Users UK, one of the speakers at CPT Scotland’s Annual Conference, 10-11 September at the Creiff Hydro
2012 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/ 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 n September 9 Amberley Bus Show. Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre, West Sussex.
First Glasgow is helping local children’s charity Cash for Kids by donating £1,200 to improve the quality of lives of local children. Employees at First Glasgow contribute to the charity weekly from their pay packets. Each year First Glasgow’s charity committee considers requests from employees to fund local charities across Greater Glasgow. Since 1981 the Clyde 1&2’s Cash for Kids appeal has been helping to support vulnerable children in local communities. The appeal has raised over £23m to date - helping 1.6m children. First Glasgow’s MD Ronnie Park visited Cash for Kids, based at the Radio Clyde studios, to hand over a cheque. Clyde 1 presenter George Bowie said: “Cash for Kids raises money all year round to help children, over a quarter of a million children in Scotland are living in poverty.” Ronnie Park said: “At First Glasgow we have a strong sense of social corporate responsibility and like to help local charities. Cash for Kids is well known for its valuable work in helping to improve the lives of youngsters and we are delighted to be in a position to present the charity with £1,200.”
www.amberleymuseum.co.uk
n September 10-11 CPT Scotland Annual Conference. Crieff Hydro Hotel, Perthshire, PH7 3LQ. Call CPT Scotland on 0131 2722150 or email conference2012@cpt-uk.org 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 October 23 CPT Coaching Conference. Volvo HQ, Warwick. Further details will be published in due course. Call CPT on 020 7240 3131. www.cpt-uk.org n November 6-8 Euro Bus Expo. NEC, Birmingham. 01926 834790. www.eurobusxpo.com n November 15 CPT Northern Bus Summit. Manchester Conference Centre. Details from contact CPT NW Regional Manager Phillipa Sudlow on phillipas@cpt-uk.org. n November 20 UK Bus Awards London Hilton Park Lane. www.ukbusawards.org.uk
2013 n January 1 New Year’s Holiday Open Day. Oxford Bus Museum. www.oxfordbusmuseum.org.uk n January 1 Annual King Alfred Running Day, Winchester. Further information from www.fokab.org.uk n March 20-21 UK Bus Awards Annual Conference. Sir Brian Souter has accepted our invitation to speak at the conference dinner. 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
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02/07/2012 17:22
16 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 4, 2012
75.1%
news › BUSINESS
The current stake owned by Ashok Leyland in Optare plc
briefly Public transport CCTV and vehicle monitoring systems specialist 21st Century has been awarded preferred supplier status for Arriva’s bus network in the UK. Under the terms of the new contract announced, 21st Century has entered into an initial two-year agreement to supply and maintain the on bus CCTV and EcoManager systems for Arriva in the UK. After the two-year term, the contact may be terminated by either party giving six months’ notice. 21st Century chief executive Nick Grimond said: “21st Century is currently preferred supplier of on vehicle CCTV to three of the five top bus operators in the UK and we are actively looking to enhance revenues of both our CCTV and EcoManager products by developing these existing relationships and seeking out new opportunities internationally.” Official figures show the UK economy shrank by 0.4% in the final three months of 2011, compared with previous estimates of 0.3%. The estimate for the first quarter of this year was unchanged, showing the economy shrank by 0.3% during that period. The estimate for the UK’s gross domestic product from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) was the third estimate of the Q1 data. The estimates show the recession has been deeper than previously thought. The weak picture of the economy was further underlined by figures showing government spending grew between January and March at its fastest rate in nearly seven years. Official statistics reveal unemployment in the eurozone hit 11.1% in May, marking the highest level since records began in 1995. The rise from April’s previous record rate of 11% means 17.56m people are now out of work, with Spain, where one in four people are now out of work, suffering the highest unemployment rate. In response, companies in the eurozone have reduced or frozen spending levels - including labour costs – as fears over the impact of the ongoing debt crisis have reduced confidence in future growth. www.coachandbusweek.com
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National Express reports growth across its services The group describes its continental operations as “resilient” in downturn National Express Group has released an update on trading for the first half year ending June 30, 2012. The Group announced revenue gains in all of its businesses apart from its well known UK Coach division, citing new contract wins and the successful integration of recent acquisitions. Overall, trading in the period has been in line with the Board’s expectations. In the Group’s UK bus division, growth in travelcard sales and from new fleet deployment continues to increase commercial revenue by 4%. National Express claims the adverse impact of the reduction in fuel duty relief from April 2012 is being successfully mitigated. The previous reduction in concessionary settlement resulted in overall revenue increasing by only 2%. Initiatives for the Group’s UK coach division to offset last year’s removal of the Government’s senior citizen concession scheme have delivered underlying core network revenue growth (excluding concessions) of 2%. Concessionary
Solid growth anticipated for Go-Ahead
The Go-Ahead Group released its pre-close trading update for the year ending June 30, 2012 last week, ahead of its full year results announcement on September 6, 2012. The Group announced its deregulated bus division continues to see solid growth and expects full year passenger revenue to increase by around 4% on a like-for-like basis (after adjusting for acquisitions) and passenger journey growth of around 3%.
income remains approximately 40% lower year-on-year. With Eurolines continuing to grow from its attractive fares for costconscious European passengers, overall divisional revenue will be 2% lower than prior year. On the continent Alsa’s performance has continued to be resilient. Transport revenue increased by 5%, with intercity coach growing 3%. Urban bus revenues in Spain are mostly contracted and have been robust, growing year-on-year by 6%. Urban operations in Morocco continue to expand at nearly 20%. Overall revenue for Alsa will be up 2% in the first half year. Total revenue for the Group has increased by 10% in North America. Acquisitions during the
NX UK Coach used initiatives to offset loss of concessionary scheme Go-Ahead said it continues to see stronger growth in fare-paying passengers, partly offset by weaker concessionary performance. Whilst the average yield per journey remains lower as passengers continue to take advantage of value for money period passes and smartcards, the successful uptake of these products enhances the long term growth prospects of the business. Since its last update in April, the Group has acquired HC Chambers & Son Ltd of Bures, . Including acquisitions, Go-Ahead expect full year growth in deregulated passenger revenue of around 7% and journey growth of around 4.5%. The group’s London bus
period added revenue of $36m, with the integration and synergies from the Petermann school bus business progressing to plan and new para-transit operations in Massachusetts and Ohio are performing well. The Durham and Stock school bus businesses grew revenue by 2%. A strong 2012/13 bid season has seen contracts for over 1,200 new buses added, including six conversion contracts, together with a small acquisition, 98% contract retention to date and net bus growth of over 750. In regards to rail, c2c continues to perform strongly with revenue 7% higher and the franchise maintaining punctuality performance. The Group is well underway with its work on bids for the Essex Thameside (c2c) and Great Western franchises, following its success in prequalifying for both competitive tenders earlier in the year. In addition, the Group has prequalified for its first, smaller-scale German rail franchise bids, with the Board stating these represent an interesting opportunity for growth. The Group is due to announce its Half Year Results on Thursday July 26, 2012. operations have delivered a strong performance in the year to date, with like-for-like revenue expected to increase by around 6% in the full year and mileage up by around 4%. The group believes recent contract wins and the acquisition of the Northumberland Park bus depot in North London will result in strong mileage growth. Full year revenue and mileage growth in London is expected to be around 7.5% and 5.5% respectively once the acquisition is included. The group’s rail franchises continue to perform well and despite the challenging economic environment, Go-Ahead anticipate both passenger and revenue growth. Full year capital expenditure
02/07/2012 17:02
July 4, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 17
17.56m 3% The number of unemployed people in the entire Eurozone, with Spain the hardest hit
Passenger journey growth across Go-Ahead operations
Optare moving towards profitability
Optare plc has released audited results for the period ending March 31, 2012. Optare reports a major operational and business restructuring is complete, with closure of the Leeds and Blackburn facilities along with the sale of the Rotherham site. The company have successfully relocated to a new factory in Sherburn in Elmet. Over 150 new Hybrid and Electric buses now in operation in UK and export markets and Europe’s first 11.1m Electric bus launched. This is bolstered by major export success achieved in South Africa with an initial £18m order. Ashok Leyland increased its stake in Optare to 75.1% in January 2012 and committed to maintaining its AIM market listing. The Board was also strengthened by the appointment of four new Non-executives, including Jorma Halonen, former Chairman of Volvo Bus corporation. Financial highlights include; Revenue for the 15-month period £72m. Capital investment of £2.2m made in new factory. Direct labour was 13.6% of revenue over the 15 month period (14.3% 2010), this compares with the last for the group was around £80m. An acquisition spend in the bus division of around £30m is also expected. Net debt is projected to be between £95m and £100m at the year end with adjusted net debt to EBITDA remaining comfortably within target range of 1.5 to 2.5 times. David Brown, Group Chief Executive of Go-Ahead, said: “In line with our strategy to grow our bus division, we have acquired a number of businesses during the year and have driven organic growth through smart-ticketing and providing high quality value for money services. “Overall, we remain confident that we will deliver a full year result in line with our expectations.”
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Good returns for Stagecoach
An Optare Ashok Leyland Blazefield Starship three months run-rate at the new Sherburn facility of 9.4%, demonstrating the significant efficiency improvements of the new single site. Administration costs preexceptional were 14.4% of revenue over the 15-month period (14.7% 2010). This compares with the last 3 months of 9.0% with the full impact of the Blackburn closure yet to be fully reflected. EBITDA losses for the 15-month period were £6.8m pre-exceptional. Management estimate this includes around £2.9m of costs that could have been avoided had it not been for needing to stagger factory closures and outsourcing activities, undertake major site clearance work and retain skills during production transfers. Exceptional costs for restructuring, redundancies, relocation and the factory moves
totalled £4.6m. Loss per share reduced from 2.1p per share to 1.4p per share Remaining term debt with Lloyds Bank of Scotland paid down and all fixed and floating charges released. New working capital facility agreed with HSBC and supported by Ashok. Tax losses at current corporation tax rates equivalent to approximately £9.3m will be useable when the Group achieves profitability. Order book stood at £45.7m at year end March 31, 2012. CEO Jim Sumner said: “From an extremely challenging position three years ago all the principle objectives of turnaround plan have been achieved in terms of restructuring, new factory investment, low carbon product developments and re-financing.”
Recent acquisitions by Go-Ahead, such as Anglian Bus (pictured) and HC Chambers, have increased passenger numbers and revenue
Stagecoach Group plc has released its preliminary results for the year ended April 30, 2012. Highlights included; Adjusted earnings per share up 6.7% to 25.4 pence (2011: 23.8 pence) Full year dividend up almost 10% to 7.8 pence (2011: 7.1 pence) c.£340m cash return to shareholders in October 2011 Expansion of megabus.com in North America and Europe Like-for-like revenue up 6.9% across the Group to £2,590.7m, with total operating profit at £237.2m Virgin Rail Group’s bid for new West Coast rail franchise submitted May 2012 Shortlisted for two new UK rail franchises $134m planned acquisition of businesses and assets from Coach America Further potential to grow operating profit at acquired London Bus business CEO Sir Brian Souter, said: “We continue to see good organic growth in our bus and rail services in the UK and North America. This has been supported by our successful mix of innovation, value-for-money travel, continued investment in our services, and strong operational delivery. “Our UK regional bus operations are delivering good returns with different management approaches applied to respond to the different conditions in each of the markets in which we operate. In London, our turnaround plan is progressing well and we have won new contracts on more acceptable profit margins. “We are excited about the next phase of our growth plan for our budget brand megabus.com. As well as testing the market in Europe, we are expanding to new locations in North America where the response to the product from consumers has been particularly strong. “The planned acquisitions from Coach America will enable us to expand our US business at a reasonable price while further underpinning the development of megabus.com in targeted regions. “We believe the outlook is positive and we look forward with confidence to the year ahead.”
www.coachandbusweek.com
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TECHNOLOGY
Michelin’s ‘communicating’ RFID/TPMS tyres Simplified daily checks, warnings when something is amiss and the ability to communicate with control adds up to improved fleet management via RFID signals
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ichelin has launched its latest innovation, tyres with integrated RFID wireless chips designed to enable remote monitoring of tyre pressure, to enable safer, more efficient mobility. The launch of the product, timed to coincide with the London Olympics, highlights Michelin’s support for safer bus transportation in the capital during the Games period. The device combines the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and Radio Frequency Identification chips (RFID) and will enable London urban transport operators to enhance the safety of the tyres fitted on their buses, thereby immediately improving the mobility of both vehicles and transport users. The RFID chips now integrated in MICHELIN X InCity tyres and TPMS sensors make it possible to obtain tyre pressure and temperature data easily and ensure flawless traceability for the duration of the tyres’ fitment to the vehicle. The facility also adds a further dimension to fleet management. Michelin’s “communicating” tyre effectively creates an electronic link between the tyres and a data processing system. The RFID chip does not need a battery since it is powered by the electromagnetic waves emitted during data collection. The memory of an RFID chip is divided into four areas. Its lifespan is considerably longer than of the tyre itself. Unlike bar codes, www.coachandbusweek.com
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there is no risk of erasure or of labels coming unstuck. Importantly, customers can enter their own data, which can then be updated throughout the life of the tyre. The data contained in the chip are transmitted by a wireless, noncontact system using radio waves. Studies have shown 15 minutes are needed on average to check the pressure and condition of a bus or truck tyre - indicating fleet managers need to implement complex, costly maintenance systems to check tyres on several hundred vehicles, especially for
dual-mount wheels, which further complicate the inspection process. Michelin claims its innovation has created a full-fledged ecosystem through combining RFID chips and TPMS. The ‘communicating’ tyre allows an operator to walk past the vehicle with an electronic reader to gather complete, extremely reliable data in much less time. Thanks to the TMPS it also receives each tyre’s unique identification number from the RFID chip at the same time. This enables operators to carry out controls more frequently and efficiently and ensures the flawless traceability of the tyre’s history. Traditional manual traceability checks can be problematic as each tyre’s identification number, especially when the number appears on the tyre’s inner sidewall and in dual-mount fitting, cannot be visually checked. Even when the number is visible on an outer sidewall, it can be hard to read
Top: RFID sidewall marking. Above: RFID chip weighs under two grammes
because of constant rubbing and scraping against kerbs and other obstacles. In designing the TPMS sensor, Michelin leveraged its experience in tyre mounting and dismounting as well as its maintenance skills to ensure the device is highly resistant. The result has enabled transport companies to improve in two previously irreconcilable areas of performance: optimising time spent on vehicle maintenance while significantly enhancing safety. While the first industrial-scale applications of RFID date back to the middle of the 20th century, this is the first time the technology is
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Hand-held devices gather, store and transmit tyre data
playing a role in a comprehensive tyre data transmission process. To develop the technology, Michelin spent seven years on research, filed around 20 patent families and drove some 50,000 tyres a total of 6 billion kilometers in tests conducted around the world. Michelin says this conclusively proves the technology is reliable and can accurately transmit data over the long term.
Major benefits to optimise fleet operations Safer. Tyre pressure control and maintenance operations are easier to carry out. As a result,
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tyres fitted to buses operate in optimal conditions to enhance safety, technicians in charge of managing tyres spend less time checking pressure, allowing them more time for value-added visual inspections for wear, tread depth and overall tyre condition. It should also be noted checking tyre pressure remotely is safer for operators. Greater fuel efficiency and fewer CO2 emissions. Tyres inflated to the correct pressure help reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Michelin estimates a tyre inflated to 1.0 Bar less than the recommended pressure can
“Technology today enables fleet operators to monitor their vehicles in real time thanks to onboard information systems which communicate a full range of data directly to the management control centre.”
increase fuel consumption by up to 0.4 litres per 100 km, where studies have shown two thirds of trucks in Europe could improve their tyres’ performance (choice of tyres, geometry and tyre pressure), thereby reducing fuel consumption. Greater longevity. Inflating tyres to the pressure perfectly adapted to load and usage conditions also helps to reduce wear. Enhanced mobility. Studies of fleet operations show 75% of tyre-related incidents and problems are due to slow leaks. Because Michelin’s innovative solution enables
www.coachandbusweek.com
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TECHNOLOGY
Bus depots will be placed under close surveillance and only accredited personnel will be allowed access, even for vehicle maintenance operations. At the same time, the need for mobility means buses used to transport permanent or temporary residents of the city must be in service 22 to 23 hours out of 24 – demanding high reliability.
The Michelin Group: A major player in the British urban transport system With 33,000 buses covered by service contracts (representing 80% of the country’s bus market) and a 100% market share for four of the five largest British bus transport companies and a 50% share for the fifth, Michelin claims it is eminently qualified to provide bus fleets with end-to-end tyre management solutions. Around 85% of all London buses are fitted with Michelin tyres. Above: Stagecoach East London- early adopter of RFID /TPMS. Below: Installing a TPMS unit easier, more frequent inspections of tyre pressure and temperature, fleet managers can detect these problems more quickly – enabling them to make decisions upstream and avoid one of the most troubling problems – a vehicle breakdown while on the road. Further benefits are the ability to carry passengers more safely and a strengthened public image of enhanced mobility. The chips are sufficiently durable to continue their data transmission throughout the whole tyre life – including after regrooving and retreading
The London Olympic Games under close surveillance With London hosting the Olympic Games, closely followed by the Paralympic Games it creates, in today’s geopolitical environment, additional security issues requiring policies which demand taking no risks. For success, the event requires flawless organisation – not least in managing the transport to and from the venue for the 10,500 competitors and over 10 million spectators expected over the duration. London could see 500,000 additional passengers on its network on a daily basis with a higher peak of 800,000 on the eighth day.
Innovation at Michelin: Prospects for the future Technology today enables fleet operators to monitor the whereabouts of their vehicles in real time thanks to onboard information systems which communicate a full range of data concerning their geo-positioning in addition to mechanical parameters directly to the management control centre. Michelin’s ‘communicating’ tyre adds a further innovation for both the driver and managers to see alerts if tyres are suddenly highlighted for loss of pressure or running at high temperatures – both of which can impact on safety and potential VOR time. Sensors installed at the entrance to cities, tunnels, toll plazas or elsewhere could in the future be used to check a vehicle’s tyre pressure before authorising it to continue on its journey. Making it safer for buses, trucks and lighter vehicles to share the road.
“The chips are sufficiently durable to continue their data transmission throughout the whole tyre life – including after regrooving and retreading.”
www.coachandbusweek.com
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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
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conference report › atco summer 2012
David Sidebottom highlighted how Centro and National Express West Midlands have addressed issues raised in the Passenger Focus survey
Highlights from the ATCO Conference Coach & Bus Week’s Gareth Evans reports on the Annual Summer Conference of the Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers, which included an economics presentation by Stagecoach CEO Sir Brian Souter and how bus operators have worked together with Northamptonshire during the austerity measures www.coachandbusweek.com
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ocal authority transport professionals gathered in Birmingham for the ATCO Summer Conference on June 19-21. The event was held in the central location that is the Jury’s Inn on Broad Street, which forms the heart of the city’s nightlife, with a frequent bus service to boot. Tracy Jessop, Assistant Director of Travel and Transport Services at Norfolk County Council, who currently chairs ATCO, opened the proceedings. Expounding the power of social media, she said: “We know Tweeting is the second highest form of linking to this event. It’s a great tool.” While the three-day event covered a range of topics and workshops, including rail and taxis, an impressive range of well-known bus and coach industry figures
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remains number one. When we fail, we ask our drivers to apologise. A new programme to be introduced in the coming months is ‘Time Check’, which will involve us publishing the results of our own reliability monitoring – we’re going to be brave. We may fall below the Traffic Commissioners’ window of tolerance but we feel accountability is vital.” The second demand is friendly drivers. The firm’s 650 drivers are split into 44 teams for the 44 brands. “This allows them to take ownership,” Hornby explained. “We spend £0.5m on training per annum. We use psychometric testing as part of our recruitment process to ensure we hire extroverts. Another key part of the training is for drivers to spend a day as a customer. They’re dropped off at a bus stop and asked to return by bus. “We also spend about £2,000 a year on our money-back guarantee, which is the ultimate in staff empowerment. If customers are unhappy and want a refund, drivers are free to give it.” Communication is vital – according to Hornby. “It must be a two-way thing,” he explained. “The most popular media for us remains our 6,500 roadside timetables. Our website is the second most popular. We’ve also, got 32,000 fans and followers on our social media channels.”
Effective austerity measures attended the event to explain aspects of their business to the local authority sector. Star of the show was undoubtedly the keynote speaker Sir Brian Souter, more of which later. The Stagecoach Chief Executive was joined by Alex Hornby, Commercial Director at trent barton, Steve Burd, Managing Director at Stagecoach Midlands, David Sidebottom, Passenger Team Director at Passenger Focus and Ian Mack, Managing Director at The Green Bus.
Steve Burd delivered an interesting, if not appropriately titled presentation: ‘Working together in austerity’. “In Northamptonshire and Warwickshire we were faced with £1.5m reduction in revenue support and the slashing of the concessionary fares budget,”
explained Steve. “The key is to keep talking – it’s vital to understand there are still people at the local authority who are committed to continue the bus network. “It was very tempting to tell certain operators where to go and to leave them to sort out the problems they created but this wouldn’t help passengers or operators’ own medium and long term business interests. Stagecoach Midlands therefore chose to work closely with Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) in particular, and Warwickshire County Council to help minimise the impact of funding cuts and concessionary fare rate reimbursement reductions.
Steve Burd: “Vital to keep talking”
“The key is to keep talking – it’s vital to understand there are still people at the local authority who are committed to continue the bus network.” Steve Burd MD, Stagecoach Midlands
A retail approach
Alex Hornby kicked off the session entitled ‘Delivering quality local transport services’. Explaining trent barton’s well-known customer-focused approach, he said: “We had 19 different research projects in 2011, which all help ensure we remain firmly in tune with what our customers want. Punctuality
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Left to right: The panel on the first day included David Sidebottom, Steve Burd, Alex Hornby and Tracy Jessop, who are seen answering questions
“We’ve also worked with our local authorities to unlock Section 106 funds from one area to improve services elsewhere. We’ve worked closely with NCC to ensure there are through and add-on fares for its Demand Responsive Travel (DRT) Call Connect services.” Burd asked what can local authorities do? “We’re not alone in working with NCC – Centrebus has also done so. Local authorities must also ensure DRT routes link into core or commercial bus services. This ensures the local authority gets the best use of its vehicle fleet while also helping to support the remaining tendered services. While it has worked like a partnership, there has been no formal written documentation.” While his counterpart from NCC was not present, Burd quoted the following from Nick Small: ‘The vast majority, but by no means all, of the previously subsidised bus network has been preserved and in some cases, enhanced, such as routes 8 and 96. There is a better level of service in rural areas overall through commercial bus operator initiatives and Call Connect. ‘There is immeasurably greater trust between operators and the council. The absolute importance of commercial bus operators and their skills is now widely recognised throughout the council. After all, the greatest assurance a local authority can have in a world of austerity is that a service is funded by a bus operator and its passengers.’
Passenger focus
David Sidebottom talked about the Bus Passenger Survey (BPS) results and discussed how they were being looked at by local authorities and operators. A prime local example, he said, was the work undertaken by Centro and National Express West Midlands in addressing the issues raised in the results. The next BPS will take place this autumn. “We’re working with a number of local authorities and operators on bus punctuality and we’re also trying to identify best practice,” he said. Qualitative research commissioned by Passenger Focus on the impact of reduced bus networks in the light of austerity measures in Derbyshire, Norfolk, Somerset and West Sussex is due to be published in the coming weeks. “We’ve also finished the first draft of our ‘Consultation Toolkit’, which is due to be published in September,” continued www.coachandbusweek.com
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conference report › atco summer 2012
Sidebottom. “We’re not here to take the moral high ground – we want it to be useful.”
Green school transport
Explaining how the company’s aim is modal shift, Ian Mack said: “We’re a niche business. We exist to take people to school sustainably. We work closely with schools – I’m a geographer.” Now in its eleventh year, The Green Bus boasts an annual turnover of £3.5m and operates 50 routes, carrying 2,500 pupils per day in the West Midlands and Berkshire. Ian revealed expansion to come in September, when a 10-vehicle operation starts in Guildford. “We believe a bus is a retail business, so we act like a retailer,” he added. “We position ourselves carefully in the market – we try to offer a service like Marks & Spencer and Waitrose but without seeking to exclusively target those sorts of customers.” While the story behind the Birmingham-based school transport specialist has been featured on several occasions in CBW in the recent past, Mack’s key explanatory points included: “Schools and bus operators often have poor relationships as neither understands each other. A question which often comes up is ‘who are the contracts with?’ The simple answer is parents.” Asked about enforcing discipline, Ian replied: “The number of incidents on our buses is very few. The only two permanent exclusions have been on our own code of conduct – one of which was for throwing seats out of a window.” On the subject of running local authority home to school transport contracts, Mack said: “We’re in a different mindset. Some local authorities discharge their liabilities and buy passes on our services. We’re not the cheapest operator in the world so we’re unlikely to win any contracts which are heavily weighted on price.”
“We spend £0.5m on training per annum... A key part of the training is for drivers to spend a day as a customer. They’re dropped off at a bus stop and asked to return by bus.” Alex Hornby Commercial Director, trent barton
Ian Mack, Managing Director of Birmingham-based The Green Bus
“We position ourselves carefully in the market – we try to offer a service like Marks & Spencer and Waitrose, but without seeking to exclusively target those sort of customers.” Ian Mack MD, The Green Bus
there’s a 25% chance we could have a major problem, which will lead us back to where we were in 2008. It was very scary then. I spent weeks moving money. When I told my Finance Director at Souter Investments I wanted our cash deposits withdrawn from the Bank of Scotland, he said, ‘You’re joking.’ I said I wasn’t – banking was at a real risk of collapse. “We’re facing Leahman Syndrome now. They were deemed to be too big to fail – yet fail they did. The same could happen in Greece. While that remains the case, business lacks confidence to invest. “There’s also a 25% chance we could face problems we didn’t envisage. The European Central Bank doesn’t operate like a central bank, which is a big problem. “The Americans have done like we have – recapitalise the banks and adopt Quantitative Easing (QE). However, the Euro countries have not done that. The Germans won’t allow QE because they’ve got a mental block of people pushing trolleys of Deutsch Marks. That’s the biggest single problem. “Why didn’t the Spanish recapitalise their banks four years ago? It’s called ‘pretend and extend’. It’s interesting that the Irish tackled their problems far more vociferously and they look set to come out of it before everyone else. “Who knows what’s going to happen. At this point I should state I’ve not brought you here to depress you. “There’s a 60% chance we’ll have a long period of low growth. If you watch politicians, that’s what they’re preparing for. “There’s a 15% chance we could recover in a year. I like the sound of it. Margaret Thatcher said our problems come from the East and our solutions come from the West.
Stagecoach economics
Sir Brian Souter opened his presentation in jubilant fashion. “I’m reliably informed I’m the longest serving CEO of the Big Five operators. I’m beginning to receive lifetime awards …which means I’m pretty well finished!” he mused. Joking aside, he said: “How do we see the landscape at the moment? We can all read newspapers. I think www.coachandbusweek.com
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Trade support included computer software specialists EP Morris
The people most likely to help are the Americans. They’ve got a different philosophy to life – they don’t believe the world owes them anything.” Where does Stagecoach see itself in all this? “With GDP at only -5%, our numbers are still ok,” Souter continued. “Buses are very resilient but rail is less so. Despite this, rail is still seeing phenomenal growth. The disaster scenario is to slash provincial bus frequencies and increase train fares. “The best option is to keep growing Megabus as it’s profitable. Anything which offers discounts works right now. The internet is still a high growth product for us. In hard times you’ve got to look at value for money. “I think the rest of our team thought a sleeper coach service idea was nuts. We’re now designing double-decks for it. It’s very exciting. “Upmarket is another big growth area – such as Citylink Gold. We need to look at where there are growth opportunities. My tip is where you’ve got growth, pump it.” What can local authorities do to improve transport networks? Souter said in the age of austerity it was vital to remember what he calls the four Ps: Priority, Park & Ride, Parking and Planning. “These are key issues,” he explained. “Don’t compromise them. Park & Ride is fundamental – what a lot of people don’t understand is once a motorist has used it, you’ve
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Above: Sir Brian Souter advised, “If you’ve got growth, pump it”
Above: David Sidebottom kicks off his presentation with an explanation de-stigmatised the bus, which leads to them using public transport. Parking is in your hands. “We appreciate being asked at an early stage for our thoughts on local bus services and where retail parks are going to be sited. In the past we’ve not heard about it until the problems have arisen – a development not being served by a regular bus service for example. “Exploit the commercial model to its full extent. It’s the way forward. For example, in Kent, by working together, Stagecoach and the County Council have doubled public transport use. In Hull we managed to get the right policies in place, so we’ll now pump investment there.” “Bus companies will do deals with you,” Souter said. “Partnerships need to be even closer than in the past. Private companies have actually still got money – it’s just that they’re reluctant to spend it. “We’re looking at a private Park & Ride in South Manchester (CBW1039). It’s a good place for us to operate. Where we see potential for growth, we’ll invest. “I see NFC (Near Field Communication) as exciting. I’m a real convert to WiFi. Each time WiFi is introduced to a route, passenger numbers increase. You don’t need power points either on short distance journeys. We’ve had local authorities pay for WiFi to be fitted on buses and we’ve invested heavily in marketing.”
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At a time when Quality Contracts (QCs) are at the top of the political agenda in West Yorkshire and Tyne & Wear, Souter urged delegates to “ignore the dinosaurs.” “Put people who are pushing for QCs and Bob Crowe in a tardis,” he said. “It’s not the way forward. The truth is, people who are the greatest advocates are those with the greatest passenger decline. Why would you invest there as a government? QCs should work but they’re for use as a tool where the market has failed and I agree with that. “We’ll take poison before we let Nexus take our business away in Newcastle. The region does have passenger decline of about 3%. Our advice to managers was despite the BSOG cut, we’ve got to aim to grow the business. After all, growth can be achieved in PTE areas – look at Manchester.” Looking ahead, Souter quoted John F. Kennedy: “Our task now is not to fix the blame for the past, but to fix the course for the future.” Asked for his view on how the planned BSOG changes will affect Stagecoach’s relationship with local authorities, Souter replied: “I hate them. “People really are price sensitive at the moment, so these changes will put added pressure on us. While BSOG resulted in a big jump in our costs, we’ve tried to absorb it – we’ve spread the pain. We don’t
“Upmarket is another big growth area – such Citylink Gold. We need to look at where there are growth opportunities. My tip is where you’ve got growth, pump it.” Sir Brian Souter Chief Executive, Stagecoach
Sir Brian Souter shakes hands with ATCO’s Tracy Jessop
Verdict: Asked for her verdict on the event, Tracy Jessop told CBW: “I was very pleased with ATCO2012 and the hugely positive feedback from everyone who came and contributed – delegates, exhibitors and speakers. I’ve been sensing a growing feeling across the passenger transport industry, particularly in the last year, that people really do want to work more effectively and collaboratively together. Events like these are a chance to celebrate success across the UK, acting as a catalyst for positive improvements elsewhere. We need to use the collective strengths across industry and the public sector to build great services that are fit for the future.”
go for death or glory. “The key to this is good steady policy improvements, geared to modal shift. Once you get organic growth, it takes care of the rest.” Asked by ATCO Vice Chairman David Blainey for his view on the Better Bus Area (BBA) proposals, Brian replied: “I like Norman Baker. He’s doing some good things but I don’t think BBA is the answer to our problems. We’ve got the lowest financially supported bus network in the world, yet we manage to sustain a proud home grown bus manufacturing industry.” Brian said he’d rather funds were directed at Kickstart. David Morris of Herefordshire independent DRM said his company was being hit due to the reduction in capital allowances and a cut in financial support for evening and Sunday bus services. Souter replied: “Even in smaller companies I believe it’s vital you get route costings. We were small for a long time. I didn’t have route costing but I clocked the numbers mentally. You need to feed healthy kids and starve others. “I think that doesn’t mean a new bus – you can compete with a friendly driver. Small operators have done well out of deregulation. Private hire has been a disaster for the last 15 years. They’re nice customers but frankly they’re all dying. You need a diverse business. “Don’t rule out coaches. I’m different to the other ‘big five’ operators. I think if you put a nice coach on a service, you’ll attract custom. Passengers prefer to travel three feet rather than three inches above the ground. “Sundays and weekends are a bit of a bummer but with the growth of Sunday shopping, why not try a few commercial journeys?” Advising local authority members on how to gain funding, Souter said: “Try to demonstrate a political benefit. Money always seems to be available for recycling. We’re making fuel from fat coming out of sewers. Dress up your projects sexily – show sustainability. If you can convince people this bus runs on waste products, you’ve got a whole new customer base. We can help local authorities with this.” The next ATCO conference is at the end of November. The Summer 2013 event is in Liverpool. Details of both will be published as soon as they are confirmed. Visit www.atco.org.uk
www.coachandbusweek.com
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DELIVERIES
factors which led us into buying this particular vehicle. I’m very interested to see what this vehicle can do compared to the others we have in service. It’s certainly an opportunity for Volvo to try and impress us.” Steve added: “Volvo’s Duncan Crosby was extremely enthusiastic and thorough. It makes a difference when somebody cares about his customers like Duncan does.”
LLEW JONES Llew Jones International of Llanrwst, Conwy has a new Caetano Levante-bodied Volvo B9R coach for its National Express contract. The North Wales operator took delivery of the vehicle in March and it is hard at work servicing the firm’s National Express requirements. “It
is somewhat of a leap of faith for us as a company,” explained Llew Jones International’s MD, Steve Jones. “We’ve had Volvos before, but always preowned; this is our first new Volvo coach. “National Express is extremely keen on the Volvo chassis with the Caetano Levante bodywork, so it’s undoubtly one of the key
SOUTH WALES TRANSPORT South Wales Transport has taken delivery of four new 8.8 metre-long Wrightbus Streetlites. Supplied by Knutsfordbased dealer Mistral Bus & Coach plc, the Streetlites have been acquired to operate service 121 around Ystradgynlais/Ystalyfera and routes 8, 9, 10 and 54
FACT FILE
Chassis/body Volvo B9R/
Caetano Levante
Engine Volvo D9B Transmission Volvo I-Shift
12-speed auto Seats 48 Spec National Express Supplied by
Volvo Bus 02476 210250 www.volvobuses.com/bus/uk/ en-gb/Pages/homepage.aspx
REAYS OF WIGTON Cumbria-based Reays Coaches - winner of the ‘Top Independent Operator’ category in the 2011 UK Bus Awards - has introduced two ADL Enviro200s to its expanding bus services in Carlisle and placed orders for a further nine. The new buses are operating on the firm’s flagships route 63, which runs across the city centre and has the highest frequency of all its City Hopper services. MD Chris Reay said: “We are receiving fantastic feedback from passengers about the new buses, which are also proving very good on fuel economy. “We went for the Enviro200s because they are
around Cwmdonkin, North Hill and Llewellyn Park in Swansea. Commenting on the latest additions to his company’s fleet, David Fowles, Director of SWT said: “The Streetlites are being used on many of our different routes both tendered and commercial plus a mix of urban and rural. The buses have been wellreceived by both drivers and passengers alike and the fuel consumption is also great,
launched the network in October 2011. The new Enviro200s are 10.8-metre models, powered by Cummins ISBe four-cylinder 160PS EEV engines and have Allison S2100 five-speed automatic transmissions. Each of the E200s has 39 seats, bonded glass, contoured bumpers, continuous cove saloon lighting, and Mobitec LED destination equipment. FACT FILE
Chassis/body ADL Enviro200 Engine Cummins ISBe
superb vehicles and we also have a great relationship with ADL. They have always provided us with tremendous back-up and service support. “The passenger appeal the
Enviro200s generate is great too. They really look the part and are a key element of our plan to deliver comfort and reliability on both city centre and rural routes.
“That’s why we’ve got nine more Enviro200s on order.” Reays says it is now carrying 25,000 passengers a week on seven City Hopper routes, having only
Transmission Allison S2100 Seats 39 Spec Mobitec destination gear Supplied by
ADL 01483 571271 www.alexander-dennis.com
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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
Allison S2100 transmission. It has Altro wood- effect flooring and leather Civic V3 seats. Richard Matthews, ADL’s General Manager Retail Sales, said: “The Enviro200 continues to provide a winning combination of passenger appeal, reliability and low operating costs, which explains why it remains the world’s bestselling midi bus and is as popular as ever with independent operators like Yellow Buses.”
from our point of view.” Mr Fowles added: “We are looking to add to the fleet of Streetlites early next year.” Based in Neath, South Wales Transport is a family-run operation whose customers include Swansea University, Neath Port Talbot CBC, City and County of Swansea, Neath Football Club, Admiral Insurance, Corus plc, ASDA and Tesco. In addition to its stagecarriage operations, the firm also undertakes private hires using coaches. FACT FILE
Chassis/body Wright Streetlite Engine Cummins Euro5 Transmission Voith Seats 33 Spec Mobitec blinds Supplied by
Mistral Bus & Coach Pls 0800 781 4144 www.mistral-group.com
YELLOW BUSES Bournemouth operator Yellow Buses has introduced a new ADL Enviro200 into its fleet to run on local routes. Gary Corrie, Engineering Director of Yellow Buses, said: “We have a long and successful track record
with ADL midi buses over the past 15 years, so when it came to updating our fleet and providing comfortable, reliable and fuel efficient vehicles, then the obvious choice was the Enviro200. We have also been running Enviro300s successfully, which provides the added advantages
of driver familiarity and commonality of parts, all of which contributes to lower operating costs and minimum downtime.” The new addition to the Yellow Buses fleet of 150 vehicles is a 10.8m Enviro 200 model, powered by Cummins ISBe four-cylinder 160PS Euro5 engine with
FACT FILE
Chassis/body ADL Enviro200 Engine Cummins ISBe Transmission Allison S2100 Seats 39 or 35 + 1 wheelchair Spec Altro wood-effect flooring Supplied by
ADL 01483 571271 www.alexander-dennis.com
www.coachandbusweek.com
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THE BIG PICTURE
Liverpool-based family-run Peoples Bus has recently launched a new livery. The familiar dark blue and pink livery has now been supplemented by a lighter shade of blue. ”We are well known for our smart livery but decided we needed to refresh our brand but also maintain our history,” explained Managing Director Andrew Cawley. “We feel the new livery achieves this goal. We have treated two vehicles to this new livery with a third currently being undertaken and the response we have received so far has been very encouraging.” Turning to the bus itself, Plaxtonbodied Mini Pointer Dart ‘W869 YNB’ was new to Northumbria Buses, before being acquired by Go North East. It joined the Peoples Bus fleet in September 2011. Based at Aintree, Peoplesbus was started by Andrew Cawley with one vehicle on June 27, 2001. Initially operating on a Saturday and Sunday, the firm now runs 364 days a year. The company has 20 O-licences, although 36 vehicles are in its possession. The company’s work includes 32 Merseytravel contracts, together with a number of private contracts and local bus services.
www.coachandbusweek.com
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vehicle launch › viseon ldd13
Viseon launches lowfloor double decker The new shortened Viseon LDD13 is aimed at providing a cost effective alternative to articulated buses
V
iseon Bus GmbH has developed a lowfloor doubledecker (LDD) in a 12.60m long format. The Viseon LDD13 is based on the LDD14 unveiled during the IAA in 2010 but has a 1.40m shorter wheelbase. It features an articulated trailing axle which provides the triaxle vehicle with an extremely small turning circle of just 20.46m. Viseon claims despite its dimensions (length of 12.60m and height 4.0m) the vehicle masters tight corners, narrow urban through roads, terminal loops and manoeuvring operations with ease. It also scores with its huge seating capacity for up to 91 passengers plus 29 standees – hence Viseon’s belief it is a cost-effective, attractive alternative to 15-metre vehicles or articulated buses. As a specialist vehicle builder, Viseon can call on a broad range of equipment and has the ability to configure its products to meet exact customer specifications. The LDD13 can be configured for almost any application from scheduled bus service operations on high frequency urban routes or as a dual purpose vehicle in the regional and excursion sector. The LDD13 is available with www.coachandbusweek.com
ViseonDD.indd 30
either two or three doors and options on their sizes. Door 2 always features a double-width version with a generous entry width of 1,380mm. Doors 1 and 3 may be specified in widths of 900mm or 1,380mm. Two access staircases lead to the upper deck, one directly behind the driver’s seat, the second can be positioned either in front of the middle axle behind door 2 or behind the rear axle in front of door 3 – to suit requirements. There are numerous options for the passenger area: on the lower deck, customers can opt for a continuous lowfloor variant, a version with platforms and level wheelchair or pushchair/pram platforms, or a combination of both. The choice made will have a bearing on passenger capacity as it results in a higher or lower number of seats or standing room capacity. Upper deck seating can be selected from a range of well-known manufacturers to suit both urban and regional operations. The lower deck has a standing height of 1,820mm which is reduced to 1,680mm above the rear axle. Standing height on the upper deck is at least 1,680mm at any point to fulfil legal requirements. In order to create more space, at least in the centre aisle, the designers planned three large-
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Viseon’s highly distinctive design trend is clearly evident in its new LDD13
www.coachandbusweek.com
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vehicle launch › viseon ldd13
sized glass roof sections which serve as emergency exits while providing a natural source of light. In combination with its large side windows the application conveys a generous sense of space on the upper deck. For city sightseeing tour operators, the LDD13 can also be ordered ex-works as an open-topper - with or without a sliding roof. Passenger comfort is aided by a powerful air-conditioning system and a draft-free air distribution as standard. The air-conditioning features more than 40kW of cooling capacity in order to meet all European requirements. In winter, a maintenance-free convector heating system with 20kW heat output competently warms up the passenger areas on both decks quickly and reliably. It is regulated through a climatic control function developed by Viseon where both
the hardware and software have been adapted to meet the high requirements in the doubledecker bus. The driver’s area in the new LDD13 is equipped with the latest cockpit according to uniform VDV guidelines. The driver is guaranteed a clearly-structured and generously dimensioned workplace offering a high level of comfort and practical storage compartments. CCTV cameras allow the driver to monitor both lower and upper decks at all times. In common with all Viseon products, the LDD13 has a selfsupporting lattice tube frame. The steel tube frame construction undergoes a high-quality KTL cathodic dip painting process to ensure reliable and long-lasting protection against corrosion – for which Viseon gives a six-year warranty against rust.
Steering tag-axle helps minimise turning circle for greater agility
“Passenger comfort is aided by a powerful air-conditioning system and a draftfree air distribution as standard.”
The drivetrain employs proven components supplied by MAN and ZF. It has the vertical in-line six cylinder MAN D2066 LOH (EEV) diesel engine, which is installed in the rear on the left. The 10.5 litre power unit produces 400bhp (294kW) and develops maximum torque of 1,900Nm at 1,000 – 1,400rpm. The fully automatic ZF EcoLife gearbox is standard equipment. In order to provide the highest levels of travelling comfort and best possible driving safety in combination with a consistent lowfloor design and wide gangways between the wheel housings the front ZF RL75EC independent suspension provides proven comfort. The same unts are also used as the trailing axle at the rear but are equipped with ZF RAS forced steering. Viseon also fits the ZF AV132 lowfloor portal axle.
Below: Driver station virtually coach standard. Bottom left: Spiral staircase. Below centre: Three doors can be specified although centre is always a double
www.coachandbusweek.com
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Above left: Spacious, comfortable upper deck layout. Above right: Compact toilet/washroom facility aids maximum use of precious lower deck seat space FACT FILE
Dimensions and weights Length 12.6m
Width 255m Height (tyres class II) 4.0m Headroom (lower deck/ upper deck) 1,820mm/ min. 1,680mm Boarding height (front/center/rear) n Tyres class I 320/320/320mm n Tyres class II 340/340/340mm Door portal width optional n Door I: double 1380mm single 900mm n Door II: double 1380mm double 1380mm n Door III: double 1380mm single 900mm Wheel base 5,400/1,590mm Turning circle radius 10,230mm Floor height 360mm Overhang (front/rear) 2,625/2,985mm Perm. gross weight 26,000kg Passenger seat layout max. seating 91 + 1 max. total 120 + 1 Engine
Water-cooled straight six cylinder diesel engine (MAN D 2066 LOH 28), installed vertically, with
turbo-charging and charge air cooling, electronically controlled direct fuel injection with Common Rail System, cooled exhaust gas recirculation, PM-Kat, EEV exhaust emission standard. Bore/lift 120/155mm Engine size 10,520cm3 Performance 294 kW (400 HP) @ 1900/rpm Maximum torque 1900Nm at 1000–1400/rpm Power train
Transmission 6-speed automatic transmission ZF EcoLife Transmission ratios 3,36 – 0,62 Chassis
Independent wheel suspension at the front ZF RL75EC, multi-link axle, two pneumatic spring bellows, two shock absorbers, stabilizer, perm. axle load 7.5t. Rigid low-floor portal drive axle ZF AV132 at the rear, two trailing arms, separate triangular control arm, four air spring bellows, four shock absorbers, stabilizer, plus trailing axle with forced steering independent wheel suspension ZF RL75EC, multi-link axle, two pneumatic spring bellows, two shock absorbers. Perm. axle load rear axle bogie 20.5t.
Tyres 305/70 R22.5 Braking system
Electronically controlled dual-circuit brake installation with all-round ventilated disc brakes, ABS and ASR. Steering
ZF ball-and-nut-type power steering gear Type 8098 Servocom with variable gear ratio (22.2– 26.2), steering column adjustable in both height and tilt (pneumatic). Electrics
Voltage 24 Volt, 3 Three-phase generators rated at 110 A, two 12V batteries/225 Ah, V-CAN® Heating/ventilation/ air-conditioning
Fully-automatic heating/ ventilation system with roof-mounted air conditioning. Draught-free interior ventilation, Air intake via slits in the roof duct in the direction of the windows and centre aisle. Webasto auxiliary heating, 35kW, maintenancefree convector heating in the interior, heating performance 20kW, front-end heater 15kW, cooling performance 6kW. Cooling capacity of the air conditioning > 40kW.
www.coachandbusweek.com
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LEGAL update
In association with
Age Discrimination Ruling The Supreme Court has handed down its decision in Homer v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police on the scope of indirect discrimination on the ground of age. At the age of 51 the Claimant began working for the Police National Legal Database (PNLD). He had no degree in law (when he was appointed, a law degree was not a requirement of the job provided the postholder had other qualifications and exceptional skills or experience in criminal law). The Claimant had the aforementioned experience and skills. A new grading structure was then introduced. There were three promotion thresholds, the third and final one requiring a law degree. As a result of this requirement the
Claimant could not get to level three unless he embarked on a part time law degree alongside his day job, which would have taken four years. When the new requirement came in Mr Homer was 62 and being required to retire at 65 (this was before the abolition of the default retirement age), he would not have been able to enjoy the level three promotion before he had to leave PNLD. A claim of age discrimination was brought under the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 (see now Equality Act 2010). His claim was for indirect discrimination in that he had been subject to a provision, criterion or practice which put persons of his age group at a particular disadvantage when compared with other persons. The EAT and Court of Appeal had rejected the claim. Their view was his disadvantageous position was not
The question of whether entitlements to an early retirement pension transfer under TUPE, and if so, what the scope of the transferee’s obligations are, have recently been clarified in the High Court case of Proctor & Gamble (P&G) v Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA and another [2012]. In 2007 P&G sold its Family Care business to SCA. TUPE applied. The dispute related to the Manchester factory which transferred to SCA under TUPE. The P&G defined benefit scheme made provision for Early Retirement Benefits (ERBs). SCA didn’t want to take on any pension liability. Regulation 10 of TUPE provides that so much of contract of employment as relates to an occupational pension scheme which concerns old age, invalidity or survivors’ benefits does not transfer
under TUPE. But following the CJEU cases of Beckmann v Dynamco Ltd [2003] and Martin v South Bank University [2004] early retirement benefits are out with this exclusion, and transfer under TUPE. This was of vital importance to SCA regarding its liability under TUPE and for both employers under the pension provisions of the sale and purchase agreement. Hildyard J made the following points; Even though the ERB entitlement was discretionary it fell within the concept of ‘rights and obligations’ transferring under TUPE; The discretionary power to provide ERBs therefore now vested in the entity which now employed the employees; and whether liability for all ERBs, or only liability in respect of the enhancement until normal retirement age, transfers under TUPE. The Court confirmed TUPE only protects employment rights. It is not designed to enhance them. The transferee was only obliged to meet the enhancement until retirement.
Employers indirectly discriminate against employees in regards to retirement
Pension Liabilities under TUPE
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
due to his age, but his impending retirement. His position was therefore comparable with any other employees nearing the end of their employment, for whatever reason.
The EAT pointed out that the form of words used in the Age Regulations (see now the EA 2010) were intended to make it easier, rather than more difficult, to establish indirect discrimination
TUPE and Assigned Grouping of Employees The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) in Seawell v CEVA has held that where an employee works 100% of his time for a single client, he is not necessarily assigned to an organised grouping of employees for the purposes of a service provision change and the transfer of his employment under TUPE. The Claimant (Mr Moffat) was employed by Ceva Freight, which provided logistics and freight forwarding for Seawell, owner of offshore drilling platforms. Seawell then ended the contract and took it in house. Seawell was not the only client of Ceva, but Mr Moffat spent 100% of his time on the Seawell contract, with other employees spending smaller percentages of time on this job and the rest of their time on other contracts.
The Supreme Court disagreed with this analysis and upheld the appeal. Persons in the position of the Claimant were disadvantaged because of a reason directly related to their age. It could not be correct to equate leaving because of impending retirement with other reasons for doing so. Judge Lady Hale also pointed out that the form of words used in the Age Regulations (see now the EA 2010) were intended to make it easier, rather than more difficult, to establish indirect discrimination. Although the Claimant was indirectly discriminated against on the grounds of age, it was still open for the employer to justify the discriminatory requirement. The issue was remitted to the employment tribunal for consideration in the light of the Supreme Court’s findings. An Employment Tribunal found either Mr Moffat himself could comprise an organised grouping of employees or, alternatively, if the organised grouping of employees included Mr Moffat and colleagues, Mr Moffat was assigned to that organised grouping of employees as he spent 100% of his time on the service. On these alternative basis he transferred under TUPE. The EAT disagreed. There was no basis for finding in this case that there was a group of employees specifically organised for this particular contract. An organised grouping of employees denotes a deliberate putting together of a group of employees for the purpose of the relevant client work. As the EAT put it: “it is not a matter of happenstance.” There was no such conscious employee grouping on the facts of the case. As such there was no service provision change and no relevant transfer. In this regard, the previous EAT cases of Argyll Coastal Services v Stirling) and Eddie Stobart v Moreman were to be followed.
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
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COACH&BUSMARKET – the place to buy and sell
To advertise on these pages for as little as £30 just call 01733 293247 2001 (51) RENAULT MASTER LM35 2200 CC 9 SEATER PASSENGER AMBULANCE
Julian Brunt
Cars and Commercials
WHITE, DIESEL, ONE OWNER (DIRECT FROM NHS), 156,000 MILES ,12 MONTHS MOT, 6 MONTHS TAX, FULL SERVICE HISTORY (INCLUDING A RECENT ONE) BRAND NEW ENGINE FITTED AT 142,000 MILES, SIDE/ REAR LOADING DOORS, RATCLIFFE HYDRAULIC LIFT, SKYLIGHTS, STORAGE LOCKERS, STEREO, LOVELY CONDITION THROUGHOUT.
For Sale: Due to fleet replacement, we need to sell up to 5 of the following and don’t mind which 5! 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
£ 3,650.00 + VAT
Call (01453) 731025 or 07703 470667
Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 8EL All vehicles are in excellent condition, professionally valeted and sold with 12 months MOT. www.julianbruntwheelchairaccessible.co.uk
Finance Available Subject to Status
SUBSTANTIAL FREEHOLD 7 BED DETACHED HOUSE 2 minutes J23/M25 South Mimms/Potters Bar (London Olympics 25 minutes)
SMALL YARD AND PARKING FOR UP TO 10 MINIBUSES
PFK 473 YRK 631 On retention documents transfer paid.
Also 1 BED LUXURY MAISONETTE
£1,000 each no VAT
Principles only please, apply in first instance to pbch@ymail.com or call 07941 063540
To view contact Tom Smith, Operations Manager, Alfa Travel on 08451 305777
Registration Numbers for sale:
Established 10 years £650,000 Freehold May sell just business £50,000
Next to Potters Bar BR station £195,000
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!
Potters Bar Coach Hire 01707 652706 anytime
Julian Brunt
Cars and Commercials
2001 ( Y ) LDV 400 CONVOY LWB 17 SEATER HIGH LOADER MINIBUS DIESEL WHITE 59,000 MILES 12 MONTHS MOT SIDE / REAR LOADING DOORS FITTED WITH CERTIFICATED DIGITAL TACHOGRAPH AND RECENTLY OPERATIONAL ON COUNCIL CONTRACTS LOVELY CONDITION THROUGHOUT £ 3,450.00 + VAT
Call (01453) 731025 or 07703 470667
Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 8EL All vehicles are in excellent condition, professionally valeted and sold with 12 months MOT. www.julianbruntcarsandcommercials.co.uk
Finance Available Subject to Status
2010 Tourneo Trend 115
Mercedes Sprinter 515CDI Executive 16 seat coach
First Reg: April 2009 tested March 2013 Spec includes: Aircon front and rear, rack blowers and reading lights, power door and auto gearbox and very large luggage boot. Excellent throughout £39,995.00 + VAT
Mercedes 814D Vario 24 seat coach with 3 point belts First Reg: November 2007 tested August 2012 Very low mileage, immaculate condition. Inspection welcome, full service history £34,950.00 + VAT
Contact Karl – Tel: 01606 786833 Mobile: 07841 110426
Volvo B12M VanHool
9 seats, 58k miles, full Ford service history, manufacturers warranty March 13/100k, 1 owner driver, school run use only, any inspection welcome. £12,250 no VAT Please call Dougie on 07770 726746
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.
£87,000 + VAT o.n.o.
For more details call Patrick 01787 477701/ 07730 671064
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
£55,000 and £65,000
Contact Ian 01443 681995
Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com
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To advertise on these pages for as little as £30 just call 01733 293247 Julian Brunt
Cars and Commercials
2003 (03) LDV 400 CONVOY LWB 17 SEATER HIGH LOADER MINIBUS DIESEL WHITE, 98,000 MILES, 12 MONTHS MOT FITTED WITH CERTIFICATED DIGITAL TACHOGRAPH AND RECENTLY OPERATIONAL ON COUNCIL CONTRACTS LOVELY CONDITION THROUGHOUT £ 3,850.00 + VAT
Network Warrington have the following vehicles for sale
Call (01453) 731025 or 07703 470667
Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 8EL All vehicles are in excellent condition, professionally valeted and sold with 12 months MOT. www.julianbruntcarsandcommercials.co.uk
Finance Available Subject to Status
COACH&BUSMARKET Looking for a great deal to sell your vehicles? Photos and
FULL COLOUR as standard on all vehicle for sale advertisements
FOR SALE DUE TO FLEET REPLACEMENTS 2002 MERCEDES SPRINTER OLYMPUS CONVERSION
2008 OPTARE SOLO SLIMLINE (AVAILABLE MID AUGUST)
£5,000 no VAT
WANTED VW SHUTTLE OR CARAVELLE LWB AUTO OR MANUAL ANY MILEAGE CONSIDERED IMMEDIATE PURCHASE AND COLLECTION
Potters Bar Coach Hire 01707 652706 anytime
Kevin Potters Bar Coach Hire 01707 652706 anytime
On retention document transfer paid.
Contact Damian Graham (Engineering Director) Warrington Borough Transport Ltd Wilderspool Causeway, Warrington WA4 6PT. Tel 01925 634296
£7,750 PLUS VAT ONO
Coach & Bus Week – the only paid-for weekly magazine in the bus and coach industry – there’s no comparison!
C4 STS
1999, Choice of 6, Cummins 6BT, Allison AT545 4 speed auto, Marshall body, 40 seats.
16 SEATS, TWO TABLES, AIR CONDITIONING, DRINKS MACHINE/ COOL BOX, TWO MONITORS/VIDEO/DVD/PLAYSTATION 2, PA SYSTEM, LARGE BOOT, MOT UNTIL 18.06.13
Contact Jade Cassidy now on : 01733 293247 jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com
Registration Number for sale:
Dennis Dart SLF 10.8m
28 SEATS PLUS STANDEES, MERCEDES ENGINE, MOT UNTIL 02.03.2013
£50,000 PLUS VAT ONO BOTH VEHICLES AVAILABLE WITH CCTV SYSTEM AT ADDITIONAL COST IF REQUIRED
CONTACT RICHARD OR TONY AT ANTHONYS TRAVEL ON 01928 561460
OPTARE SOLO
2000 reg, Mercedes engine, 31 seats with new belt installation, DDA spec, new paint and test. Order now for September
£13,950
For more information visit
www.staffordbuscentre.com Tel: 01782 791774/07803 222552
FREEDESIGNFREEWEBADFREEFULLCOLOURFREEDESIGNFREEWEBADFREEFULLCOLOUR
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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 T/V REG DENNIS DART SLF’S
Cummins / Allison, Wrights Cadet body, ramp, wheelchair space, Hanover LEDʼs, CCTV, 39 retrimmed individual seats, from our own fleet and very tidy.
1999/2000 T/V/X REG DENNIS TRIDENTS
2000 DAF SB120
Caetano Compass bodies, 39 seats, ramps, £7000 each plus tyres.
1998 R REG VOLVO OLYMPIAN
1997/98 VOLVO OLYMPIANS
Volvo Euro 2 engines, ZF gearboxes, Northern Counties bodies, 78 seats.
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.
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!!!
2006 MAN NEOPLAN EUROLINER
ZF automatic, 49 seat exec, air-con, toilet, only one available.
1996/7 N and R Reg with Plaxton bodies, 35/40 seats, single door, long tests. £4500 plus tyres
ZF automatic, Plaxton Premiere 320 body, new 70 seat conversion with 3 point belts, new MOT and just painted white.
1994 M REG VOLVO B10M
Euro 3, ZF automatics, East Lancs bodies, 37 seats, full DDA, Hanover LEDʼs, long MOTʼs.
Euro 4, Wrights Gemini bodies, dual door, 68 seats.
Cummins Euro 3 ISB engine, Allison gearbox, Caetano Nimbus body, 10.7m, 37 seats, full DDA.
East Lancs Myllenium body, 80 coach seats with 3 point belts, LEDʼs, digi tacho, CCTV.
2002 VOLVO B6BLE’S
2002 DENNIS DART SLF
ZF auto, 49 seats, air-con, toilet, only one available.
2004 SCANIA
2001 X REG DENNIS DART MPD’S 25 seats, ramps, good MOTʼs.
2007 VOLVO B9TL’S
2007 VDL BUS DB250
1999 S REG SUPER POINTER DART 11.3m, uprated engine and Allison World Series gearbox, 41 seats.
Euro 4, Wrights Gemini bodies, 70 seats with 3 point belts, full DDA, single door.
2007 VOLVO B9TL’S
- BRITAIN’S BIGGEST BUS DEALERS Park, Purfleet, Essex, RM15 4YF 8 864340 e-mail: sales@ensignbus.com t stock at www.ensignbus.com
553368-1042-Pembridge
25/6/12
17:02
Page 1
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 (
(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
SOLD
(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 (09) 2009 Renault Master 16 seat minibus, tacho,high back seats with three point belts, 35,000km £15,650
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 (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
SOLD
(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%
555649-1041-Bowen
15/6/12
10:00
Page 1
p42_CBW_1043
2/7/12
19:10
Page 42
42 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 4, 2012
2009 09 REG FORD TRANSIT
15 seat factory bus with only 9K miles, tacho, COIF applied for
£14,250
For more information visit
www.staffordbuscentre.com Tel: 01782 791774/07803 222552 DENNIS DART PLAXTON POINTER SLF
P reg with 29/32 seats, recent retrim, metallic silver, new test.
£5,950
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 on :
01733 293247
jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com Coach & Bus Week – the only paid-for weekly magazine in the bus and coach industry – there’s no comparison!
THE SUMMER COACH & BUS AUCTION EVENT Saturday 7th July 2012, 10.30am Viewing Friday 6th July 2012
Prees Storage Ltd, A49, Prees, Higher Heath, Whitchurch, Shropshire, SY13 3JX
COACHES, SERVICE BUSES, MINI BUSES ALREADY RECEIVED FROM NATIONAL & FAMILY OPERATORS
FREE ONLINE BIDDING AVAILABLE Click the link on our website to register
Contact Charlie Foyle or Graham Johnson with your additional single items or Parcels of equipment
01630 674326 or Fax 01630 674356 www.malcolmharrison.co.uk auctions@malcolmharrison.co.uk All overseas and first time buyers not known to the auctioneer must lodge £1000 refundable deposit on registration by cash/credit/debit card.
MALCOLM HARRISON AUCTIONS
5558009-1043-Ventura
2/7/12
16:38
Page 1
555709-1042-Pickrell
25/6/12
13:27
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
60 REG RENAULT MASTER SM33 2.5TD
06 REG RENAULT MASTER SL33 2.2TD
06 REG RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.2TD
2008 08 REG IVECO 50c15 IRIS BUS 2.8 TD
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.
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.
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.
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.
07 REG RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.5TD
07 REG RENAULT MASTER LH35 2.5TD
09 PEUGEOT EXPERT TEPEE 1.9 HDI
07 REG RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.2TD
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.
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.
Manual 5 speed gearbox, PAS, CD player, air con, twin side loading doors, 2 high back seat in rear, double passenger seat front, cut out floor, fold down ramp, blue metallic silver, alloy wheels, 14,932 miles.
Manual gearbox, high roof, Warner bus conversion, PAS, side loading door, electric side step, 7 high back seats plus 2 x w/chair, Webasto heater, Unwin Innotrax tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, 23,480 miles.
2004/05 54 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 416CDI AMBULANCE
07 REG FORD TRANSIT 350 2.4TD
06 REG RENAULT MASTER LM35 2.5TD
07 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 313 CDI 2.2
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.
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, 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.
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.
2012 UN REG IVECO DAILY 45C IRIS BUS 3.0TD
54 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 411 CDI
58 REG FORD TRANSIT TOURNEO CONNECT 1.8 HDI
2009 59 REG VAUXHALL VIVARO SL28 2.0 TD
Agile gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, front power door, 16 high back CT seats, m2 tested fully tracked flat floor, roof vent, new Ratcliff tail lift, new conversion.
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, 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.
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.
07 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 313CDI 2.2
06 REG RENAULT MASTER SM 33 2.2TD
2004 54 REG IVECO 50c13 IRIS BUS 2.8 TURBO DIESEL
2009 09 REG VAUXHALL MOVANO L M39 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.
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.
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, 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.
53 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 416 CDI
56 REG RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.5TD
08 REG VW T RANSPORTER BLUEBIRD TUCANA LIBRARY/OFFICE/COMS UNIT
2005/06 MERCEDES SPRINTER 413 CDI UVK TREKA
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, 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.
2.8 TD, automatic transmission, PAS, power side loading door, n/s wind out awning, wheelchair accessible, storage lockers, heating, lots more, low kms.
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.
55525-1043-Connaught
2/7/12
16:49
Page 1
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.
2008 08 MERCEDES BENZ 311D SPRINTER 16 high back seats, 3 point belts, forced air, reading lights, brand new conversion LEZ compliant.
2005 05 REG MERCEDES 814D VARIO PLAXTON CHEETAH 25 high back reclining seats, 3 point belts, A/C, D/G, 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.
2001 51 REG TOYOTA CATEANO OPTIMO 5 22 high back seats plus courier, lap belts, forced air, reading lights, curtains, power door and boot.
1999 MERCEDES 814D VARIO PLAXTON CHEETAH 33 high back seats, 3 point belts, forced air, reading lights, curtains, power door and boot.
1999 V REG MERCEDES 814 BEAVER 33 high back seats, 3 point belts, power door, 12 months test.
1998 MERCEDES 814D VARIO PLAXTON CHEETAH 33 high back seats, 3 point belts, forced air, reading lights, curtains, power door and boot.
Steve Peach Tel: 01302 770863 Mob: 07836 551020 Email: steve@connaughtpsv.co.uk
p46_CBW_1043
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18:48
Page 46
46 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 4, 2012
!
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2005 Ford Transit 410
Factory minibus, fitted with 14 moquette h/b coach seats, COIF, tacho and new PSV, 120,000 miles
£5950
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
ADL ENVIRO 200 58/09 REG 29 seats Choice of 4
From £59,950 For more information visit
www.staffordbuscentre.com Tel: 01782 791774/07803 222552
1999/2000 Dennis Trident Alexander ALX 400 V and X reg, long wheelbase, EURO 4
For more information visit
www.staffordbuscentre.com Tel: 01782 791774/07803 222552
p00_CBW_1043
2/7/12
16:26
Page 1
p48_CBW_1043
2/7/12
19:08
Page 48
48 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 4, 2012
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
Eminox exhaust, air con, 60 mph, 12 mths MOT, £11,500 + VAT
74 SEAT BELTED
As above £10,000 + VAT
74 SEATS WITHOUT BELTS
1994 VOLVO B10M JONCKHEERE DEAUVILLE
Retrimmed 2 yr ago, 12 mths MOT, 51 seats with belts, toilet, DVD/monitor £12,500 + VAT
COACH&BUSMARKET Looking for a great deal to sell your vehicles? Photos and
1993 VOLVO B10M VANHOOL T8 BODYWORK
FULL COLOUR
63 seats, ZF auto, 3 point belts, 12 mths MOT, tacho £5,500 + VAT
Contact Jade Cassidy now on :
12 mths MOT, toilet, DVD/monitor, 49 seats with belts £11,000 + 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
as standard on all vehicle for sale advertisements!
01733 293247
jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com Coach & Bus Week – the only paid-for weekly magazine in the bus and coach industry – there’s no comparison!
Bus & Coach Sales
2010 2009 2008 2006 2004 2003
MAN Panther DDA 49 seats A/C Mercedes Rhinobus 29 seats A/C Iveco S2000 Irisbus MAN Plaxton 49 seats A/C MAN Marco Polo 70 seats A/C MAN Marco Polo 70 seats
£120,000 £29,000 £12,000 £95,000 £46,000 £39,000
To view call 07979 295668
Filler NEW copy
2/7/12
19:29
Page 1
3 WEEKS 4 WEEK FREE
BUY GET A
PRICES INCLUDE :
TH
• Design Service • Web Advert • Full Colour
WHEN YOU ADVERTISE IN
COACH&BUSMARKET C
T E K R A M S U B & nd sell a H y u C b o A t O ace – the pl
7 1733 29324 0 ll a c t s ju £30 as little as r o f s e g a p e on these To advertis
l £90 o c 4 x m 5c co 5cm x 1
TO BOOK YOUR ADVERTISEMENT CONTACT:
JADE CASSIDY
£30
col 10cm x 2
£90
15cm x 1
col
£70
10cm x 1
col
£50
01733 293247 jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com
l
l £50 o c 2 x 5cm
.co.uk uncymedia ro @ y id ss ail jade.ca 3247 or em 9 2 3 3 7 1 0 y on Jade Cassid Telephone
VEHICLE SALES | PRODUCTS & SERVICES | MARKET | VEHICLE SALES | PRODUCTS & SERVICES | MARKET | VEHICLE SALES | PRODUCTS & SERVICES
p50_CBW_1043
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Page 50
50 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 4, 2012
COACH&BUSCLASSIFIED AUDIO &VISUAL
BUSINESS FOR SALE
GARAGE EQUIPMENT
DUE TO RETIREMENT
Special needs company for sale With attached Marine Business (service, repairs and parts). Established over 20 years. Turnover over £300,000 per annum with at least 20% net profit. The Company is debt free with prompt payments from clientele. Would suit an engineering minded person or to tag on to existing company. Possible 50% partnership. Also would consider splitting Company into two. For initial contact write to Box No 28, Rouncy Media Ltd, 3 The Office Village, Forder Way, Cygnet Park, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX
Contact Jade Cassidy now for details of our current offers : 01733 293247
REGISTRATIONS
HEAVY DUTY STEEL BUILDINGS
BUILDINGS
• Bus Workshops • Secure Storage
• Supplied any width, any length
• Building to BS5590
• Doors high enough for Double Deckers
• Finance available Phone for further information
BLUELINE BUILDINGS 01709 578333 anytime CHECKPOINTS
TO PURCHASE CHECKPOINT/DUSTITE loose wheelnut indicators or to locate your nearest stockist:
Tel: 01524 271200 www.checkpoint-safety.com
SPECIALOFFERS
Don’t forget to say that you saw it in
HEATING
GARAGE EQUIPMENT
Specialists in Used Commercial Garage Equipment
BWS 0117 953 0381 www.bwsequip.co.uk
email: bwsequip@hotmail.com
Heaters • A/C Equipment Blowers • Motors • Radiators Silicone Hose • Ducting Wiper Equipment • Gas Struts
Tel: 01993 849522 Fax: 01993 706920 Email: sales@thhs.co.uk
www.thhs.co.uk
UNIT 9 NIMROD BUSINESS PARK DE HAVILLAND WAY, WITNEY OX29 0YG
G
SPEEDY REGISTRATIONS CO LTD G ‘Buy with confidence – CNDA Member’
£750 20 TXA 40 SXA 90 KXH 90 SXP ALZ 303 AXZ 88 IIG 89 RXI 85 YIL 71
£350 £99 £99 £50 AJZ 262 HIG 5338 MNZ 1195 CXZ 4471 JBZ 484 HIG 5339 ONZ 1180 CXZ 4472 JJZ 858 IIG 7764 REZ 3369 DFZ 4693 RBZ 696 IIG 7765 RUI 2117 DFZ 4694 RDZ 545 JIG 8894 SEZ 5766 DRZ 8551 SBZ 141 JIG 8895 SUI 8836 DRZ 8552 VIW 232 KIG 5113 SUI 8837 IFZ 8350 VIW 242 KIG 5114 TJZ 1116 IFZ 8360 XJI 474 MJZ 6749 TJZ 1119 JFZ 8393 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 8394 JIG 6715 JIG 6716 KIG 6608 KIG 6609 RNZ 2214 RNZ 2215 TUI 5921 TUI 5922
p51_CBW_104
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18:43
Page 51
July 4, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 51
COACH&BUSCLASSIFIED TRIM
TRAINING
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
Tel/Fax: 01751 472229
COACH&BUSCLASSIFIED • HGV & PCV inspections • Maintenance audits • HGV & PCV training courses • Due diligence inspections and reports
Looking for a great deal to promote your products and services?
info@viats.com www.viats.com 077 0234 9080
Contact Jade Cassidy now for our current offers: 01733 293247 jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com Coach & Bus Week – the only paid-for weekly magazine in the bus and coach industry – there’s no comparison!
TYRES
• Tyre fitting machine now available •
JULY 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
r e b m u N w e N 01684 560029 Adam : 07841 239411 Mark : 07545 735303 All prices subject to VAT and availability.
p52_CBW_1043
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52 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 4, 2012
COACH&BUSCLASSIFIED VEHICLE SPARES
New Van & Minibus Parts Passenger and Commercial Vehicles Recovery Dismantlers Parts Sales OUR SERVICES: •
Recovery
•
Testing
• • • • • • • •
DISMANTLING/SPARES:
Refurbishment Repairs
Engine/gearbox rebuilds Fault finding
Buying & selling vehicles
• •
Reconditioned engines Reconditioned gearboxes
•
Engine spares
•
Windscreens
• •
Peugeot Boxer Relay Fiat Ducato Doors £300+vat pair
Renault Master Read Mavano Doors £300+vat pair
Ford Transit Millenium Van Bodyshells Unused £500+vat
Transit 17 seater
Transit Millennium Bus £750+vat
Leyland DAF 45 Euro 2 Cabs From £500+vat
Master Side Doors £200+vat
MB Sprinter 616 Axel part no A9053500300
MB Sprinter Crafter 906 MWB (UNUSED) Body shell
MB Sprinter Mk3 Doors
MB Sprinter VW LT Doors old model £150+vat
Mercedes Benz E Class 1246005005 Bodyshells
Transit Tourneo Seats
B Series 5-9 Short Engine ESN 29111177 DRUK 0032SERX
Renault 1-9 CDI F9Q Engines New
Cummins L10 Short Motor
Transit 2.5Di Diesel Ford OE Engines
LDV Peugeot 2.5D, EN55 OE Engines
Leyland GB397,390
MB Sprinter 616 Axle part no A9053500300
Nissan 2.7 TD New
VW1-9 CDI ANUCode Sharan Galaxy
ZF 16S-109
ZF Astronic 12-AS-1930-TD
Windows Seats
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
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
Call 01226 723147 Night Service 01226 716479 Fax 01226 700199 Email wigleys@btconnect.com
www.twigley.com
www.cabmasters.com 01706 211 838
July 4, 2012 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 53
Seen something funny? Send it to gareth.evans@coachandbusweek.com, fax 0845 2802927 or write to: Last Stop, Coach & Bus Week, 3 The Office Village, Cygnet Park, Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX
Monday: A hectic press day – it’s Stagecoach Part 1. Tuesday: Get lectured by an individual I have hitherto regarded as friendly on the use of gender-neural job titles. Mr Stubborn (me) stands firm – I won’t allow him to change magazine style. After I point out several practical flaws in his arguments, he backs down, but not without a commendable exchange of words. In the evening, I’m delighted at the number of responses when I ask our followers via Facebook and Twitter what they’d like me to ask Sir Brian Souter.
Accomoplished dancers Sarah Arnett and Gillian Hutton were on hand to give route 58X a truly flexible launch...
Belly’s gonna get ya! Go North East has added a new bendy bus service to whisk workers to Cobalt, Britain’s biggest office park, in North Tyneside and how better to commemorate the occasion than with Belly dancers. Accomplished dancers Sarah Arnett and Gillian Hutton from Durham were on hand to give new bus service 58X a truly flexible launch. And adding to their flexibility, Go North East is extending its Citylink day saver and week saver fares to
Dilbert
include the new 58X service. Adrian Hill, Director of Highbridge Properties Ltd, who are developing Cobalt, said: “Getting to Cobalt by bus has never been easier. We’ve worked closely with Go North East to provide frequent links between Cobalt and the surrounding areas of North Tyneside, and from further afield. This new service provides extra, fast rush hour journeys to speed workers into and out of Newcastle.” Cobalt Business Park is currently constructing a further 146,000 sq ft (13,563 sq m) of office and retail space together with two further data centres. On completion, Cobalt will provide two and a half million
square feet (232,000 sq m) of accommodation and employ more than 18,000 people. Lynn Cramman, Cobalt’s Travel Co-ordinator, said: “This new service runs non-stop between Newcastle and Cobalt Business Park during the morning and evening rush hours to speed passengers into the city centre. Buses continue to and from Gateshead, Felling, Leam Lane and Heworth.” Service 58X completes the run between Newcastle and Cobalt in just 20 minutes. Sadly, CBW understands the dancers do not provide on-bus entertainment. Let’s hope it doesn’t all go belly up...
Wednesday: Rise at about my normal time and hit the road by 0645hrs. Accompanied by Jonathan, drive up to Ferry Toll, north of Edinburgh, where we spend an enjoyable couple of hours learning about what is effectively a coach park & ride station. Operations Director Sarah Anderson is full of enthusiasm and is easy to talk to. Drive up to Dundee. Spot the worst kind of so-called ‘political correctness’ in our hotel. Rather than the traditional ‘waiter/ waitress’, the position is listed as ‘wait person’. Dreadful. Regret not recording it for posterity. I joke it’s offensive about the size of individuals… Thursday: Spend an enjoyable couple of hours with the team at Stagecoach’s Dundee bus station. I’m struck by the friendliness of the coach & bus drivers of all operators – everyone seems to smile and wave. Drive south to Perth to interview Sir Brian Souter. As we head back towards Peterborough via the A66 and A1, miraculously manage to miss the stormy weather. Judging by the condition of the road, I’m convinced had we been half an hour ahead we would have been hit by the torrential rain. Friday: A hectic day in the office where I spend my time being ‘Mr Editor’. www.coachandbusweek.com
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RECRUITMENT
Mark Oliver appointed Fleet Sales Manager for Scania (GB) Mark Oliver, a long-term Scania employee with 17 years experience under his belt, has been appointed as UK Bus and Coach Fleet Sales Manager for Scania (Great Britain), with effect from July 1, 2012. During his career with Scania, Mark has gained extensive experience with the company’s UK’s bus and coach customer base, working together with a broad spectrum of operators in his capacity as Technical Services Manager. He has also been responsible for developing Scania’s range of bus and coach technical training courses, another role which has
Ford is new TM at C-Mac
Mark has 17 years experience with the company involved extensive liaison with operators. “Mark’s established relationships with our customers and the in-depth technical knowledge he possesses brings a wealth of expertise to our bus and coach team,” said Tony Tomsett, Director
BRISTOL PCV OPERATIONS/ BUSINESS MANAGER
of Bus, Coach and Engine Sales. “I am sure he will apply his skills and experience in his new role to great effect, and on behalf of the entire Scania UK organisation I would like to welcome him into the bus and coach team and wish him every success for the future.”
Accrington-based C-Mac Partnership has appointed Bill Ford as its new Transport Manager. Bill has extensive experience in the transport industry and is a welcome addition to the company. He will be responsible for managing the planning, delivery and organisation of services for a high profile sporting event contract, as well as maintaining the number of school contracts on a day-to-day basis which C-Mac holds. Commenting on his new role, Bill said: “I’ve joined at really exciting time. We‘ve secured a huge contract for a sporting event, which I may add is a colossal feat for a company based in the North West competing against the Londonbased firms. The infrastructure behind our bid was pivotal in the success – including our new Travel Management Solution.”
Your First Choice for Recruitment
Dealing with day to day operations with emphasis on sales.
We are a family owned, long established, large and expanding taxi and coach company operating around Bristol. We have 96 licences doing schools, private hire and touring, both in the UK and abroad.
• Extensive experience of coach operations and a PCV licence absolutely essential We offer:
• Salary in excess of £31,000 plus on target bonus • Private health • Mercedes E class • Assistance with relocation if applicable.
PCV TRAFFIC MANAGER
Reporting to Operations Manager. and with good knowledge of:
• Work Allocation • Quotations • Drivers hours and tachos • Staff Supervision • PCV Legislation PCV Licence essential.
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.
Salary of £25,000 plus private health.
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.
Please forward CV to Keith Sanzo at keith@eurotaxis.com Tel 07970 096262 or 07970 458877
To get your vacancy seen by quality candidates, call Ian Gillis on 01733 293484 or email ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com
www.coachandbusweek.com
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Deadlines Booking: Monday 5.00pm Full artwork: Monday 5.00pm
New Head of Operations at WBT Network Warrington has appointed Richard Mayes as its new Head of Operations, following the retirement of Operations Director Charlie Shannon in May. Richard joins the municipallyowned company from FirstGroup, where he was a graduate trainee. He then took up a number of positions around First’s operating companies in various management roles in London, Bristol and Portsmouth. Since 2008 he has been Service Delivery Manager for First’s Irish operations in Belfast, Cork and Dublin, First Northern Ireland and First Aircoach. Network Warrington Managing Director David Squire said: “We are delighted to welcome Richard to the company, he brings with him a fresh approach backed by sound
industry training within a larger group and we are looking forward to Richard playing his part in the on-going modernisation of the company.” Aged 30, Richard is originally from the south coast of England and maintains strong interests in all aspects of transport. He has moved to Warrington in order to take up his post. He is a member of the Young Bus Managers Network.
Richard Maynes joins WBT from FirstGroup
Qualified Experienced Coach Drivers & Coach Mechanics Required WORK AND LIVE IN
CANADA!!
TRAXX Coachlines requires UK qualified experienced tour coach drivers and coach mechanics to be based in Alberta and British Columbia (Western Canada). TRAXX has depot locations in Medicine Hat, Calgary and Vancouver. Successful applicants will receive Canadian Work Visas with the opportunity in becoming Permanent Residents of Canada. For more information, please contact Nigel Taylor - Chief Operating Officer Email: ntaylor@traxxcoachlines.com
www.traxxcoachlines.com
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Contact Ian Gillis 01733 293484
ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com
Robinson appointed new Merseytravel Chairman Councillor Liam Robinson has been named new Chairman of Merseytravel, following his election at the authority’s Annual General Meeting last Thursday (June 28). Robinson is a Liverpool City Councillor, who has represented the Kensington and Fairfield Ward since 2008. He spent his full career in transport, holding a number of management positions in the bus, coach and rail sectors including managing three of Britain’s largest railway stations – Liverpool Lime Street, London Liverpool Street and Sheffield. He is an active member of the Transport Salaried Staff Association. Councillor Robinson said: “I am honoured to have been chosen by the elected members of Merseytravel to be their Chairman, and delighted to announce we have also approved a new strategic plan
New NonExecs for FirstGroup
FirstGroup has announced Brian Wallace and James “Jim” Winestock will join the Board as Independent Non-Executive Directors on August 1, 2012. Brian Wallace has held executive board positions within a number of FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 organisations, most recently as Group Finance Director of Ladbrokes plc. Prior to joining Ladbrokes he was Group Finance Director and Deputy Chief Executive of Hilton Group. A chartered accountant, he began his career at Price Waterhouse and went on to perform senior finance roles at Geest, APV and Schlumberger. He previously served as a Non-Executive Director at Scottish & Newcastle plc, Hays plc, Merlin Entertainment and Miller Group. Jim Winestock served in a number of senior roles and was a member of the Management Committee during his career at United Parcel Service, Inc. Most recently he was Senior Vice President and Director of US Operations and Global Security
for Merseytravel, taking us through to 2015. “This plan will drive our work to deliver a world class integrated transport network, by focusing on understanding and meeting local needs, delivering value for money and making sure our organisation is fully focused on the most important priorities. “Working with our partners in the Merseyside Districts and with transport operators, I look forward to ensuring our transport network reaches its full potential to support and drive the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the Merseyside area and, in turn, every person who lives, works and visits the region. “I would also like to pay tribute to the dedication and commitment Councillor Dowd has shown over the past 20 years.” with responsibility for all US operations and 360,000 employees. He is a Non-Executive Director of YRC Worldwide Inc., a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest transportation service providers in the world, and also serves on the Board of two not-for-profit organisations in the US. Martin Gilbert, FirstGroup Chairman said: “Brian and Jim bring a wealth of financial and operational experience within large complex organisations, together with a strong track record of achievement. I am confident they will further strengthen the Board and make a significant contribution to the Group and its future successful development.” Other recent Non-executive changes include Audrey Baxter who stepped down as Independent NonExecutive Director at the end of last year alongside Martyn Williams, Non-Executive Employee Director, who retired from the Board at the same time. Brian and James join Mick Barker, former Employee Director at First Capital Connect, who was appointed to the Board as Non-Executive Employee January 1, 2012. For details of other director changes at FirstGroup, visit www.firstgroup.com corporate/ latest_news/
www.coachandbusweek.com
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