Wednesday August 31, 2011 Issue 1001 | £2.95 www.coachandbusweek.com
BUS:
First to trial carriage of bikes on board its buses in Scotland p6
PEOPLE:
trent barton MD Jeff Counsell gives his �irst CBW interview p28
COACH:
Hookways goes into liquidation owing creditors £3.5m p8
Coach of the Year: VDL Futura takes the honours
INSIGHT:
Eastern TC Richard Tur�itt talks about health & safety p34
for recru i
JOB ADV tment EVERY WERTS EEK
p14
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THIS WEEK
Coach & Bus Week is published by Rouncy Media, First Floor, 3 The Office Village, Cygnet Park, Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX Switchboard 01733 293240 Fax 0845 280 2927 Web www.coachandbusweek.com
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Radical rethink on fuel economy required
L
ooking at the current problems besetting the sustainability of bus services, particularly in rural areas, it is clear the industry needs a major boost in fuel efficiency to even come close to maintaining an adequate service network. Any required progress on meeting this goal will not come quickly enough and even rapid adoption of new technology is likely to be extremely expensive. However, it is clear things cannot continue as they are. Hybridisation of bus drivetrains has been successful in reducing fuel consumption – but at a capital cost making their acquisition prohibitive without substantial grant aid. The main factor causing high fuel consumption is vehicle weight. The use
of more advanced materials – such as composites and carbon-fibre - in construction processes is now urgently required to cut vehicle weight and promote the use of smaller, lighter and more efficient drivetrains. Considerably lighter vehicles would also mean electric drive batteries would offer far greater range per single charge, giving them considerably wider appeal than they generate at present. Long term, if operating costs continue to spiral, taking fares along with them, fewer and fewer routes or areas will be sustainable and huge swathes of the country could eventually end up with no viable links to towns or cities – save for people living along the route of inter-urban services. Martin Cole Technical Editor
CONTENTS 4
34
44
The latest from the industry in the UK and internationally
24
Eastern TC Richard Turfitt stresses the importance of safety systems
37
New products from LED Autolamps and Weldability-SIF
Leading suppliers advise operators on how to manage their fuel
28
Phil Tonks gives his verdict on the new Wolverhampton bus station
38
Jonathan Bray talks about the need for bus priority measures
trent barton MD Jeff Counsell talks about his career and developments
32
Dominic-Lund Conlon talks about accessibility & school transport
43
A lighthearted look at the industry. Plus Gareth’s Diary!
An ex Oxford P&R ALX400 bus now carrying standard OBC livery
News and career developments from bus and coach drivers
All the latest people moves from across the industry
News
Essential guide Face to Face
The Big Picture
Health & Safety Open Platform Accessibility Drivers
Products
45
pteg Column
62
Last Stop
63
People
The opinions and views expressed by authors and contributors within Coach & Bus Week are not necessarily those of the Editor or its publisher Rouncy Media Ltd.
www.coachandbusweek.com
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4 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
nEWS
BriEfly Brighton and Hove Bus & Coach Company has announced its bus fares are to rise by up to 20% over the next month due to rising fuel and insurance costs. The price of a Day City Saver will rise about 8% to £4 if bought from the driver, while the cost of a Day ‘networkwide’ Super Saver bought from the driver is rising 20% from £5 to £6. The price of a short hop has increased to £1.20 from £1 and a single journey in the onefare zone will rise 10p to £1.70. The new price of a Day City Saver bought online is £3.20 up from £3 currently but still saving 80p. Freight Transport Association Ireland (FTAI) has been officially approved by the Road Safety Authority to deliver Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training in Ireland. The Driver CPC was introduced across the EU in 2008 for professional bus drivers and in 2009 for professional truck drivers to set and maintain high standards of road safety, health and safety and driving among professional drivers of buses and trucks. Drivers must undergo 35 hours of Driver CPC training over a five year period, on a one-day-per-year basis. FTA Ireland currently has two training centres registered in Dublin, with plans to go nationwide by January 2012 to meet the needs of the association’s growing membership base in Ireland. MAN Truck & Bus is expanding its presence in Web 2.0 and has joined the Facebook social networking community with an official corporate page. Users can find up-to-date news from the company on the page as well as information about events and they can also use the comment function to contact the commercial vehicle manufacturer directly. The MAN Truck & Bus Facebook page can be found at www.facebook. com/mantruckandbus. MAN is also represented on Facebook under MAN Trucker’s World, MANschaftsbus, MAN Latin America and MAN Careers pages. www.coachandbusweek.com
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Grey’s of Ely wins Google award Cambridgeshire family operator recognised for reaping online opportunities Grey’s of Ely has been announced as a winner of a scheme to get small British businesses to increase online presence – The Financial Mail reported. The coach company won the Google initiative - entitled Getting British Business Online – which aims to increase the number of smaller firms who do business online and in turn boost digital revenues. Grey’s started building a new, revamped site in October 2010 (as featured in CBW978) going fully live in February 2011. The site allows customers to track booked vehicles live, a device which is popular with businesses transporting employees. Customers can also ask for and receive online quotations and give feedback on the
business and the service. Figures show micro-businesses, those with ten employees or fewer, make an average of just £1,000 a year via the internet, less than 1% of their total revenue. This compares to firms with 11 to 49 staff, who earn on average £175,000 a year in online sales, or 4.6% of overall revenue. The scheme will launch in Liverpool, chosen because research by Google shows that despite having a thriving business community, Liverpool lags behind rival towns such as London, Manchester, Leeds and Bristol, in its use of the internet in business. The family firm was set up more than 60 years ago by current owner Richard Grey’s grandfather and employs 40 people. It now operates 26 vehicles and clients include local schools and sports clubs, and tourists groups, in particular from France and America.
Richard Grey - making the most of websites for generating business
US rejects belts regulation The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it has rejected a petition asking the agency to require seat belts on school buses. The agency said the seat belts
are an unnecessary expense, the Washington Post reported. NHTSA said deaths are generally from impact with another vehicle or object and “in such circumstances seat belts will not be effective in preventing fatalites,” the newspaper reported. While small school buses weighing less than 10,000 pounds are required to have shoulder-lap belts, US government safety experts say larger buses are safer because
The company’s website is constantly updated with new information and Grey’s use Google Adwords to promote themselves both in the UK and globally. As a result, they are gaining more overseas business. The firm also uses Google analytics tools to check what works and what does not. According to Richard, more than 70% of Grey’s business now comes via the internet and from its website Richard said: “Having a strong website is a really key way to grow the business and stand out from your competitors.” “The key is to focus on exactly what you are trying to sell or the message you want to put across. The critical information must be on the front page as few people look further than that.” He added: “It is also really important to keep the website updated. If people can see that it is out of date, or looks uncared for, they may easily get the wrong idea about the business.” As part of the scheme, small businesses will have access to three months of free business events, including workshops, online tutorials and one to one advice sessions. The Getting British Business Online scheme will launch on September 14, with plans to travel to other parts of the UK next year.
For more information, or to register, visit www.gbbo. co.uk To see the Grey’s of Ely website, visit www.greysofely. co.uk
of padded high-back seats, as well as the tight seat pitch, meaning riders in a front-impact crash are projected forward into a cushioned seat back designed to absorb the impact. In a 2002 NHTSA report to Congress, the agency said shoulderlap belts were effective in reducing school bus fatalities but the costs were significant. The addition of the belts would cost $5,485 to $7,346 per large bus, the agency added.
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“I hated school. I was never academic. I couldn’t see the point of algebra – it got me into trouble at school. When I started work, I loved it.” Jeff Counsel trent barton
Face to Face p28
O-licence changes The government consultation response on changes to operator licensing regulations has been welcomed by both the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) and the Freight Transport Association (FTA). The Department for Transport had previously said it aimed to avoid imposing unnecessary burdens on industry through the consultation and consequently took on board three CPT-proposed amendments. Following consultation with FTA, most operators in Britain will not notice a difference to their O-licence obligations. However, ‘hire and reward’ operators of certain small vehicle and trailer combinations
Bell to continue temporary TC role
Philip Brown, the Senior Traffic Commissioner and the Traffic Commissioner for the South Eastern and Metropolitan Traffic Area, will retire with effect from October 2. Philip Brown is currently on “special leave” and Beverley Bell is acting as Deputy Senior Traffic Commissioner. Beverley Bell will continue in this role pending the appointment
August 31, 2011 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 5
Changes to licensing will have more effect on European operators will notice the changes, along with operators using non-employed consultant transport managers and individuals in the process of obtaining transport manager CPCs or alternative qualifications or
Senior Traffic Commissioner Philip Brown is to retire in October of the next Senior Traffic Commissioner. The DfT said arrangements were in place to ensure Traffic Commissioner duties
those with grandfather rights. James Firth, FTA’s head of road freight and enforcement policy, said: “Broadly speaking these changes export GB best practice to the rest of Europe, which is good news for most of our operators who won’t see any real changes and which will hopefully up the standards in the rest of Europe. The DfT deserves credit for listening to industry and being pragmatic enough to minimise the potential burden of wholesale changes to our industry. “FTA will work closely with the Office of the Traffic Commissioners to ensure the practicalities of the changes are as straightforward as possible.” For the full DfT consultation response, visit www.cpt-uk.org/_uploads/ attachment/1926.pdf
are fulfilled in the South East until a new full-time Commissioner is recruited. Philip Brown was appointed DTC in the Eastern Traffic Area in August 1990, and became full-time Western TC in May 2000. He took up his additional appointment of Senior Traffic Commissioner in March 2003 and transferred to the South Eastern and Metropolitan Area in May 2007. In November 2008 he was appointed the first Statutory Senior Traffic Commissioner. Brown is also a member of the Law Society, the Magistrates’ Association, the Justices’ Clerks’ Society and the Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Logistics and Transport.
CPT costs belt compliance CPT has delivered provisional industry costing of a compliance assessment relating to a recent seatbelt consultation. CPT digested the Traffic Commissioners’ response to a government consultation. The TC response gives an indication of what measure TCs might consider as “reasonable steps” for operators to take to meet any new law. CPT provisionally estimates: Training and Instructions: estimated total cost £450,000 for the 90,000 drivers actively working on belted coaches/buses used by children; Operator administration: Filing and production of records of checks could reach a total estimated cost of £475,000; Written instructions to group organisers, schools and parents: could lead to a cost of £100,000; Walk round check and dialogue each time young passengers board: Estimate total cost of £3,800,000 and; Good signage: at no extra cost to operators because of “adequate signage” used when carrying adults; Steven Salmon, CPT director of policy development said: “We are now able to take a reasoned view of the costs of compliance for the industry. “Note, these are industry costs; additional “time” costs will fall on passengers travelling on buses and coaches with seat belts at the same time as children.”
www.coachandbusweek.com
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6 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
£1
nEWS › BUSeS
Price being considered by First Scotland for carrying bikes on its buses
The Starship 1 service between Burnley and Pike Hull, Portsmouth and Todmorden will add extra morning and afternoon journeys to and from Todmorden starting on September 4. The extended journey times are Mondays to Fridays at 0710hrs and 1510hrs from Burnley and at 0755hrs and 1555hrs from Todmorden. The new journeys are largely to accommodate students from Burnley College. The new timetable is expected to be available in the near future. The London Gazette has published details of a petition to wind up BMC PLC, registration number 06411941, of BMC House, Ibstock Road, Coventry, Warwickshire CV6 6JR which was due to be heard at The Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand in London last Wednesday (August 24). The petition was presented by the Commissioners for HM Revenue & Customs as creditors under the Insolvency Act 1986. As this issue went to press, no further details were available. First Bus has increased fares on some of its routes in Bristol. The company increased single and return fares on some routes but had not yet specified which at the time CBW went to press. Some tickets went up by between 5p and 20p from Sunday August 28 but some others have remained the same. The company said the Bristol zone one and two day ticket has had its price frozen at £4 for a second year. It also said a number of season tickets had been reduced in price for a limited time following a trial earlier in the year. They are also introducing three new types of ticket. Two Brighton & Hove buses have had their names swapped. No.407 is now named King Edward VII and 675 is now Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The operator said the move has come about following requests that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle could appear on a route that passes through Crowborough which is where Arthur lived for many years. www.coachandbusweek.com
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First to trial cycle carriage in Scotland Bikes to be carried on board in Glasgow, Aberdeen and across eastern Scotland FirstGroup is to allow bikes to be carried on buses for the first time in Scottish cities as an experiment. According to The Scotsman, the trial will take place this autumn, with bikes filling the space occupied during the day by buggies and wheelchairs. Cyclists will be allowed on board services in Glasgow, Aberdeen and across eastern Scotland. Regional managing director for Scotland Mark Savelli, said: “We
should be seeing cyclists as a friend not a foe - buses and bikes often just try to avoid each other.” He said the move promoted integrated transport and fitted in with the bus industry’s Greener Journeys campaign to encourage people to switch from car to bus. Savelli said cycles would initially be carried free, though he is considering a £1 charge - despite sister firm ScotRail not levying a fee for carrying cycles on trains. The service will be offered from 1900hrs when buses are less busy, but with only one bike per bus due to space restrictions.
As featured in CBW890, Go North East has trialled the carriage of bicycles
Stagecoach Oxfordshire route upgrades Buses linking Oxford and Banbury are to become the latest to be upgraded to join Stagecoach Oxfordshire’s network of highquality county routes. The changes will start to come into effect on Sunday (September 4). New buses will be delivered for the Banbury-Oxford and BanburyBrackley routes later this year. From Sunday, the 59/59A/59B services between Oxford and Banbury are to be renumbered as
S4, joining the group of S-series services linking the city with the west and north of the county - as previously featured in CBW. Chris Child, marketing manger for Stagecoach Oxfordshire, said: “S-series was launched in 2009 when routes to Bicester, Witney, Carterton, Chipping Norton and Charlbury were upgraded. “It’s about highlighting how easy it is to get around by bus. They include CCTV for added security and peace of mind, and will be added to the Oxford real-time information system, so you can text and find out when the bus is due.” Stagecoach will also take over long-term operation of the Banbury-Woodford Halse-Daventry service, which it stepped in to run at short notice after former
While Scottish Citylink and some rural operators carry bikes in under-floor luggage compartments on coaches, FirstGroup is the first bus operator north of the Border to carry them on city services. Savelli said: “We could help encourage people to cycle, knowing they would not have to go back home in the dark and wet. “We run more services in the evening than people think. We operate until midnight, with up to six buses an hour on main corridors.” Savelli said the service could be particularly popular in Aberdeen because of its lack of a suburban rail network, unlike in Glasgow. First says carrying bikes on racks on the outside of buses would not be practical in Scottish cities because of potential delays. Andrew Pankhurst of Cycling Scotland, said: “It’s fantastic. Public transport is a great way to get around, but it doesn’t provide the door-to-door experience you get with the car. It works so well on the train it’s been frustrating that until now it hasn’t been possible on most bus services, so this is a really welcome development. In the interests of encouraging greater bike and bus use, the free option is the way to go.” operator Geoff Amos Coaches ceased trading in early August. The existing GA01 service will be replaced by route 200. Other changes from the same date will see routes B1 and B2 in Banbury retimed to improve reliability. Route B8 will be retimed by two minutes, with the first Sunday service running at 0900hrs instead of 0930. After consultation with passengers, route 500 between Banbury and Brackley will enjoy extra services from Mondays to Saturdays, running every 20 minutes instead of half-hourly The new buses for the S4 and 500 will be ADL E200s, replacing Pointer Darts, which will be cascaded onto town routes to oust the firm’s remaining Volvo B6BLEs.
Steve HodgSon
BriEfly
29/08/2011 23:31
STEVE HODGSON
2009
Year in which Stagecoach’s Oxfordshire S-Series was launched after relating routes were upgraded
Sunday Busway services tripled
Stagecoach is tripling Sunday services on the recently opened guided busway between Cambridge and St Ives. The move follows the 55,895 passenger trips on the route’s first week, as reported in CBW999. A new timetable will be introduced on Sunday (September 4), less than a month after the Busway opened, following use of duplicate services during busy periods in recent weeks. Stagecoach will run buses along the Busway every 20 minutes on Sundays, compared with the hourly trips at the launch, although some extra departures have already been introduced. Fellow operator Whippet will run an hourly service, instead of the four it originally intended to run each Sunday. A Stagecoach service will also
August 31, 2011 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 7
55,895
Passenger trips made on the new Cambridgeshire Busway during its first week of operations
Thurmaston Bus Winding up order
Stagecoach services on the Busway will now operate every 20 minutes on Sundays – compared to the hourly frequency it opened with on August 7 continue to Huntingdon every hour, according to the County Council. Stagecoach also intends to run more peak time buses from Monday, September 5, to cope with increased demands from schools and colleges. Andy Campbell, managing director at Stagecoach East, said: “The summer holiday period is generally quieter on local bus services, but due to the demand in the holiday season we have taken
swift action to add services at busy times.” Peter Lee, director of Whippet, added: “We are very pleased with the number of passengers using the route and are glad to be able to increase the number of buses we are running. “There is no doubt that the busway will become a more attractive option for people as the summer holidays end and queues begin to build again on the A14.”
making buses a better choice book your places at the exciting 2011 annual conference 14 and 15 September 2011 Nottingham
A petition to wind-up Leicesterbased Thurmaston Bus was due to be heard at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Wednesday (August 24). As a result, Leicestershire County Council (LCC) released five emergency tenders to replace routes operated by Thurmaston Bus, namely the 52, 148, 36, 123 and 70. LCC told other operators applying for the tenders that they may be required to run the services with effect from August 25, or as near to the date as possible and no later than August 30. However, the situation remained to be clarified as CBW went to press, with reports received that the company was operating local bus services on Saturday (August 27). Thurmaston Bus was established in 2000 and started operating commercial bus services in 2009. It runs a number of ex-Travel West Midlands MCW Metrobuses.
G Co ues St nf t s ud er pe y en ak vi ce e si t t di rs o nn N er ot tin gh am
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8 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
nEWS › coaches
BriEfly Work will be carried out overnight from September 5 to September 18 on the M1 between junctions 15 and 16 near Northampton. The £300,000 scheme will feature a 50 mileper-hour limit and lane closures. Overnight closures will operate Monday to Thursday 2000 0500hrs, Friday 2200 – 0800hrs, Saturday 1900 – 1000hrs and Sunday 2200 – 0500hrs. The Highways Agency is undertaking the scheme to renew road markings and studs along a four mile stretch of the M1, which will improve the safety of the carriageway for road users. Sections of the A49 at Woofferton between Park Lane junction and Wheatcommon Lane are to be resurfaced from September 12 to September 17. The road from the Sheet Road roundabout to the junction with the A49/A456 will be closed in both directions from 2100hrs to 0600hrs. Diversion routes will be signposted. The work will repair deteriorated sections of the carriageway and improve driving conditions. Resurfacing works on the A449 between A40 and M50 junction 4 will begin on September 5, due for completion by September 19. The eastbound carriageway is the most affected area, with a 10 mile-per-hour speed limit during works with a single lane remaining open. Works will take place at night with no exact time specified. A Highways Agency spokesperson said works were being put in place to improve road safety and driving conditions. CPT London and Home Counties division has confirmed the following regional meetings: August 23, CPT Kent & Medway group meeting Stagecoach Dover, 1830hrs; August 25, London and Home Counties Coach Parking Committee, CPT HQ, Drury House, 1330hrs; September 13, regional meeting, Drury House, 1300hrs; September 22, CPT Surrey Group (location and time to be confirmed); September 27, CPT Workshop, Beaulieu (time to be confirmed). www.coachandbusweek.com
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Hookways owes £3.5m Devon operator goes into liquidation after creditors’ meeting attracts 40 attendees Hookways formally went into liquidation on August 22 after a meeting with creditors. As reported in CBW998, the firm collapsed, with debts of £3.5m. Around 70 jobs have since been lost. Among its creditors are staff, banks and suppliers, with staff to be paid by the government, who will be reimbursed through sales of assets. Soaring fuel costs, the weaknesses of the economy and severe weather problems were blamed for the breakdown of the company, one of
the South West’s oldest coach firms, dating back to 1929. Ian Walker, of Exeter-based insolvency experts Begbies Trayor, warned other creditors were unlikely to see any money from the sale of assets. He said: “A total of around £3.5m is owed to the creditors. Staff will be paid what they are owed by the Government, as preferential creditors. “But there is little chance of other creditors receiving anything. The company had a lot of debts, including to the bank. “Most of the assets are the coaches, and they are owned by finance companies.” Mr Walker said the liquidators
Hookways coaches carried a distinctive yellow-based livery
Inquest clears Cannock coach driver A coach driver told an inquest he could not see a disabled woman in a wheelchair before he reversed into her at Cannock bus station. Mrs Ruby Draper, aged 74, died three weeks after the accident, Cannock coroner’s court was told. The incident involved a vehicle operated by Cannock-based Shire Travel. Mrs Draper was pushed from
her wheelchair when the rear of the coach knocked her over as the vehicle reversed, Coroner Mr Andrew Haigh was told. Mrs Draper, of Cannock, who was registered blind, suffered broken ribs and minor injuries. The cause of death was renal failure linked to her type 2 diabetes as well as complications from rib injuries. She and her husband were getting on a minibus for a day trip to when the incident happened. The inquest was told Shire Travel coach driver Mr Gary Morgan had not been able to park his vehicle where he wanted because of parked cars and a minibus. Mr Morgan said he had needed to move the minibus to allow Mrs
had not worked with the company long enough to establish exactly what had gone wrong. But he said those who ran the business were clear about where the problems had arisen. Around 40 people, mainly members of staff, attended the creditors’ meeting. Mr Walker said: “The mood of the meeting was very calm. They were mainly there to support the directors.” Hookways, operated a fleet of more than 50 coaches. The company operated several school bus services in Devon and Cornwall as well as holiday tours around the United Kingdom and Europe. Passengers currently in Sweden on the firm’s only ongoing trip will complete their holiday as planned. Clients of Hookways’ corporate travel arm included the Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club, who travelled to away matches in the firm’s luxury coach. Hookways’ demise came almost exactly a year after nearby Dawlish Coaches went into liquidation, with the loss of nearly 40 jobs. Meanwhile, in two separate developments the name ‘Greenslades’ has been registered at Companies House. Hookways ran some coaches under this name. The sole director is Alastair Gray, formerly of Hookways and the registered office is at Exmouth. Another company has been registered, Hamilton Gray (Devon) Limited. It must be stressed there is no suggestion at all that these developments or anything or anyone connected to them are related in any way. Draper to get onto the vehicle from a higher part of the kerb. He said he told them he was going to move it and added: “I expected the couple to take the path around the bus station to board.” However, Mr and Mrs Draper went between the Shire Travel coach and the minibus. As Mr Morgan turned his coach, the rear end clipped them. “I did not see them before moving off,” he said. “I always check my mirrors.” Mr Haigh recorded a verdict of accidental death. “I accept Mr Morgan was not aware of the accident until he was told by a passenger,” said Mr Haigh. “It’s a genuine tragic accident.”
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August 31, 2011 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 9
“The new [Wolverhampton] bus station isn’t that far from where some of the cross-city routes stop, but it’s far enough to make the natives restless.” Phil Tonks
Thomas Hardie Commercials hold Volvo ride & drive event Thomas Hardie Commercials and Volvo Bus will be holding a special ‘ride and drive’ bus and coach event at its Preston dealership depot on Thursday September 1. The news comes hot after a similar event held at MC Group’s premises in Blandford, Dorset for operators in the country and neighbouring Wiltshire – as reported in CBW999. The one day event, running from 1100 – 1700hrs will be open to local coach operators in the North West and North Wales area to visit the Preston depot and test drive some of the Volvo Bus vehicles. A number of vehicles will be available to test drive on the day including B9R and B13R coaches, B5LH hybrid double deck bus and a B7RLE single deck bus. In addition, there will also be detailed information available on all of the latest Volvo soft product offers and an exclusive free prize draw entry for attendees. Volvo regional bus & coach sales manager, Duncan Crosby
said: “These events are a superb opportunity for customers to come along and test drive the vehicles “We have some fantastic onthe-day deals available, so it’s well worth a visit”. Andy Mageer, Group Bus & Coach
Open Platform p37
development manager at Thomas Hardie Commercials, added: “The Volvo event allows us to meet and engage with operators in the local area, demonstrating some of the excellent vehicles available and the opportunity to showcase the excellent sales and service facilities we have here at Preston. Email amageer@thardie. co.uk to attend
Operators in the North West of England will be able to test drive a selection of Volvo coaches and buses
Stagecoach X5 service changes
A series of changes have been made to Stagecoach East’s X5 coach route, which operates using a fleet of dedicated Plaxton-bodied Volvos. The Cambridge to Oxford service is now running at an enhanced frequency, having permanently added a vehicle to the existing Peak Vehicle Requirement (PVR). The company will also trial an additional stop on the route by travelling into Buckingham on the journey after consultation with passengers. The changed timetable will see a number of stops in St Neots cut from the route after passenger feedback suggested the service was being significantly delayed in the town. Philip Norwell, Stagecoach East’s commercial director, told CBW: “It is not so much about improving reliability because the X5 was running well before and we have had a positive reaction to the changes made, especially from
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Obituary
Sandra Mayne It is with great sadness that Maynes Coaches have to inform the industry of the loss of Sandra Mayne. After a brave fight with cancer, Sandra passed away at home with her family by her side in the early hours of Sunday (August 28). Sandra, aged 56 had been involved with the family business for many years. Along with husband Gordon and two sons David and Kevin, she helped the company to drive forward and expand to its current size. Well known to many within the industry, Sandra leaves two daughters in law, Helen and Judith, as well as her five granddaughters whom she dearly loved. There will be a service held at the north church in Buckie on Friday (September 2) at 1100hrs, all are invited. Kevin Mayne told CBW the family respectfully request no callers and, in lieu of flowers, donations can be given at the door for Marie Curie Nurses and Aberdeen Infirmary.
Durham coach facilities cuts
Stagecoach’s award-winning Oxford - Cambridge coach service, the X5 is operated by a fleet of dedicated Plaxton Panther-bodied Volvos residents in Buckingham.” There will also be an additional service between Cambridge and Bedford. The changes tie in with Stagecoach’s Bedford Bus rural services, which has essentially withdrawn the Planet marketed names to be renamed ‘Stagecoach in Bedfordshire.’ The X5 was re-launched in 2008 by Stagecoach which saw
the company honoured with The Express Operation of the Year award at the 2009 UK Bus Awards. The company also won the Coach Marketing Award at the 2010 UK Coach Awards for the route. For more information, visit the dedicated Stagecoach East X5 website at www.stagecoachx5.com
It has now been confirmed that one of the victims of ‘the cuts’ will be the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) within the Gala complex in Durham City, according to the CPT’s Northern Region. Little attention has been given to the fact the TIC staff are also responsible for the ‘meet and greet’ service which is part of the current provision for coach operators. Parking is free at The Sands coach park. Responding to CPT pressure, the coach park is now signed for pedestrians from the Gala entrance. CPT Northern regional manager David Holding said: “What worries me is a view at a senior level that coaches do not bring useful income to the city and marketing to the group travel sector is dispensable. We know this view is not correct and I am working to get the coach message across to Visit County Durham, who have the responsibility for marketing.”
www.coachandbusweek.com
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nEWS
Uno secure fuel hedging deal Rising prices lead operator to opt for bank fuel hedging agreement Hertfordshire-based Uno Bus has agreed a fuel hedging deal with Clydesdale Bank. After discussions with three banks, the company opted to work with Clydesdale Bank through its St Albans Financial Solutions Centre (FSC), formally agreeing the deal earlier this month. Many existing fuel hedging contracts are set up for users with a minimum annual consumption of fuel, based on the monthly amount of fuel used. The agreement can hold risk if fuel prices drop below a pre-arranged price set out in a contract. The hedged fuel prices relate to the daily rates quoted by the Platt’s index, which is a source of benchmark price assessments for commodities like fuel and metal. This hedged price is agreed at the start of the partnership between the company and the bank and will not deviate with any changes in the market price over the term of the contract. Uno Group finance director
Network Warrington boosts school run capacity
Network Warrington, the trading name of Warrington Borough Transport has taken delivery of three lowfloor Volvo B7TL double-decker buses to operate on its Hatton and Gorse Covert routes, where school loadings are particularly heavy. “We took a decision in April 2011 to convert the entire local bus network to lowfloor entry,” explained David Squire, managing director. “However, we then had a requirement to provide additional capacity on some of our peak routes. “Having looked around at various options we chose the proven Volvo B7TL chassis with Alexander www.coachandbusweek.com
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Alistair Moffat said: “After the costs of employing our drivers, fuel is our second most expensive outlay, costing us something in the region of £2m a year, with the prospect of continued increases.” “When I arrived at the company two years ago, there was no hedging against fuel price increases at all. My background was in aviation where hedging is standard
practice and I felt it was something we needed to do. The board agreed and we set about looking for counterparties.” “We set up the facility 15 months ago and it provides us with a far greater degree of certainty over our outgoings and cash flow. “Hedging against the rising cost of fuel does not guarantee you a cheap price, but it does guarantee you a fixed price, in our case for up to 12 months. “That is an incredibly important facility to have for any company with high fuel usage at a time of volatile prices. We are delighted with the way Clydesdale Bank has managed this service and we will
Left to right: Business partner Aidan Glasscoe and treasury partner Amy Collins of Clydesdale Bank’s St Albans FSC; and Uno bus’s managing director Jim Thorpe and finance director Alistair Moffat ALX400 body. We acquired the buses from Volvo Bus, and used Volvo Finance as their 1-2-3 deal was particularly attractive”. David added: “At Network Warrington we set a very stringent specification, and CPD who converted the buses as Volvo’s partners have done a terrific job. We are very pleased with the result”. The ex-London Volvo B7TLs have all been extensively refurbished, including centre door conversion and DDA entry ramp. The seats have been re-trimmed and the vehicles have also been repainted, with LED blinds added. “Warrington have some extremely busy routes and they needed to make sure they could meet their service demands”, explained Volvo Bus regional commercial manager, Arthur Argyle. “We were delighted to meet their requirements with these low floor double deck buses”.
certainly be looking at other ways we can work with them.” Amy Collins, treasury partner at Clydesdale Bank’s St Albans FSC, said: “Now is a good time for businesses to review their fuel purchasing strategy and budgets, given the day-to-day price changes. SME’s in particular can take advantage of this solution by committing to hedging smaller quantities of fuel than have traditionally been possible. Businesses can take out contracts with a minimum length of six months with a fuel consumption of 50,000 litres per month hedged. “The obvious advantages for fuel hedging strategies are the benefits of taking guesswork out of budgeting and relieving worries about increases in fuel prices affecting cash flow. Where fuel is a significant proportion of cost, increases quickly affect margins. “Ultimately SME’s could stabilise their fuel purchases and be in a more secure position to manage their business.” Uno buses are a familiar sight on the roads around Hertfordshire and further afield on routes to London, Watford, Stansted airport and many other destinations. Founded in 1992 as UniversityBus to provide affordable transport for students at the University of Hertfordshire, Uno Bus now has a fleet of almost 100 vehicles which serve many public routes.
FirstGroup joins Aberdeen Renewable Energy group FirstGroup is supporting Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) to reduce its carbon emissions. Terri Vogt, FirstGroup’s head of corporate social responsibility, said: “Joining AREG brings about exciting new prospects which will further build on its activities in renewable transport. “FirstGroup has a strong track record in trialing and implementing innovative carbon-friendly transport solutions and we remain determined to make our business, and in particular our vehicles, as environmentally efficient as possible. We hope through our association with AREG we will help create new initiatives and projects which will further reduce our carbon footprint.” AREG aims to position the
region as a global energy hub with a reputation for delivering renewable energy innovation. Its membership accounts for the full range of renewable energy expertise, including onshore and offshore wind, marine and hydro, bio, solar and geothermal, along with hydrogen fuel cells. Iain Todd, champion of AREG, said: “To meet our European targets for renewable energy, attention is increasingly turning towards the transport sector to make an important contribution. Accounting for about a third of our energy use, the sector runs almost exclusively on fossil fuels at the moment. That will change over time, and AREG looks forward to working with companies such as FirstGroup to help this to happen.”
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nEWS › heritage
Aston Manor Transport Museum to close Birmingham’s historic Aston Manor Road Transport Museum looks set to close at the end of the year after its £350k bid to buy its grade II listed Victorian Tram shed home from the city council was rejected. The offer was turned down amid complex disagreements over the valuation of the building, potential lease arrangements and issues with unpaid rent. The museum had been living in the depot rent free, under a subsidy from the council’s museums department. However, the subsidy ended two years ago and the council’s property division is demanding £43k rent per year. Initially the council offered the building to the museum for £900k, even though an independent professional valuation said the
Crosville’s Centenary Commemo rated at gala
The centenary of the former Crosville Motor Services was commemorated with a special twoday event in the heart of the old company’s operating territory over the Bank Holiday weekend in north east Wales. Organised jointly by the Llangollen Railway and the St Helens-based North West Museum of Road Transport, the event took place at Glyndyfyrdwy station. Located conveniently close to the market town of Corwen, near Llangollen, the event provided an opportunity to recreate bygone eras – the town once being home to an allocation of Crosville vehicles. The event brought together old Crosville favourites, including a Bristol Loddeka, Bristol KWs, and of course Bristol VR and ECW Olympians, an example of which carried Coastliner branding. www.coachandbusweek.com
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building is worth about £250k. A fund raising campaign launched in March, and reported in CBW at the time, has so far received more than £110k in pledges. The museum’s chairman Geoff Lusher said it had little option but to close and will likely have to sell off its collection of historic buses and transport memorabilia. He has also accused the city council of failing to value its heritage and contribution to the city, such as its ability to attract 10,000 visitors a year and its close links with community groups in Aston. Mr Lusher said: “I am disappointed our cultural and social contribution to the city and impact on the local economy was not recognised. Their idea of heritage is only something which can be measured in pounds. “Aston is a deprived community which we engage with through
open days, links with Aston Hall, the parish church and local Mosque.” The council said it is with sadness it has accepted the museum will close as it is unable to support it without considerable financial support from the taxpayer. The council said it has already provided £650k over the last 15 years, but would not pursue outstanding rent owed on the building. City finance chief cllr Randal Brew (Conservative, Northfield) said: “Despite giving the trustees every chance to come up with a sustainable long-term business plan, including several extensions to previous deadlines, they unfortunately have been unable to do so. “It is the council’s duty to provide best value to the taxpayer.” Visit the museum website at www.amrtm.org
A Bristol Lodekka and ECW Olympian at Corwen. Note how the latter has been preserved with Coastliner branding (above); and two finely restored examples of bus and coach-bodied Bristol RE (below)
Caught on camera by Tom Harrison, ‘B200DTU’ (or 30077 as it now is in First’s fleet) is seen at Huntington Turning Circle
First in Chester celebrates ECW Oly’ First in Chester recently commemorated the contribution of ECW Olympian ‘B200DTU’ with a running day. The bus is a rare survivor - it is the last in the area of a once ubiquitous kind. ‘EOG 200’, to give it its ‘proper’ fleet number, is the very last closed-top ECW bodied Olympian in operation with First - as well as their final former Crosville vehicle. Having started life in 1985 in and around Chester, the vehicle stayed there ever since. It was one of over 100 similar Olympians ordered and operated by the former Crosville Motor Services, the centenary of which was commemorated on Sunday – see separate story. Working alongside EOG 200 on timetabled public services was ex-Yorkshire Rider Northern Counties-bodied Olympian ‘F160XYG’. Among the drivers was Jeff Clayton, operations manager at First Chester. “The turnout for the event was brilliant with standing loads on one or two trips with B200 DTU,” photographer Tom Harrison told CBW. “As these buses were in public service many additional passengers boarded the vehicle en route. The first trip of the day was the busiest with a real good load of passengers and enthusiasts being whisked away by Gardner power.” A handful of converted open top ECW-bodied Olympians will remain in service in Chester, being dedicated to City Sightseeing work, but they are of course, ex London dual-door machines.
phil tonks (3)
Exhibits likely to be sold off as Bid £100k above building’s value rejected
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nEWS › international
VDL Futura named ‘International Coach of the Year 2012’ Futura scores well all round for drivers and passengers to take the title in Norway. nOrWAy VDL Bus & Coach beat the tough competition and has been awarded the prestigious title ‘International Coach of the Year 2012’. During the ‘Coach Euro Test 2011’, held in Norway, the Futura was chosen as the winner from a field of strong competitors. The members of the jury, representing 19 European countries, based their decision primarily on the total concept of the participating coaches, with special focus on practical usability, fit and finish, and efficiency. The jury saw the VDL Futura foremost as an efficient, highly costeffective coach with an attractive design, high level of passenger comfort (due in part to the completely flat floor), an optimal driveline and a good price/quality ratio.
The new Futura was also praised for its ease-of-use and commended for the brief time required for a driver to become comfortable with the vehicle. This, combined with the fine on-the-road performance and
a well-matched driveline featuring a smooth shifting AS-Tronic transmission, resulted in excellent ride comfort. With its small turning radius the Futura also scored highly in terms of manoeuvrability.
European Coach of the Year – the VDL Futura is seen being put through its paces at the Coach Euro Test 2011’, held in Norway
Foton delivers Stagecoach expands CNg buses Megabus in North America to pakistan USA Stagecoach Group has expanded pAKiStAn Foton Motors of China has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of south-west Pakistan’s Sindh province for 2,000 CNG buses. Foton buses are designed in the USA and built in China, meeting the cultural and demographic requirements of the country. The MoU was signed by Foton Pak MD Joseph Verghese, Foton president Perry T Blackerby and members of the Sindh Board of Investment. Sialkot, a city in the north-east of Punjab province, previously entered into an MoU with Foton, for 200 to 300 CNG and LPG buses, some already commissioned for interand intra-city transport. Lahore Transport Company has also entered an agreement for the supply of 111 CNG buses over the next few months. www.coachandbusweek.com
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the network run by its budget coach operator megabus.com in the United States and Canada. New budget coach services are now operating out of Omaha, Memphis, St Louis and Boston, bringing to 64 the total number of locations covered in North America from the company’s six key hubs. Megabus, which offers daily, express coach travel for as low as £1 in the UK and from $1 in North America - is supporting the latest expansion by offering hundreds of free seats on some of the new routes. As part of the expansion, Omaha residents can now travel to Chicago, Des Moines, Iowa; and Iowa City, with Megabus offering two daily departures. A new route has also been established between Memphis and St Louis, offering one daily departure. Furthermore, the number of trips between Memphis and Chicago has been increased
The expansion brings to 64 the total number of locations covered in North America from the company’s six key hubs to three daily departures. Service levels between St. Louis and Chicago have also been increased to five departures each day. Boston residents and local students can now travel to Burlington, Vt.; New Haven, Conn.; and Hartford, Conn. There are two daily departures to Burlington, and four daily departures to New Haven and Hartford.
A unique aspect of the two-axle Futura is its low kerb weight, which is not only of tremendous benefit in terms of fuel economy but also enables the 12.9-metre length variant to carry up to 57 passengers within the maximum weight legislation for international traffic. The spacious, ergonomically designed driver’s area with its stateof-the-art automotive dashboard and pleasant, harmonious, wellfinished interior were also praised. Not surprisingly, Rémi Henkemans, managing director of VDL Bus & Coach, is very proud of the New Futura and his team: “The fact that we can now boast both the title ‘International Bus of the Year 2011’ for the Citea and ‘International Coach of the Year 2012’ for the Futura shows we rank among Europe’s top manufacturers. It also proves we develop our products based on our customers’ wishes and we have made the right choices.”
Japanese Electric bus
JApAn An eight-wheeled electric bus was test driven at the University of Tokyo this month, where it made two round trips between the Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Station and the nearest railway station, which is located about two and half miles away. The design is based on the Electric Lithium Ion Car first shown in 2004. The batteries and inverter have been built into the Isuzudesigned aluminum frame. The bus has an alleged range of about 75 miles. The prototype, commissioned by the Ministry of the Environment, was inspected on March 17 and has been on university campus roads since April 20. The Kanagawa Bus Association and Bridgestone are also part of the project. A similar test took place on August 27 although there is no set date on when the fully electric bus will go into public service.
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nEWS › REGIONAL
nORTH
KEY
www.coachandbusweek.com
the growing number of complaints coming our way, we felt we had to take this to the next level.” Chris Fry, managing partner at Sheffield-based Unity Law said under the 2010 Equality Act companies should have due regard for equality issues. He said: “What this means is they have to implement adjustments which ensure disabled people are not treated less favourably as a result of their disability. Residents are being told to ‘use or lose’ the 464 service between Accrington and Rochdale. Leader of Rossendale Council Alyson Barnes agreed to provide £20,000 of funding to save the service, run by municipally-owned Rossendale Bus, until March 2012 after pressure from residents who use the service. Now a new local authority cross party steering group has been set up to look over the options of securing the future of the service. Chair of the 464 working group, councillor Christine Lamb, said: “We need the help of all the people living and working in borough to prove to Lancashire County Council that this service is wanted, needed and viable. “In short, people must use the service or risk losing it.” After running successfully for three months, the community-run Little White Bus operation in Hawes has been handed over to the local
Standards of driving, safety on board and staff appearance have all received positive feedback in a passenger survey for Stagecoach services in Sheffield. Of those surveyed, 90% said they were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the appearance of the company’s drivers. Some 89% of passengers were satisfied with safety, while accessibility of seats received 87% approval. Also receiving good results were standards of driving and accessibility of bus stops (86%), comfort and frequency of services (85%), quality of vehicles (83%), and routes, areas served in Sheffield and driver attitude (all 82%). Satisfaction with services overall increased to 89% which is 19% higher than recorded in the division’s last survey which was carried out in 2010. Overall satisfaction with the two Supertram Link routes was greater than 95%. Paul Lynch, Stagecoach Yorkshire managing director, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the approval ratings from our customers and the figures seem to confirm our philosophy of actively encouraging their opinions and recommendations about services. “The value of the survey is that it also underlines areas where we can improve and we will now be giving those our attention, as well as working hard to maintain and build on the high standards achieved across the rest of Stagecoach’s operations in Sheffield.” Arriva North-East is being taken to court by the Darlington Association on Disability (D.A.D) over allegations of discrimination. The allegations claim some buses had not been stopping for wheelchair-bound passengers, drivers refused access to wheelchairs because of pushchairs onboard and verbal abuse when boarding or alighting from the bus. A spokesman for Arriva said: “We are satisfied that we comply with the current guidelines with regard to the Disability Discrimination Act. “We will, of course, continue to investigate any individual concerns and deal with them in the appropriate manner.” Gordon Pybus, chairman of D.A.D, claimed nothing had been done by Arriva North-East. He said: “We’re at the point now, with no action forthcoming from Arriva, and with
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SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND REP OF IRELAND NORTH WALES MIDLANDS EAST LONDON SOUTH EAST SOUTH WEST
community. The service runs between Hawes and Garsdale Station on the SettleCarlisle railway line and is driven by a volunteer team of seven. The community bus was given as part of an initiative to respond to county-wide transport cuts. The bus has carried almost 1,000 passengers in the three months since it began operating. The bus also operates a ‘demand responsive’ service and afternoon summer trips to Skipton, Grassington and Kendal, where it is the first service of its kind for 26 years. County councillor John Blackie, who chairs the Upper Wensleydale Community Partnership and also works as a volunteer driver, said: “We are delighted with the support we have received from the county council’s integrated passenger transport team which has made this initiative possible.”
EAST
A legal challenge to Cambridgeshire bus subsidy cuts has been withdrawn after the County Council backed down. As previously reported in CBW, a member of the public launched judicial review proceedings against the county council earlier this year after it announced it was scrapping £3m of subsidies. Backed by the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT), the legal challenge argued the authority was not meeting its legal duties, was
discriminating against vulnerable groups, and had not carried out adequate consultation. The claim was withdrawn after the council agreed to put the savings on hold and carry out an equalities assessment. CBT hailed the outcome as a “real victory” for public transport users. The council has agreed to pay legal costs, which are yet to be assessed. Alexandra Woodsworth, from the CBT, said: “This is a reprieve for bus users from all walks of life who simply couldn’t have got by if they’d lost their local bus – whether it’s temporary or permanent remains to be seen. “We were also pleased at Cambridgeshire’s recognition that in future decisions, it must take full account of its legal obligations, and be prepared to stand up to close scrutiny in the courts. “This is a real victory for campaigners in Cambridgeshire who have been fighting tirelessly against these damaging cuts.” Cllr Ian Bates, cabinet member for growth and planning, said: “Following the recent cabinet decision to pause any further withdrawal of bus subsidies until next April, which also allows the Cambridgeshire Future Transport project to develop new local transport solutions which meet local needs, we were informed a decision to withdraw the judicial review had been taken. “A legal process is currently being worked through to this end.”
SOUTH EAST
A Southampton Bus Punctuality Task Force is to implement projects aimed at making the bus network in the city more punctual. The new approach is led by local operators and Southampton City Council (SCC) and aims to increase bus passenger levels by 5% for the year based on 2010 levels. The group, consisting of bus operators, SCC and other partners has been formed as a result of a new Southampton Bus Quality partnership agreement. Currently around 70% of buses in Southampton are on time (defined as from one minute early to six minutes late), however national guidelines say towns and cities should aspire for 95% of buses being on time. The group has said it will use Local Transport Plan cash to
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implement a set of prioritised improvements along key corridors to ensure journey times are improved and are more reliable in the future. Operators will also contribute by supplying new ticket machines, investing in customer service programmes, 100% low floor vehicles and through marketing. Meanwhile SCC has also committed to a series of measures designed to give priority to bus operations in the city, including the improvement of bus infrastructure year on year. Alex Carter, managing director of Go South Coast, said: “The bottom line is we can do much more by working together than we can individually. This will help buses to be faster and on time. With the increased pressure on our network it is becoming more important we do what we can to get buses moving through the city and into the centre without getting held up in traffic.” Nick Farthing, chair of the local transport alliance, added: “This agreement will raise the profile of our bus services. It will allow buses to compete with the real competitor, which is the private car, not other bus companies.” Thames Travel is reintroducing its 101 Watlington to Cowley centre service after pressure from local residents. The company stopped running
First in Aberdeen has played host to a four year-old girl with a passion for buses, as part of its support of Save the Children, the company’s national charity partner. The charity is encouraging the UK to get involved in its latest campaign – ‘the five year old me was born to be’, which is designed to encourage children to realise their ambitions. First backed the fundraising initiative by inviting Samantha Middleton, who was ‘Born to Be’ a bus driver, to its HQ in King Street, Aberdeen. Samantha was treated to a VIP tour of the depot. David Stewart, MD of First in Aberdeen, said: “It was a pleasure to have Samantha visit us and live out her bus driving ambition as part of Save the Children’s campaign.” Since partnering with Save the Children in 2007, FirstGroup has raised almost £4.5m in donations and in-kind support. Samantha said: “I want to be a bus driver when I grow up. It was really exciting sitting in the driver’s
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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 Ingrey at james.ingrey@rouncymedia.co.uk.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
the service after Oxfordshire County Council cut subsidies, saving the council £130,000. The route will now be run on a commercial basis and will include Cowley Shopping Centre. John Wright, managing director of Thames Travel, said: “When the new timetable came in we needed to be certain we could run the new route reliably and without delays. “Once we had done that we looked at the feedback from parish councils and bus-users in the area. We listened to what people were saying and I am delighted to say we’ve been able to restore a daytime link to the Cowley centre. “We pride ourselves on serving our community and I’m delighted we’ve been able to respond to feedback.” Ian Hill, chairman of Watlington Parish Council, welcomed the company’s decision. “The main people who will benefit are the shoppers,” he said. “It was a concerted effort from us and a group of parish councils to approach Thames Travel. We told the managing director that it was not much of a diversion to Cowley centre and he thought it was quite reasonable.” The revised 106 timetable comes into effect from September 6. The bus will leave Watlington hourly between 0945 and 1445hrs.
2011 n September 10-11 Bus Driver of the Year. Blackpool. 01303 251462. www.bdoy.co.uk n September 11 Leicester Bus Running Day. Organised by the Leicester Transport Heritage Trust. Abbey Pumping Station Museum, Leicester. www.ltht.org.uk n September 11 Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway Bus & Vintage Rally. New Romney station. Free bus links from Appledore, Folkestone, Ashford and Tenterden. 01797 362353. www.rhdr.org.uk n September 12 – 13 CPT Scotland Annual Conference. Crieff Hydro Hotel, Perthshire. 0131 2722150, conference2011@ cpt-uk.org n September 14 - 15 UK Bus Awards Annual Conference & Short-List Announcement. Rutland Square Hotel, Nottingham www.ukbusawards.co.uk
(Cobham) at Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey. www.lbpt.org n November 7-10 World Travel Market. ExCeL, London. www.wtmlondon.com n November 22 SMMT Annual Dinner. Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London. 0808 1788818. annualdinner@smmt.co.uk
n September 15 Association of Trainers AGM. Wembley. Call julia@ asot.org.uk.
n November 29 UK Bus Awards. Hilton Park Lane, London. www.ukbusawards.org.uk
n September 18 Showbus. RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire. rally@ showbus.com. www.showbus.com
2012
n September 21-22 Group Leisure & Travel Trade. NEC, Birmingham. 01908 613323. www.leisureshow.com n October 2 Cat and Fiddle Cycle Challenge. Contact John Johnson at john@johnsonscoaches.co.uk
n January 26, 2011 CPT Annual Dinner. Hilton Park Lane, London. www.cpt-uk.org n March 14 – 15 Best of Britain and Ireland (BoBi). Travel Trade Forum. NEC, 01926 834796. www. bestofbritainandirelandevent.co.uk
n October 5-6 Coach and Bus Live. NEC. 01926 833052. www.coachandbuslive.com
n April 19-21 Busworld Turkey. Istanbul Expo Center, Turkey www.busworldturkey.com/en/ index.html
n October 9 Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust Annual Open Day. Fordneuk Street, Glasgow. www.gvvt.org
n April 24-26 CV Show. NEC, Birmingham. 01634 261262. www. cvshow.com
n October 16 Bus & Classic Vehicle Rally. Oxford Bus Museum, Long Hanborough, Witney, Oxfordshire. www. oxfordbusmuseum.org.uk n Oct 18-21 Course on Bus and Crew Scheduling. Birmingham. courses@qv-associates.com. Call QV Associates on 01905 613527.
seat of a big bus – the double decker is my favourite.” FirstGroup recently announced it has donated £150k worth of onbus advertising space specifically supporting Save the Children’s ‘Born to Shine’ fundraising efforts. This follows a £260k donation of advertising space to the charity earlier in the year bringing the 2011 total to £410k.
The UK Bus Driver of the Year event takes place on Blackpool’s sea front this coming Sunday (September 11)
n October 20 2011 Trapeze UK User Conference. Radisson Hotel, Manchester Airport. 0844 561 6771. www.trapezegroup.co.uk n October 21-26 Busworld. Kortrijk, Belgium. www.busworld.org n October 23 The Very Best of London Buses. The first event at the new London Bus Museum
n May 22-23 ALBUM Conference. – preliminary notice. Venue in ‘North Lincolnshire’ to be confirmed. www.album-bus.co.uk n September 20-27 IAA Commercial Vehicles. Hannover. +(00)49 30897842. www.iaa.de n November 6 – 8 2012 Euro Bus Expo. NEC, Birmingham. 01926 834790. www.eurobusxpo.com
2013 n May 26-30 UITP Congress & Exhibition. Palexpo, Geneva. www.uitp.org. +(00)32 2673 6100
Do you have an event to promote? Send details to gareth.evans@rouncymedia.co.uk www.coachandbusweek.com
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nEWS › TOURISM
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Christmas trees decorating Chatsworth House for its 2011 visual festive celebrations
BriEfly The Menzies Welcombe Hotel Spa will be holding an Open Day on Thursday September 22 where members, residents and guests can see its new treatment rooms, pick up a new brochure, meet the Spa team and have a special mini-treatment. The Spa is set in 157 acres of parkland and has many spa facilities including a level deck swimming pool incorporating an external vitality pool, a state-of-the-art gymnasium, and all weather floodlit tennis courts. Visit www. welcombehotelstratford.co.uk VisitScotland has said a survery on its ‘Surprise Yourself’ campaign shows eight out of ten people thought the campaign advert was relevant to them, while a quarter of the 2,000 respondents said they were ‘highly motivated’ to consider a future break in the country. Visit www.visitscotland.com Billy Elliot the Musical enters its seventh year in the West End and 13 year old Adam Vesperman from Seattle, USA, will make his West End stage debut as the 27th boy to play the title role at the Victoria Palace Theatre. Based on the famous film, the musical is set in the North-East against the background of the historic 1984/85 miners’ strike, where Billy pursues his passion for dance in secret to avoid disapproval of his struggling family. The internationally award-winning show has been seen by over seven million people worldwide, including 3.3m in the West End. Visit www. billyelliotthemusical.com September sees the return of the Royal Leamington Spa Food & Drink Festival which takes place on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 in the Royal Pump Room Gardens. During the Festival there will be celebrity chefs, free Mexican food and a ‘Tasting Zone’ for mini-wine tasting masterclasses. As part of the activities, visitors can join in a unique ‘Taste Trail’, where for £1 they can eat at one of fourteen different and diverse local restaurants. For more information, visit www.leamingtonfoodfestival. www.coachandbusweek.com
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Carlisle ready for Christmas Museum and gallery to host winter dress exhibition The Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery Trust will be hosting the launch of ‘The Little Black Dress’ dress exhibition on December 10, 2011. Coco Chanel launched the first Little Black Dress (LBD) on the haute couture scene in 1926. Critics say the dress has become an international staple for women’s wardrobes ever since, because of its practical and chic qualities. The museum and art gallery houses one of the largest purpose-
built contemporary art galleries in the north of England and presents a changing programme of exhibitions of regional, national and international importance. Set in large gardens, Old Tullie House is a Grade I listed building, and home to a collection of PreRaphaelite art. Many features of the 17th century architecture still remain, such as a Jacobean staircase. The newer buildings house exciting, interactive games and activities for visitors of all ages, including a Roman Frontier Gallery, which promotes the western end of Hadrian’s Wall.
Tullie House is easily accessible for coach parties and groups, with a coach drop off point directly outside the museum entrance and free coach parking less than five minutes drive away directly off the dual carriageway. Booking can be made for lunch and afternoon tea in the House’s large restaurant and function room. The museum is open 1000 – 1600hrs Monday to Saturday and 1200 – 1600hrs on Sundays, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Other Christmas activities in Carlisle include: a Christmas Lights Switch On event on November 20; a Cumbrian Christmas Market from November 24 to 27; and a Christmas Continental Market from December 7 to 11. T: 01228 618718 W: www.tulliehouse.co.uk
Firstsite visual arts centre is bounded by Colchester’s original Roman wall
New arts centre for Essex A major new centre for the visual arts opens in Colchester on September 25, the same day as it hosts its first exhibition. Firstsite, a new building designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects, will hold international exhibitions of contemporary art. The crescent-shaped building has been created around the newly restored Berryfield mosaic, discovered in the Essex town in
1923. The mosaic, which dates from around 200 A.D, formed part of the floor of a Roman town house. Firstsite’s opening exhibition will be Camulodunum, the Roman name for Colchester. The exhibition will celebrate the cultural and artistic heritage of the region and the town that became established as the capital of Roman Britain. The exhibition will show the town’s important Romano-British artefacts alongside works by Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Grayson Perry, Andy Warhol and Ai Weiwei, as well as four commissions by international artists Michaela Eichwald, Aleksandra Mir, Karin Ruggaber
and Danh Vo. The site is bounded by Colchester’s original Roman wall and spreads over 3,200 sq metres (3,827 sq yds). The building will also house the University of Essex’s collection of Latin American art, learning spaces, a bar/restaurant and a 190-seat auditorium. Firstsite will be open daily 1000hrs –1900hrs (1000hrs –1700hrs Sundays), admission free. The Camulodunum exhibition runs from September 25 to January 22. Groups can call 01206 577067 or visit www.firstsite. uk.net for more information.
29/08/2011 17:07
2009
Year in which the first Lumiere light festival was held in the cathedral city of Durham
Durham hosts light festival
Durham is to host a free festival of light and art from November 17-20. The Lumiere festival uses artworks made from light to transform the city’s landmarks, streets, river and bridges. This year’s festival will include new works by internationally renowned artists as well as commissions from local artists and creative people. The festival is produced by Artichoke, the creative arts company who directed the Dining with Alice Victorian feast in Norfolk this year and stopped traffic in central London in 2006 with the Sultan’s Elephant. Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council said: “We are delighted to be working again in partnership with Artichoke as they have such a strong track record of producing live events that leave a lasting impression on the people and places they transform.” This is the second Lumiere in Durham. The first in 2009 offered more than 20 artworks, projections and performances, and an estimated 75,000 people came into the city over the four festival nights. For more information, visit www.lumieredurham.co.uk
dEAlS OF THE WEEK Encore is offering new groupfriendly show ideas for operators in the autumn to spring 2012. Encore has rates starting at £29.50 for groups of over ten people for the worldwide rock and roll smash Rock of Ages which premiers at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre in September. Set in Los Angeles infamous Sunset Strip in 1987, the musical features a mix of 28 songs including eighties classics The Final Countdown to I Want To Know What Love Is with comedian Justin Lee Collins and former X-Factor winner Shayne Ward. The ticket agent is also offering special group rates for Arthur Miller’s Olivier Award winning
August 31, 2011 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 19
7m
World-wide audience figures for the internationally award winning Billy Eliot: The Musical
diESEl priCES
Early polar photography will be displayed at Buckingham Palace in October
Polar photography at Buckingham palace An exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, will mark the centenary of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated journey to the South Pole. The exhibit, entitled ‘Heart of the Great Alone: Scott, Shackleton and Antarctic Photography’ runs from October 21 to April 5. It brings together a collection of photographs recording Scott’s Terra Nova expedition of 1910–13 and Shackleton’s polar expedition on Endurance in 1914–17. The dramatic Antarctic photographs were taken by George Herbert Ponting and Frank Hurley and originally presented to King George V. The exhibition also
drama Broken Glass. The play tells the story of a couple living in Brooklyn in 1938 and the effect the growing strength of the Nazi movement has on their lives. The limited season is from September 14 to December 10, 2011 with best available seats for £32.50 for groups of over 8 people. For 2012, Encore has tickets for Long Day’s Journey into Night which returns to the West End stage next spring. David Suchet features in Eugene O’Neill’s play at The Apollo from April 2, 2012 with best available seats reduced to £40.50 for groups of over ten people. n For more Encore ticket ideas or for group enquiries, call 020 7492 1500 Chatsworth House in Derbyshire is hosting Christmas celebrations from November 5 to December 23. The country estate will be transformed for the season with a
includes unique artefacts such as the flag given to Scott by Queen Alexandra which he took to the Pole. Antarctic adventurer David Hempleman-Adams said: “Nowadays you can go on Google Earth and see what’s there. Back then it was just a big white piece of paper. Scott and Shackleton had no TVs, radios or satellite phones. They were cut off from the outside world.”
Visit www.royalcollection. org.uk for more information. The Queen’s Gallery is open daily from 1000 to 1730hrs from October 21.
Encore is offering special grouppriced tickets for the Rock of Ages musical at the Shaftsbury Theatre series of pictures detailing scenes from famous carols entitled ‘Deck the Halls: a visual celebration of carols at Chatsworth’. There will be more than 40 Christmas trees, a little Drummer Boy, Good King Wenceslas, angels,
Cost per litre in pence: Great Britain Sweden Greece Belgium Czech Republic Ireland France Italy Netherlands Germany Hungary Portugal Austria Spain Poland Slovenia Luxembourg
139.90 135.16 128.81 126.96 126.45 125.90 125.64 123.88 123.35 122.82 120.01 118.41 116.74 111.09 110.25 108.71 104.04
HOlidAy pOUnd £1 will get you: Euro 1.13 Switzerland (Franc) 1.30 Norway (Kroner) 9.00 Hungary (Forint) 308.00 Czech Republic (Koruna) 27.50 Poland (Zloty) 4.71
bells, snow, holly and ivy, all used to depict the story of 20 carols. The popular Christmas markets will be back this November with more than 100 stalls selling seasonal gifts from November 1113 and 18-20. A day visit includes preferential admission rates for pre-booked groups of 15 or more; choice of a wide variety of tours and bespoke packages; pre-booked lunches and afternoon tea packages; and full disabled access. Coach drivers get free admission to the house and garden and also receive a voucher for refreshments. There is free parking available for pre-booked coaches near to the house entrance. n The park is open every day during daylight hours and the restaurants and gift shops will stay open throughout the winter season. Visit www.chatsworth.org or call 01246 565430. www.coachandbusweek.com
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20 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
£39bn
nEWS › BUSINESS
Amount invested in training by businesses each year (CBI)
BriEfly The UK unemployment total has risen by 38,000 to 2.49m in the three months to June. The jobless rate also increased to 7.9%, the Office for National Statistics said. The number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance rose by 37,100 in July to 1.56m, its biggest increase since May 2009, with 949,000 16 to 24-year-olds without work, a rise of 15,000. The number of unemployed men increased by 18,000 to 1.45m and unemployed women rose by 21,000 to 1.05m - the highest figure since May 1988. The South East of England still has the lowest rate of unemployment, at 5.8%; in Scotland it is 7.7%, Wales 8.4%, and Northern Ireland 7.3%. Average weekly earnings, including bonuses, are 2.6% higher than a year ago. The majority of UK “micro firms” are keen to recruit extra staff but believe it is too difficult to find the right people, according to new research from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The survey of more than 2,200 companies with less than 10 employees found 55% of micro businesses were seeking to employ extra members of staff, but half felt hampered by what they perceived as a dearth of suitable talent in the labour market. Only 22% said they would feel confident that a school-leaver with A-levels or equivalent would have the necessary skills for their business, and 47% said they would be nervous about recruiting from that age group; 36% were convinced that graduates possessed the right skills for their vacancy. The report also found only four in ten small employers felt well informed about changes to employment legislation, with the same number stating that rules around dismissal were burdensome. The British Bankers Association (BBA) has said regulatory change could undermine economic recovery. The BBA’s Angela Knight said: “From now on the UK must be focused on recovery. This means allowing the banks to finance the recovery first, pay back the taxpayer, and only then turn to regulatory change .” www.coachandbusweek.com
BusinessNews.indd 20
Regulatory approach to training opposed by CBI More large firms should share their resources & expertise with smaller and medium ones The CBI last week warned against government plans for wholesale extension of training levies or license to practice schemes which it said would hinder employer investment in staff training and do nothing to increase productive skills levels. Levy systems operate by charging employers in certain sectors a specified proportion of their wage bill, which is then pooled and used to fund training grants within those respective sectors. Licences to practice require employees to be trained to a certain level before they obtain a professional licence to operate. In a new report on training investment, employers said a voluntary approach would be the best way to build on the strong business commitment to training and boost skills levels. Businesses already invest £39bn each year on training, with European data showing that 90% of UK employers provide training, well above the EU average of 60%. A proportion of this investment is on remedial literacy and numeracy training to make up for the
FSB calls for Work Trials to be extended The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is calling on the government to extend Work Trials to help create an extra 46,000 jobs. With around 1.64m people having been out of work for up to one year and unemployment currently standing at 2.45m, the FSB said the government needs to do more to get people back into employment. The FSB’s ‘Voice of Small Business’ survey panel shows that nearly a quarter (23%) of small firms think Work Trials would act as an incentive to taking on staff.
shortfalls of the education system. The CBI accepts licence to practice schemes may be required in certain sectors where there are health and safety concerns, but there is no evidence to suggest a wholesale extension of regulatory schemes would lead to higher skills. Instead, the CBI is proposing a voluntary approach based on: Larger companies opening up their resources and expertise to smaller firms within the sector; Sharing of resources between smaller and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the same geographic area to drive efficiency;
CBI education and skills director Susan Armstrong advocates a voluntary approach to build on the strong business commitment to training and boost skills levels Work Trials are voluntary programmes that allow employers and employees to try a role before taking on a permanent position within the business. Currently, Work Trials are available to those who have been on Job Seekers Allowance for at least six months. Ahead of employment statistics out last week, the FSB urged government to extend Work Trials by making them available from the first day someone claims Jobseekers Allowance. FSB research shows that small business confidence has dropped, and although small businesses want to employ, they lack the resources they need to take on a member of staff. Work Trials are beneficial for both the employer and the
and
Universities and further education colleges focusing on tailor made courses to up-skill junior and middle managers through greater use of unitised learning and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes using Investors in People as a people development tool. Susan Anderson, CBI director for education & skills, said: “The onus is on the private sector to drive the economic recovery through growth and job creation, and businesses recognise investment in training now will be crucial to this. “Employers already invest heavily in training for their staff and they recognise their crucial role in supporting sustainable growth by improving the skills of future generations. “But employers are clear that a regulatory approach, including the extension of levies and license to practice schemes would actually hinder investment in training.” Anderson continued: “Regulation is not the answer to improving skills. Instead we should adopt a voluntary approach. “We would like to see more large firms sharing resources and expertise with smaller and medium sized companies.” employee as they offer key skills to help businesses move forward while at the same time ensure the person on the work trial is learning new skills. Research shows nearly half of all jobs beginning with a Work Trial have led to a permanent job in that business. “Small businesses are more likely to hire people who have been in long-term unemployment, and Work Trials are a good way to get people back into work and learning skills, and for small businesses to move forward with taking on staff and growing,” said John Walker, FSB national chairman.
For FSB’s paper ‘Pathways to employment: Immediate, effective solutions for delivering growth’, go to: www.fsb.org.uk
29/08/2011 23:47
2.5m 30,000 Approximate number of people unemployed in the UK
Number of jobs intended to be created by the second wave of Enterprise Zones
Each government-supported Enterprise Zone will receive £150m tax breaks
Government unveils 11 more enterprise zones The government has announced the second wave of enterprise zones, intended to kick-start the UK’s sluggish economy and create 30,000 jobs in high-tech industries by 2015. The first 10 zones located in English cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle were named in the spring, but a further 11 have now been added to the list of sites. Each zone will focus on a specific area of technology and new businesses operating from the sites will receive £150m in tax breaks over the next four years as well as super-fast broadband access. Hinckley in Leicestershire and Gosport in Hampshire will become automotive industries, transport and defence hubs and south Oxfordshire will deal with advanced materials engineering. A new zone in Hereford will specialise in defence, while Newquay in Cornwall will
Enterprize zones will cut business taxes and ease planning restrictions, says David Cameron
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August 31, 2011 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 21
concentrate on aerospace. Sandwich in Kent, Harlow in Essex and Alconbury in Cambridgeshire will focus on biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, while Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth in Suffolk as well as Humberside will handle offshore wind farms. Northampton will promote precision engineering and north Warrington will host a science park. “We are determined to do everything we can to make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a business,” said prime minister David Cameron. “Enterprise zones are a major step towards delivering this, cutting business taxes, easing planning restrictions and giving business the tools they need to invest and expand.” Cameron added that the enterprise zones would be trailblazers for growth, jobs and prosperity throughout the country. The scheme has been compared to similar initiatives in the 1980s and 1990s, which were criticised for being expensive and failing to deliver. However, communities and local government secretary Eric Pickles told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that enterprise zones had been successful in some areas such as Sunderland and the Docklands, although he acknowledged that they had led to business displacement and a flood of retail parks. “This has the same name, but it has got a slightly different purpose. These are about specific sites against specific industries.”
BlOG of the week
AltErnAtivES tO GOinG ‘UndErCOvEr’!
Business consultant Andy Hanselman helps companies identify and tackle blind spots in their businesses on www. businesszone.co.uk Do you have ‘blind spots’ in your business? Yes you do. Your challenge is to identify them. How can you do this? Well, one option is to go ‘undercover’. In fact, I watched Undercover Boss last night – and was mighty impressed. Impressed with both the programme and with Martyn Birks, the Marketing Director of Poundworld. Firstly the programme itself. It’s good to see a business programme that is ‘real’ without X Factor type egotistical ‘high flyers’ wanting to impress Sir Alan by ‘shafting’ their colleagues or naive ‘entrepreneurs’ trying to get the backing of The Dragons and being humiliated in the process. I know, I know, it’s edited, but there is a ‘real feel’ to the whole thing which shows ‘warts and all’ when it comes to business. I can’t help thinking that anyone watching would have recognised, to a degree, their business and some of the issues raised. For example….. The ‘gap’ between ‘Head Office’ and the ‘real world’; Unsupported ‘middle managers’ under pressure; A lack of communication up, down and across the business; and Disengaged and frustrated employees. Martyn Birks was genuinely shocked. Yes, I know, you could argue why didn’t he know what was going on? But at least he went and found out, and then crucially…. took ACTION! So, some questions for you………. Is this happening in your business? What can you do to find out? What WILL you do to find out? Your challenge is to remove your ‘blind spots’. You might not need to go ‘Undercover’ to do this, but why not try… ‘Standing in Your Own Queues’ – find out what it’s like on your ‘front line’ – ring up your own business, visit your own reception, depot or shop. If you’re a small business and they’d recognise you,
get someone else to do it for you. Ask Your People – what do they think about what’s good, bad, average? A simple questionnaire can be a good start – Get someone else to oversee it, not you. Alternatively, get some pizzas in, set up a discussion group to highlight ‘key issues’. Note – get them to do it without you being there! STOP, START, CONTINUE – find out what your people, colleagues and bosses think that you personally should ‘Stop, Start, Continue’ doing. Again, this could be a simple questionnaire or group discussion – it’s about removing the ‘blind spots’ we all have. Please remember….. the truth sometimes hurts – you have to listen to what’s said (One client of mine was told by a team member ‘STOP breathing’!). Whatever you do, the critical bit is DOING SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT YOU FIND OUT!
Andy Hanselman has 21 years experience working with “high performing businesses that ‘compete and don’t get beat’”. “It’s about ‘Thinking in 3D’! That means creating and developing a business that is dramatically different from its competitors in everything that it does,” he says. “It’s about differentiating your business, creating a passion for clients and customers, establishing a culture that supports this, making innovation work and leading from the front. “I believe that winners take action, not notes!” www.coachandbusweek.com
29/08/2011 23:48
22 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
DELIVERIES
FIRST GREENLINE First has introduced three new double-deckers to the Green Line 701 and 702 services linking London with Berkshire. The three Wrightbus Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TLs, have 64 Esteban leather seats, with tables, power sockets on each deck, upper-deck air chill and free
Wi-Fi. The first three doubledeckers (introduced in September 2008) have been fundamental to the continued development of the service. Matthew Wooll, revenue & marketing manager said: “Visitors to Windsor and Legoland return to London at different times, depending on the time of year. The allocation of double-deckers has always been on the busy
trips out of London in the morning and the last three journeys from Legoland in the evening. Recently this has become difficult due to traffic delays, requiring vehicles to be ‘stepped down’ throughout the day. Other journeys have grown in popularity, particularly day-trips to London. Most will now be operated with double-deckers, giving us the flexibility to change vehicles around to meet operational requirements.”
BUS VANNIN The Mercedes-Benz Citaro has reached new territory with the arrival of the first of twelve new vehicles for Bus Vannin, the government owned local bus operation for the Isle of Man. The vehicles introduce a new silver livery for the operator and are intended to replace double-deckers on some of
FACT FILE
CHASSIS/BODy Volvo B9TL/
Wrightbus Gemini 2
EngInE Volvo 9.4 litre TRAnSmISSIOn ZF SEATS 64 SpEC Leather seats, tables,
power sockets SUppLIED By
Wrightbus 0208 564 1212 www.wrightbus.com
TRAVEL WRIGHT Travel Wright of Newark has upgraded its front line touring fleet with the acquisition of a high specification MercedesBenz Tourismo which had served as a demonstration vehicle for EvoBus. It joins another Tourismo, a Setra ComfortClass and a recently acquired Setra S315 GT-HD. Director David Wright said he is very pleased with the latest addition to the fleet: “The Tourismo has proved to be a very good buy, it is very reliable and popular with clients. The quality of the seats is excellent and adds to the ‘wow’ response the vehicle often generates from customers. I would certainly buy another one if the opportunity was there.” Travel Wright’s latest Tourismo is a 12.2m vehicle featuring the Mercedes-
the island’s key routes. Welcoming the first Citaro off the ferry, David Cretney MHK, the Isle of Man Government Minister for Community, Culture and Leisure, said: “These singledecker buses have a total capacity of 70, compared with up to 78 on the doubledecker buses they are replacing. “So, the new MercedesBenz Citaros will be able
15inch monitors. The newly acquired Tourismo retains its high quality factory silver finish which has been embellished with Travel Wright branding and star motifs. The new Tourismo has a regular driver, Gary Alvey, who has been impressed by its performance on tours which have already taken it as far afield as Germany and the Orkneys. Gary commented: “The Tourismo is a wonderful vehicle to drive and I cannot fault it.” FACT FILE
Benz OM 457h LA 408hp Euro5 engine and ZF EcoLife gearbox. Drivers benefit from the specification of cruise control and are supported by a range of safety features including ESP, Brake Assist and EBS. The fully integral double glazed vehicle to European
Bus and Coach directive 2001/85 features 49 TSP reclining and side adjustable seats trimmed in grey fabrics with three point seat belts, seat back tables, footrests, integrated grey leather headrests and red piping. The grey shades continue into the vehicle’s soft trim,
contrasting with red curtains. Travel Wright’s customers will benefit from a centre sunken toilet with servery area above, Webasto heating, ComAir roof mounted air conditioning and a Coach 2000 professional multimedia system with DVD/ CD/public address and two
CHASSIS/BODy Mercedes-Benz Tourismo EngInE Mercedes-Benz OM 457h LA 408hp Euro 5 TRAnSmISSIOn ZF Eco-life SEATS 49 TSP reclining SpEC Touring SUppLIED By
Evobus UK 02476 626067 www.evobus.co.uk
Tel: 01353 773000 Fax: 01353 773001 Email: info@mcv-uk.com
www.coachandbusweek.com
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August 31, 2011 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 23
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
ROSS TRAVEL
to carry a similar number of passengers with the advantage of being able to operate much more economically due to their size. “The finish on each bus is the classic Mercedes-Benz silver. This saves the cost of customised painting and also results in much cheaper spares and less time and expense required for panel repairs, ensuring more time on the road. MercedesBenz offer the best value.” FACT FilE
CHASSiS/BOdy Mercedes-Benz
Citaro
EnginEMercedes-Benz Euro 5 TrAnSmiSSiOn ZF SEATS 70 SpEC service operation SUppliEd By
Evobus UK 02476 626067 www.evobus.co.uk
INTRODUCING
Ross Travel Group of Featherstone, West Yorkshire has taken delivery of a new tri-axle Volvo 9700 coach to replace an existing 9700. “We were all big admirers of the previous 9700, the drivers and the passengers all seemed to like it, so it made sense to have a look at Volvo’s latest model when purchasing our new vehicle,” explained Ross Travel owner, Peter Ross. Ross Travel said it prides itself on only selecting top of the range coaches and was keen its latest vehicle met these high standards. “It’s a well built and highly ‘specced’ vehicle,” continued Peter Ross. “We’ve only had it for a couple of weeks and it’s already been up to Scotland twice on tour excursions.” The Euro 5 compliant
V
coach features a rear mounted six-cylinder 13-litre Volvo engine attached to a 12 speed I-Shift gearbox. It has electronically controlled disc brakes as standard and also includes an integrated air-conditioning system. Featuring 53 ‘Scandinavian Nugget’ seats with leather trim, a demountable toilet, a servery, two integrated TV monitors and a top of the range multi-media
system with CD/DVD and iPod capabilities, the new coach has been chosen with passenger comfort in mind. It also includes an onboard satellite navigation system and the latest TV and DVDs in an on board entertainment system. Specified with Ross Travel’s distinctive livery on a red and silver coloured tri-axle body, Volvo says the new coach combines aesthetic
e olution
appeal with safety and performance. “The back-up support you get with Volvo certainly played a part in our decision,” explained Peter Ross. Volvo Bus regional sales manager, Philip Illingworth, said: “We were delighted to support a valued customer like Ross Travel in finding a new vehicle which met their requirements. Their new 9700 is really an impressive vehicle and from what I understand they have been very pleased with it so far”. FACT FilE
CHASSiS/BOdy Volvo 9700 EnginE Volvo 13-litre 6-cylinder TrAnSmiSSiOn 12 speed I-Shift SEATS 53 Scandinavian Nugget SpEC Touring SUppliEd By
Volvo Bus 01926 414553 www.volvobuses.com/bus/uk
• NEW GENERATION • NEW DESIGN • NEW IMAGE
DESIGNED TO LEAD. BUILT TO L AST. Sterling Place, Elean Business Park, Sutton, Ely, Cambs CB6 2QE Telephone: 01353 773000 Fax: 01353 773001 E-mail: sales@mcv-uk.com www.coachandbusweek.com
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24 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
eg
ESSENTIAL GUIDE
› fuel management manufactured in the UK from one piece of aluminium, approximately 100mm in height and adds only an extra 25mm to the fuel tank’s filler neck height, meaning in most cases there should be no need to buy an extra fuel cap. There are varying sizes of the product specially designed to fit different bus and coach vehicle models, including all Optare, Mercedez-Benz and Setra models. The device is fitted in less than ten minutes with no piercing, drilling or gluing involved in the process as it fits over and into the existing fuel tank. The fitting process involves a quarter turn and is held secure by internal tamper proof grubs screws which are then blanked off. The company supplies its products to officially approved clients including Volvo, Isuzu Truck, MAN and Scania.
Operators small and large are increasingly using fuel additive Envirox - in order to improve fuel effeciency
Making a fleet last
GROENEVELD 24/7 MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS
Maintaining a fleet is a never ending job, and operators are increasingly looking to find ways to stay ahead in cost-saving. With fuel costs consistently rising, CBW takes an in depth look at the best quality services on offer to reduce fuel consumption and prevent theft FUEL THEFT PROTECTION
Buckinghamshire-based FuelDefend Global Ltd specialises in fuel theft prevention systems and offers anti-siphons and fuel security technologies which are designed in the UK, manufactured in TUV-approved locations and sold internationally across six continents. As unfortunately operators have learnt the hard way, fuel theft and contamination can cause significant losses in operating profits. Just www.coachandbusweek.com
EG.FuelManagement.indd 24
25 litres of diesel taken from a vehicle per week results in £1,000 of lost profit over the course of the year. This adds to other financial implications which create a burden of hassle and downtime after dealing with a crime, whilst fuel costs continue to soar. Protection is prioritised as the main feature of FuelDefend’s product range, which focuses on stopping fuel thieves in their tracks. Products also go far to allaying driver fears of being accused of skimming fuel tanks themselves.
T: 01753 890911 F: 01753 889039 E: info@FuelDefend.com W: www.truckprotect.com/ contact-us
Early prevention of such incidences can avoid any lengthy union disputes and disciplinary procedures. The company’s ‘InstantFit NECKIT!’ product has been designed to stop all fuel theft by halting access to the fuel tank through the filler neck for any other purpose than filling the tank. Once fitted it has no adverse impact on the operational use of the vehicle meaning tanks can be filled in normal time without splash back or foaming. InstantFit NECK-IT is
The Groeneveld Group specialises in bus maintenance, and has provided companies with products which safeguard city buses against the constant pressures facing operators for over forty years. City buses are required to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the face of fluctuating challenges, which include changing drivers, tight schedules, strict environmental requirements and a diverse fleet of vehicles with differing needs. The company’s product range offers systems which control oil levels and the lubrication of greasing points to enable fleet operators to help control the condition of their fleet to combat such pressure in a ‘simple and environment-friendly way’. Groeneveld products include: the automatic greasing system SingleLine; Twin, an automatic greasing system for heavy-duty material; CompALube, used for buses with few lubricating points; Oilmaster, an automatic oil level control system and; Greensight, the company’s safety system with ultrasonic sensors and camera detection. Groeneveld is also active in
29/08/2011 21:36
the development, production, marketing and sales of advanced products and systems for automatic maintenance of road transport equipment, buses, earth moving and construction machines, trains, agricultural and industrial machines, as well as advanced IT solutions for the logistics sector. The Groeneveld Group employs a total of over 500 staff internationally, spread across its subsidiaries throughout countries in Europe, North America, Africa, Oceania and South America. T: 01509 600 033 F: 01509 602 000 W: www.groeneveld-group. com/Buses E: info@groeneveld-group.com
RISING FUEL PRICES DRIVE INTEREST IN FUEL ADDITIVES The recent surge in fuel prices has brought renewed interest from operators in measures to reduce fuel consumption.
Envirox is one such measure being sought out by fleet owners, as product owner Energenics has reported an upsurge in interest in its fuel additive. The product is being used by a range of large and small operators to combat high diesel fuel prices and the reduction in BSOG by 20%, which will increase the net fuel price for operators by approximately 8p/ litre from next April. The company purchased the Envirox business in 2009 from nanotechnology pioneer Oxonica - a spin out company from Oxford University – to promote reductions in both CO2 and particulate emissions provided by the fuel additive. Envirox is based on advances in scientific research made within the past two decades. Cerium oxide, a well known oxidation catalyst widely used in catalytic converters, has been re-engineered using nanotechnology to allow it to be delivered as a fuel-borne catalyst which is active in the
Saves Fuel
Cleans Engines
Reduces Emissions
Energenics +44 (0)1865 233010 LQIR#HQHUJHQLFV FR XN á ZZZ HQHUJHQLFV FR XN www.coachandbusweek.com
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eg
ESSENTIAL GUIDE
› fuel management
combustion process whilst assisting the removal of engine deposits. The combined effect of this is a cut in fuel consumption of around 5% - something Stagecoach has observed in extensive field trials and professional data analysis. Stagecoach UK Bus is now in its seventh continuous year of usage since adopting the additive nationwide in 2005, introducing it last year to the newly acquired former East London Bus Group. This follows the introduction to Stagecoach’s Coach Canada operation earlier in 2010. Both the London and Canadian bus depots have been fitted with the latest type of dosing units which inject Envirox automatically into the diesel fuel on delivery from the road tanker in the correct ratio. The dosing is achieved without the requirement for depot staff to be in attendance. Other UK bus companies, including major, medium and small operators, have begun to purchase Envirox for confirmatory trials or early stage usage.
Smaller coach operators have also been purchasing Envirox Driver Pack, a convenient 500ml bottled version for individuals to dose their vehicles manually. The pack can be purchased online from the company’s dedicated website, details of which are available below. Mike Meekings, transport manager at Luxury Travel of Kidderminster said: “We have used Envirox for over two years in our minibuses - mostly on airport work and school contracts, and can quite easily observe a fuel consumption drop of at least 5 to 15%. “It has to be used regularly and we also get a better starting on cold mornings. Our County Council is all in favour of its Green Footprint. The drop works out to approximately £300 to £500 a year which is the road tax paid for. It certainly does what it says on the tin.”
Operators large and small are using Envirox additives, which aid economy
T: 01865 233010 W: www.energenics.co.uk; www.enviroxdriverpack.com E: info@energenics.co.uk
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FACE TO FACE › jeff counsell
Passionate about people In his first ever ‘Face to Face’ interview, Jeff Counsell, managing director at trent barton talks to Coach & Bus Week’s Gareth Evans about his career – and also gives the inside story on The High Peak Bus Company joint venture with Centrebus eff Counsell is perhaps best described as the typical engineer. He’s not loud, brash or keen to be frequently in the spotlight. If trent barton were to play host to a film crew, Jeff is the person who would ensure the buses are positioned in the correct location and make the film crew a brew rather than appear on camera. Put another way, Jeff quietly gets on with things. That said it would be wrong to portray him as an individual who doesn’t enjoy contact with his fellow human beings – far from it. He’s very much a people person, something which comes through consistently as we talk about his career. Indeed, Jeff joins his colleagues – or rather team members – to use trent barton speak, at route, sorry, brand, launches. It was at one such event – the launch of a fleet of Irizar i4 Scanias for the Red Arrow route last summer, which I enjoyed my first ‘proper’ chat with Jeff. Something which instantly struck me was that both his feet are firmly embedded on terra firma.
Career
“I hated school. I was never academic. I couldn’t see the point of algebra – it got me into trouble at school. When I started work, I loved it. I was finally doing something I enjoyed,” explained Jeff. “I started my career in the bus industry in 1974, aged 16 as an apprentice fitter with the then local independent, Lancashire United Transport (LUT) in Atherton, which is now closed. www.coachandbusweek.com
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“They had a central works there. They were really happy days. It was great place to start work. It was very family orientated – like working in a family-run firm. “However, LUT became swallowed up into GMPTE (Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive). By the time I finished my apprenticeship, it was GM Buses. I was fortunate to become part of GM Buses as they were big on training and staff development – they had a great training school. “After I completed my
Jeff Counsell: a brief history
From someone who, in his own words “hated school”, Jeff Counsell never expected to reach the level of managing director – let alone at what is undoubtedly one of the British bus industry’s leading operators. Having started his career as an engineering apprentice with Lancashire United in Atherton, he broadened his horizons after he became an employee of Greater Manchester Buses (GM Buses). GM Buses, which was known for its enthusiastic attitude towards training and staff development, helped Jeff progress through the ranks. Following deregulation, Jeff became part of the management buy-out team at GM Buses North (now First Manchester). He then moved to the north east of England, before joining trent barton in 1999. Ten years later, he was appointed managing director.
apprenticeship, I became bored with the repetitive nature of my work. I also think my girlfriend became bored of me stinking of diesel. “I applied for the position of vehicle examiner. That was the career route at the time – from vehicle examiner to depot foreman and on to depot engineer. I never saw myself as going on to become a managing director, let alone depot engineer. The thing which has driven me is I’ve always loved working with people. “Aged 22, I applied to be a vehicle examiner in an unknown area. I was only used to the small LUT area – namely Bury, Weaste and Frederick Road. I got called to head office on Devonshire Street. I’d read up on the Department of Transport handbook (now VOSA) – yet they didn’t ask me a single technical question. At the end they asked if I’d got any questions. Dad always said you should ask at least one question, so I asked why I’d not been asked any technical questions. They then asked me one. “Finally I asked them where I would be based and they said Weaste, which is between Eccles and Pendleton. I didn’t know where it was but I still accepted the position. The role also involved spending one to two days a week at Princess Road, which really was a great place to work. “It was home to 200 buses at the time – far bigger than what I’d been used to. It was then that I broadened my horizons. I did that for two years. “Manchester ran 2,500 at the time, out of lots of depots. The first foreman’s job I applied for, I was
For a man with such a wealth of industry experience, Jeff Counsell does not enjoy the profile he deserves
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OCCUpAtiON: Managing director, trent barton CONtACt: 01773 712265 enquiries@trentbarton.co.uk www.trentbarton.co.uk turned down because the depot engineer said I wasn’t aggressive enough. Funnily enough, the gentleman concerned was Paul Lee, now engineering director at Stagecoach North West. “I worked at Northenden in 1983 – they were happy days. I moved from there to Altrincham after Northenden closed. I quickly became bored there because it was too sleepy for my liking. Northenden closed as part of the changes with deregulation. That’s when I met Mike Brinicombe (CBW 949).” Recalling a past colleague with fondness, Jeff said: “Ken Clements was the Saturday foreman at Northenden. He was an avid plane spotter – the depot was under Manchester airport’s flight path. Whenever Concorde was due in, we’d go on to the roof with his radio looking for the aircraft. Talk about health and safety today, but there was this bloke on the roof looking at planes,” laughed Jeff. “It’s the characters that make this industry.” “Back then Princess Road and Queens Road were tough places to work. The unions were incredibly strong and powerful. It was a closed shop but the people I learned the most from, including vital skills such as how to manage people, were from so-called non-skilled staff. Brian Miller at Daw Bank was a super guy. I worked with him for 18 months. “Having become bored at Altrincham, I applied to go Daw Bank. I was based at the operational garage doing running repairs. That’s where I met Brian. “I moved from there to be depot engineer at Swinton. At the time, there was still a lot of cost base. GMPTE took until the early 1990s to break it up. “I joined GM Buses North as chief engineer. At the time, I was based at the old Cook Street depot in Bolton. I was part of the Management Buy Out (MBO). When it split, GM Buses South was sold to its employees, who soon sold their shares to Stagecoach. British Bus was initially given preferred bidder status for GM Buses North and even carried out due diligence. “However, the problem was politics intervened and British Bus was ousted, so it went to the MBO team. The team included Alan Westwell, Rodney Dickson, Ian Bevan, Andy Scholley, Jim Creneghan and myself. “Ultimately the price we
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FACE TO FACE › jeff counsell
paid was far more than the actual value of the business. The method and speed of the required cuts we had to impose meant we couldn’t take the workforce with us, which led to long established relationships breaking down. For the first time in 20 years I decided I no longer looked forward to going to work, so I decided it was time to move on.”
North East move
“As luck would have it, I received a call out of the blue from a recruitment agency in Leeds. There was a vacancy at North East Bus, which is now Arriva North East (ANE), although at the time it was owned by West Midlands Travel. That worked well. I moved up to Darlington. They’re lovely people up there. “The business was bought by Cowie at almost the same time as British Bus. They then owned Leaside, us and British Bus, which all merged to form Arriva. We became Arriva North East. Northumbria and Darlington head offices merged and relocated to Doxford. At the time I lived near Barnard Castle, so it was quite a trek to Sunderland. “I stayed on for a while but I was not happy there. I’ve got a lot of time and respect for Arriva, however. A lot of my friends still work there too.”
“I started here in the May of that year. It really was a breath of fresh air. A lot of cost goes into this business but a return has always got to be made. It’s a calculated risk is terms of investment. When I did the first year cleaning budget I was shocked at the costs involved. We spent twice the industry average on cleaning. “I thought I’d get brownie points by saving money but Brian said this is how he wants it. Clearly, the only way to do it is using elbow grease. We’re all people here. I’m as important as the person who cleans the bus. “When I came here, a year previously Kinch bus had recently been acquired. The board had deliberately left it autonomous to
“I never saw myself as going on to become a managing director, let alone depot engineer. The thing which has driven me is I’ve always loved working with people” Jeff Counsell
The Wellglade era
“I loved the north east – both where I lived and the people, but fate intervened again. The position of engineering director came up here at trent barton, which I applied for in may 1999. “I was interviewed by Brian King, Ian Morgan and Graham Sutton. Everyone in the industry respected Trent. It’s those people who have shaped this business and continue to do so through us. The opportunity to join these guys was fabulous – this company really does what it says on the tin. “I had to give six months notice with ANE. Steve Noble perhaps understandably put me on gardening leave. Fortunately, I was allowed to keep my company car. Steve said, ‘you will look after it won’t you?’ “During that period, Brian King said, ‘I know it’s a few months until you can start with us but I’d like to get to know you’. That’s typical of him. We met at a nice hotel off the M1. When we emerged I found some beggar had stolen my wheels! www.coachandbusweek.com
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Jeff is a familair face at launches, as seen here in Derby (above); Transpeak has the makings of a good service but needs investment, says Jeff (top)
prevent bad practices creeping in. Brian is very good at maintaining segments – he’s very disciplined. “I was a fresh pair of eyes, so Brian asked me to take on the engineering remit at Kinch. “In early 2001, Kinch was seen to be underperforming. Loughborough was a tough place to recruit staff. The contracted mileage was kept going at the expense of the commercial work. For me as a non-board member of Wellglade (I was on the boards of trent barton and Kinch), it was frustrating. I remember at one management meeting I spoke out for Kinch and said we should use the Wellglade group’s resources to assist. As a result, Brian put me in charge of both engineering and operations at Kinch. “With a local team, we focussed on resources, especially people. We threw in a lot of contract and reduced the fleet size from 50 to 30, which enabled us to operate the commercial services well. As a result things become more stable. It was a smaller sized operation but
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I needed a strong package. We received 70 applications. As we went through the forms and the selection process, what we needed was someone with passion and enthusiasm. That’s what Alex has got. In his head he’s 29 going on 50 but with the enthusiasm of a 29-year old.”
Current developments
the turnover was far healthier as we concentrated on what we were good at. “Sadly however, Andrew Norman, operations director (OD) lost his wife to cancer. With two daughters, he couldn’t be a full-time OD, but the firm generously accommodated him as a part-time member of staff. “You see the title ‘director of service delivery’ everywhere now but Brian says he invented it. Brian said he felt the role would save the traditional arguments of engineering versus operations. “In 2003, I became director of service delivery. To be fair, the board asked what I needed. I decided I would concentrate 80% of my time on operations. I brought Steve Davy in as operations engineer but as the group has grown, he is now group chief engineer. “Then Brian turned 65. He had always said he would retire once he reached that age. Therefore in March 2009, Brian became nonexecutive chairman and stood down as managing director. He is by far the sharpest commercial man I’ve
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One of the firm’s many brands is radclife line. Notably, this bus is the 4,000th Opatre Solo (above); A pair of trent barton buses in Derby (top) worked with, so it was a huge loss for the business. Ian stayed on for a few months, chairing our Thinktank sessions. “Alex Hornby has been with us for a year. Prior to his arrival we had a different structure. We had a commercial manager, Mark Greasley, to try to pick up some of Ian and Melvyn Hopwood’s work. I was managing director and I also
had a head of operations, plus Steve. “Ian became rather uncomfortable as a non-executive director. I had to push him to give his views – he had stayed on parttime to chair the Projects Group. Then the tram bid came along. With his experience in technical matters, Mark was ideal for that. “Suddenly I needed someone who was commercially savvy.
Asked about the latest on the High Peak Bus Company, Jeff replied: “A lot of people have asked what the real story is. It’s that rural services are very hard to make money with. “Doveholes depot only has an allocation of 15 vehicles and it’s 45 miles away from our nearest depot, so in effect it’s a remote outstation. It operates Skyline, a very high mileage route and Transpeak, which again is high mileage coupled with a high volume of concessionary pass holders. Therefore, it’s suffering in financial terms. Doveholes also operates town service routes in Buxton. “Insurance is increasing and the cost of maintenance is certainly not reducing – plus the all too familiar story about concessionary fares reimbursement rates. If a problem develops at Doveholes, it can be costly to deal with. For some time we’ve been looking at opportunities to secure the future of the depot. “What is needed to make it work is a marriage of tendered and commercial mileage and the slashing of overheads. “The revenue will be same but costs will be slashed for both ourselves and Centrebus. The combined business will be re-branded as High Peak. It’s a genuine 50:50 owned business but managed by Centrebus. “Centrebus have applied to have Doveholes put on their O-license. The North West Traffic Commissioner Beverly Bell has called them to a Public Inquiry, which is expected to be heard later in the year – by the autumn. “We’ve got 45 staff at Doveholes. While they see this as treachery – they’re Trent employees – without this, the future of Doveholes will be called into question. I was upset at first because I didn’t want o lose them. “Transpeak has got the making of a good service but it needs surgery. It doesn’t lose money at present, but the fact remains it needs investment. “However, to do that means getting the costs right first.”
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THE BIG PICTURE
This week Stephen Morris, general manager of Bus Users UK and also President of the Omnibus Society, shares his second image to be featured as part of Coach & Bus Week’s ‘Big Picture’ series. The next phase of Transform Oxford began on July 24, with common ticketing and coordination of frequencies between GoAhead Group-owned Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach Oxford. As previously reported in CBW, this forms part of the Quality Bus Partnership, which is governed under the Local Transport Act 2008. More double-deckers are now in use in the city to maintain the same capacity with a 25% reduction in the number of vehicles. The Oxford Bus Company’s oldest buses now are these Alexander ALX400bodied Dennis Tridents, bought originally for Park-&-Ride (P&R) work in 1999. Since the entry into service of BAE Systems-powered ADL Enviro 400 Hybrids on the P&R routes, this bus has been re-liveried into standard red Oxford Bus Company colours. The rest of the Oxford fleet is now ADL Enviro 400s and Mercedes-Benz Citaros.
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inSigHt › HealtH & Safety
A safe, systematic approach Richard Turfitt, Traffic Commissioner for the Eastern Traffic Area, a man well versed in health and safety, recently delivered a keynote speech to the Freight Transport Association’s Safety Conference. His message was to remind operators of the importance of the human element in their safety systems and in particular the part that Transport Managers have to play on standard licences. His speech is reproduced here with permission – as it is of relevance to bus and coach operators
I
t would be easy to slip into complacency on the basis of Great Britain’s safety record. From recent DfT figures between 2007 and 2009, deaths involving goods vehicles fell by 39%. Bus and coach casualties decreased by 9% although the data is liable to some fluctuation due to the margin for error on smaller figures. As the DfT Strategic Framework for Road Safety makes clear, while the relationship is not fully understood, there is a greater reduction in road fatalities during periods of economic downturn. This reflects the 5% fall in goods traffic. However, as the FTA recently warned in its annual report, the cut in profit margins means transport businesses have limited options and this can result in cuts in future investment, leaving ageing assets with an increase in associated risks. On HSE‘s own figures for 2009/10 transport is included in the list where injuries statistics are at a significantly higher rate than for other industries. In the transport and communications sector there were 19,794 reported workplace incidents. While there was a 17% drop, 7,013 HGVs were involved in accidents in 2009. This resulted in 268 fatalities (27% fewer), 1,171 serious injuries (13 % fewer), and 8,256 slight injuries (18 %).
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Richard Turfitt - Traffic Commissioner, Eastern Traffic Area VOSA’s targeting appears to be working with a 12% drop in incidents involving foreign registered HGVs, but that still equates to 736 incidents where danger has actually materialised. Whilst the incidents resulting in death dropped by 40% this still represents 21 families who have suffered loss, 65 serious injuries (31% fewer) and 921 slight injuries (15%). Understandably these issues remain a high priority for management and at board level. The establishment of the FTA’s Logistics Safety Working Group in May 2010, representing the diverse membership and varied aspects of the logistics sector, recognises this with its objective to reduce the number of work-related deaths, injuries and ill health in logistics
sector. I may be preaching to the converted but this Conference contributes to the three key areas of identifying and tackling key issues; sharing and promoting good practice; and then developing appropriate performance measures for the logistics industry as a whole. An obvious example is the load security campaign launched by HSE in 2010. The object of ensuring loads are being transported securely on vehicles has the added benefit of controlling risk and thereby keeping multiple regulators happy. The campaign identified concerns about standards of compliance which led to industry organisations including the FTA to establish a working group with HSE and VOSA dedicated to considering how vehicles loading operations should comply with all legal requirements. The result will be guidance on load security with pragmatic guidance to all operators to be published this summer. Other work continues through the Road Distribution Advisory Group. Traffic commissioners are in a privileged position as we enjoy support for regulation from this industry. We do not take that support for granted and wish to use our reputation for proportionate regulation to persuade all of industry that managing risk makes good business sense. The integration of operator compliance with health and safety
procedures is often just a matter of common sense. Somewhat strangely, while offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 are specifically referred to in Schedule 3 of the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995, health and safety offences are not. The list of undertakings on the current application includes a commitment to report ‘convictions against the licence holder or employees or agents of the licence holder’. Schedule 3 gives Traffic Commissioners a wide discretion so we ‘may have regard to any matter’ in determining whether an applicant is of good repute. Paragraphs 1(1)(b) and 1(2)(b) allow the Traffic Commissioner to take in to account any other information which appears to him to relate to the fitness of the individual to hold a licence. In terms of corporate bodies a Traffic Commissioner is required to have regard to all material evidence in deciding whether the company is of
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good repute. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974: Section 2 imposes a duty on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety & welfare of all its employees; Section 3 imposes a duty on employers and the self-employed to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in its employment, are not exposed to risks from its work activities; Section 7 imposes a lesser duty on employees to take reasonable care for themselves and anyone else who might be affected by their acts or omissions at work; and Section 37 makes directors, managers and other officers liable where their consent or connivance or neglect leads to health and safety offences being committed by the company. It is also an offence to contravene any health and safety regulation. No regulator seeks to burden the
well-run, compliant operator but any business can see the sense in trying to minimise the number of days lost due to workplace injury and work-related ill health, as well as time lost during intervention by the enforcing authorities. Transport is a complicated and sophisticated business. It is sometimes easy to lose sight of the basics, particularly where the trading environment is so challenging. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 specifically require an employer to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks faced by employees and others arising out of those work activities (regulation 3) and to put into effect systems for controlling and monitoring those risks, and for reviewing those control measures as appropriate, i.e. on a change of circumstances such as receipt of a prohibition notice (regulation 5). By law, the risk assessment must be ‘suitable and sufficient’.
“It is sometimes easy to lose sight of the basics, particularly where the trading environment is so challenging.” Richard Turfitt
Maintenance is carried out in a safe environment at Stagecoach’s South West’s exeter depot
Put simply it means it must be good enough to protect people from any harm which can be predicted. It doesn’t need to be particularly complicated or technical. Most employers carry out risk assessments during the normal course of their work but by law employers and self-employed people must: assess the risks to anyone who might be affected by their work activity; take appropriate preventive and protective steps to control these risks; If the business employs five or more people it must be written down. It needs to be thorough and accurate because it will form the basis of any decision on what is required to control risks. It is not apparently newsworthy to report the common sense element inherent in the legislation: namely all the general duties are qualified by this term ‘reasonably practicable’, i.e. is the cost of action disproportionate to the risk? The content of HSE’s Five Steps to Risk assessment makes real sense and is so simple: Step 1 – Identify the hazards Step 2 – Decide who might be harmed and how – for instance drivers; think of all the other employees, contractors, subcontractors, customers, part-time employees, cleaners, maintenance staff, visitors and members of the public. Which of these types of people are likely to be near to vehicles for instance, and why? Step 3 – Evaluate the risks posed by each hazard. Is there a chance that somebody will be harmed? Ask yourself - have we done anything to reduce this risk? Are the measures enough?’ Step 4 – Record your findings Step 5 – Review the risk assessment regularly HSE has usefully attempted to identify the four main kinds of accidents which involve workplace transport: people being struck by or run over by a vehicle; people being struck by something falling from a vehicle; people falling from vehicles and; vehicles overturning; Traffic commissioners are also concerned with the impact
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inSigHt › HealtH & safety
on wider safety of other road users and the public. HSE encourages duty-holders to think: ‘site’, ‘vehicle’, ‘driver’. We all are aware what is required for vehicle safety. It underpins the requirements of the operators’ licence. It is interesting to look at this from the viewpoint of the HSE: vehicles used in the workplace must be safe; right for the job; regularly maintained, repaired and inspected; driven and accessed safely. Under the advised ‘Ways to reduce risk’ there is a heavy emphasis on the instruction and training of employees to take care, to use work equipment safely etc. with a warning: do not rely on this to keep them safe if there is more you can do. The ‘key messages’ include: employers need to ensure all drivers understand company policy and procedures. Employers are advised to think about what new employees need to be told about the job: How are the routes laid out?
Who is authorised to drive, and where? How and where should they report faults, hazards, accidents and near misses? What checks should they make? What particular risks are there in the workplace? What can they do to reduce or eliminate these risks? What personal protective equipment is required? How this will be communicated if English is not the first language. As this list recognises there is a human factor to any safety system and in particular to many of the requirements of the Operator Licence. I could refer to ‘Reducing error and influencing behaviour,’ HSE’s introduction to generic industry guidance on human factors, but it might be as productive to quote from inspectors on the HSE’s website to illustrate the point. “Those involved in arranging and carrying out deliveries should exchange and agree information to ensure lorries can be loaded and unloaded in a safe manner” and most tellingly must ensure “adequate measures are taken to keep workers away”. (Date March 29, 2011) “Proper training, simple checks and procedures could have www.coachandbusweek.com
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Lucketts Travel invested in modernising its headquarters last year prevented this horrific incident.” “The company failed to provide suitable and sufficient training and supervision.” (March 14, 2011). The company had “failed in its legal duty to ensure clear hazards such as this are identified and measures put in place to manage the risk. This includes making sure equipment is maintained in a condition to carry out the work safely and workers are trained in the correct procedures. These were basic safety failings but the sad fact is these simple problems can and do cause serious and life-changing injuries.” (March 1, 2011). These are examples where the
Richard Turfitt: a brief history
danger actually materialised but I have lost count of the number of Public Inquiries (PI) where an operator has failed to take steps to address the human element in their safety systems. I would suggest it is not unforeseeable that a driver walk round conducted on a cold Monday morning in the middle of winter may not be as effective as one carried out at another time of year. What I am talking about is the human contribution to any organisational arrangements. It is essentially: what people are being asked to do (the task and its risks), who is doing it (the individual and
Richard Turfitt took up his appointment as Traffic Commissioner for the Eastern Traffic Area on May 1, 2008. Richard grew up in Cornwall and attended Truro School. He then took a law degree at what is now Kingston University before attending the Inns of Court School of Law in London, qualifying as a barrister in 1993 (Middle Temple). He undertook a gap year, including legal work in Singapore and New Zealand, before returning to pupillage at 3 Temple Gardens (now 4 Breams Building) and then 2 Hare Court (now 2 Bedford Row), going on to represent clients before the criminal courts. Richard left independent practice in 1997 to prosecute on behalf of the Departments of Social Security and Health. He moved to the Treasury Solicitor’s Department in 1998 to represent the Home Office and other Departments in personal injury litigation. He was also responsible for managing the representation of the Prison Service at inquests throughout England and Wales. He was recruited by the Health and Safety Executive at the end of 1999. Richard has extensive experience of both regulatory regimes and criminal offences. He was promoted in 2001 to set up what became the HSE’s Litigation and Enforcement Advisory Team. In that role he was responsible for the conduct of HSE’s highest profile prosecutions, its appellate cases, the management of its solicitor agents and counsel, advising on enforcement policy and the development of guidance including the drafting of a web-based Enforcement Guide and training with the University of Warwick. Richard also helped to found the Health and Safety Lawyers’ Association and is a serving Justice of the Peace. Richard’s other interests include sailing, travel, and family.
their competence), and where they are working (the organisation and its attributes). In closing I want to pick up on some of HSE’s Key messages on training: People lose skills if they do not use them regularly; Most drivers and operators need regular training to keep their skills up to date; Employers should offer workers refresher training whenever appropriate; and Even if drivers operate vehicles every day HSE recommends regular refresher training to maintain good habits. HSE guidance advises on periods between refresher training. I do not seek to run transport businesses - it is for operators to assess the risks and implement appropriate control measures. However it does amaze me that, while many businesses are supporting drivers in work towards the Driver CPC, and are aware of practical guidance such as DfT’s ‘Driving at work - Managing work related road safety’, similar consideration is not given to the position of the Transport Manager. If there were ever an example of a human factor in safety arrangements, the position of the CPC holder is it. They carry the statutory duty to exercise continuous and effective responsibility for the transport operation. New EU Regulations place an even greater emphasis on this role. The name should give it away: Certificate of Professional Competence. As I frequently ask operators at a PI: would you expect another professional, a teacher, doctor or nurse, to be out of date or to forget their skills? Traffic commissioners repeatedly raised their concerns about Transport Managers who do not meet the statutory duties. They are a vital part of safety systems and I urge all operators to treat them as such - not least because of the strong business case for managing work-related road safety. Fewer road incidents mean: n less days lost to injury; n fewer repairs to vehicles; n fewer missed orders; and n reduced running cost. All regulators want to see effective management of the risks from driving for work through a sensible and proportionate approach. This conference provides an excellent opportunity to share that best practice.
29/08/2011 20:42
OPEN PLATFORM › PHIL TONKS
August 31, 2011 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 37
All-change in Wolverhampton Passenger champion Phil Tonks provides a backseat view on the ripples caused by the new bus station in Wolverhampton. We all know about the importance of buses. For differing reasons, they are vital as much in our sprawling cities as in our winding country lanes and hamlets. When the powers that be decide to change them, it’s naturally the users who feel these changes most acutely. Around a million of us a day use the buses in the urban West Midlands Centro area. It’s a figure not to be sneezed at. Centro and the dominant bus operator National Express West Midlands (with other smaller ones) are undertaking a series of “Network Reviews” across the region. Wolverhampton and west Walsall has been the latest recipient, but it is here that the rumblings of discontent have reached fever-pitch. Not only has this been one of the largest reviews to date, the route numbers have changed, some routes themselves have changed and there’s another small matter of a new “state of the art” £22.5m bus station to experience as well. Ambitious? Well, yes. Whilst it’s upset a considerable number of passengers, it’s had the local newspapers, radio and TV crawling over it. Though it’s difficult to find much to criticise about the gleaming new facility (it’s really rather excellent), some of Wolverhampton’s bus users have found that, after enduring over a year of standing at windswept stops in the city centre awaiting their much-trumpeted new bus station, that’s exactly what they’ll have to carry on doing. Several city services aren’t using the bus station and are instead using a direct route through the city centre as part of some new “Cross-City” facilities. However, isn’t this what some passengers want? To be dropped off and picked up by the shops? And if these services took a detour to serve the new bus station in the typically congested city centre, they’d run the risk of questions being asked from passengers about the logic of taking such a winding route when they actually want to go home to the shops or work. The real issue here is one of bus priority in Wolverhampton city centre - or rather the lack of. The new bus station isn’t that far from where some of the cross-city routes stop, but it’s far enough to make the natives restless. It’s actually further to walk to our Midland Metro tram service at St. Georges, but we won’t talk about how many years it’s taking to get the tram to meet the bus and rail station. To be fair to Centro, consultation was extensive. I’m not sure what more they could
OpenPlatformTonks.indd 37
It’s a pity the row over the network review has overshadowed the bus station, argues Phil
“It’s just a slight pity the controversy that has engulfed the network review has rather overshadowed the opening of a fantastic new bus station which is a pleasure to use.” have done to reach out to people. However, while we all know buses are important, they’re also rather boring to most. Therefore, despite thousands actually responding to the consultation (“flawed”, some scream in the paper), it inevitably dawned on many that this was one big change almost the day before it happened. So what do us bus users make of such huge changes? Let’s be clear. Whilst deregulation brought us, 25 years ago, into a world of commercial opportunities for operators who, to this day, have seen constant tinkering with the network, the Wolverhampton Network Review has seen the biggest changes in a generation. Numbers, routes and stopping places changed. Literally overnight. Many find this unsettling on that scale, and there will always be winners and losers in any revision of this size. But buses are overwhelmingly commercial operations. Passengers generally don’t appreciate that. Not that they should have to, but to achieve the comprehensive network we enjoy in the West Midlands conurbation, the operators have to maximise their business, especially in these economically uncertain times. This isn’t a call to praise deregulated bus services. I’m sure we’d be having the same discussions and reviews if Wolverhampton
Corporation were still running their gorgeous trolleybuses around the area. It’s saying that, as passengers, we have to accept running buses is a fluid operation, and nothing is really forever in the world of commercial operation. I’ve been riding around Wolverhampton a few times since the recent changes. I’ve even found a fault with one of the gleaming new touch screen information displays in the bus station - much to the embarrassment of the Centro lady who witnessed the minor faux pas. I’ve stood at city centre bus stops ear-wigging into the chattering class’ conversations on the Wolverhampton bus revolution. But whilst the press and media have made it front page news, and filled the letters pages with contributions from people who have, undeniably, found themselves with an inferior service, I’ve seen the city’s buses as full as ever with people who seem to have gotten to grips with their new system. I can’t claim to represent the views of every user of buses in Wolverhampton, and it’s clear some of the moves have been unpopular. However, let’s not forget the aim of this massive upheaval was to improve, overall, Wolverhampton’s bus network. And improvements there have been. Centro has responded to the media fury by stating they are looking again, with the operators, at some of the most contentious issues. It’s just a slight pity the controversy which has engulfed the network review has rather overshadowed the opening of a fantastic new bus station that is a pleasure to use, even if some of the routes don’t serve it. Phil Tonks is an advocate of good public transport. He has worked for Bus Users UK and Passenger Focus, where he was most recently passenger link executive for the East and West Midlands, involved in transport user groups and mystery shopping research. He continues to travel the UK to find out and comment on what services are offer. To read his blog, visit www.philtonks2.blogspot.com If you want to let off some steam, just tap away at the keyboard and send your rant (or carefully-reasoned views) to cbwinbox@rouncymedia.co.uk, or fax 0845 280 2927. Make ‘Open Platform’ the subject line. Alternatively, send your missive to: CBW, 3 The Office Village, Cygnet Park, Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX. www.coachandbusweek.com
29/08/2011 23:03
38 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
ACCESSiBility › school transport
Accessibility conundrum Principal transport development officer at Essex County Council Dominic Lund-Conlon explores an issue close to his heart and with which he is passionately involved in tackling head-on
F
rom memory, 17 years ago there was a secondary school student living in South Lincolnshire who had, by the then definition, ‘special needs’. The needs were physical rather than educational. The student was transported by taxi for the 6.1 miles to the second nearest mainstream ‘accessible’ school, rather than the 5.9 miles to the nearest secondary school. In the village the student lived in, approximately two thirds of the eligible students went to the nearest school and the other third went to the same school as the disabled student. All students were transported by bus. Another moment of recollection, if you’ll allow me: I remember in 1998, when living and working in Cheltenham at the time, seeing a Stagecoach bus (an ALX200-bodied Dart, if my bus-geek memory serves me correctly) meandering around the town. At that time it was brand new and something very alien to my own view of public transport – it was ‘accessible’. Prior to this, all the vehicles I had ever seen which were accessible were taxis, minibuses with a tail lift, or converted vehicles such as coaches or mini-vans. This is an important comparison because over the last 12 years we have lived through an important transition stage in transport and this doesn’t only apply to schools transport. During this time the modern commercial service bus fleet has changed drastically. Indeed, the bus which runs along the end of my road is now accessible. London buses are all (bar heritage routes) accessible and major towns and cities now are
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AccessSchoolBuses.indd 38
aflood with modern vehicles with features such as wheelchair access, tactile surfaces, digital destination indicators and even live reporting systems telling you when your bus is due – all amazing, wonderful things. Why is this important for school transport? Because a lot has changed, not just in transport, but our behaviour and the approach taken to making provision for ‘Special Needs’, with legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act (1995, 2005) and more public bodies embracing a social model of disability rather than medical model. This has pushed the concept of integration of ‘Special needs’ students into the mainstream school experience and equality of access.
Modern times
So has this been reflected in School Transport for students with disabilities? When I was recently
outside a sports venue during an exhibition, a large tri-axle double decker school bus pulled up – one I know is advertised as having 102 seats max. But those extra seats come at a cost – the removal of the wheelchair space, despite the bus displaying a ‘Wheelchair Accessible’ logo. This in turn can impact on those students who might require such a space but can’t use it because the space is no longer available. Are they then driven in a converted minibus, at additional cost to the local authority but segregated from their friends? At age 12, not being able to travel with your group of friends is a big disadvantage – what fun, jokes, interaction do you miss? You miss the opportunity to be part of the wider community and this may hamper your social skills as an adult. In Essex, in common with other authorities, we have procedures which we follow: Are the students
School services have responded to wider transport industry changes but need to go further to meet the needs of disabled passengers, says Dominic
eligible for transport? Are they going to the nearest school? Is the journey a walkable distance? Once we have established their eligibility, the next question is ‘how to travel’. For special needs students this was often specified by our colleagues in the Children’s Families and Schools Service assessment team, according to their perceived needs – usually taxi transport. We now ask for the transport method not to be prescribed, so students are not automatically put into taxis. The provision is looked at in terms of what service currently exists and the economics of the journey – where possible an existing school bus journey would be used. However, school bus fleet vehicles are often older than
29/08/2011 21:33
August 31, 2011 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 39
Increased use of accessible vehicles would help improve accessibility, says Dominic, who is pictured here with a First coach service at Stansted Airport commercially operated vehicles and as noted above, either inaccessible to many people with disabilities or seat numbers are a lot higher, thus making the vehicle more economic compared to newer vehicles. What happens if a bus is not suitable for students to travel on? A student is then entered onto the most economical means and route available – be it a minibus or a taxi offering compatible access. However, is it right from a developmental point of view a young person should still be segregated? In Essex we do encourage a customer focused approach for ‘special needs’ transport, where the driver will visit a student and the parents beforehand to introduce
AccessSchoolBuses.indd 39
themselves and to allow students to know who will be taking them to school every day. This produces a good rapport, but is it always necessary or appropriate as training for life in a wider community? If a service has spare seats, then parents of children may approach the operator to purchase the use of a spare seat. However, seats aren’t often advertised and there is no system in place to allow a child to travel with his or her friends. We happen to follow the social model of disability within Essex – putting the person first, disability second – so shouldn’t this in turn apply to schools as well? The bigger question is – “how can we apply this to school transport?”
Options “It is well known One option would be stipulating disabled students more use of accessible vehicles on bus routes. However this is thrive when integrated school not an option because of the current in mainstream economical need to maximise on capacity, far outweighing the need education. Could for accessibility. At the last check, integrating these the one wheelchair space can take up the space equivalent to six to students into a eight seats and during a period mainstream transport when cost is sensitive to both operator and authority alike. environment help We might consider it is well them thrive further?” known disabled students thrive Dominic Lund-Conlon
when integrated in mainstream education. Could integrating these students into a mainstream transport environment help them thrive further? Would the benefit of an improved
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29/08/2011 21:33
40 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
ACCESSiBility › school transport
“As I board the bus with my wife and children, I will also be thinking of how more children with disabilities could be using public transport, like the service at the end of my road, to go to school” Dominic Lund-Conlon educational outcome outweigh the cost of integrating transport? Whilst I don’t think it would work in every situation - clearly not being suitable for particularly complex cases - could this potentially support a number of students in developing a more integrated, more enjoyable and higher achieving educational experience? A second option could be to encourage the use of Travel Training for younger people on local bus routes to enable them to confidently use these vehicles without an escort or assistance. One such example occurred in NorthEast Essex, where a student was travel trained at the age of 14. The student would catch the bus from near their house and travel via the town to the school. The bus route was a registered local service and DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) compliant. The student travelled every school day until the GCSEs had finished. Without a doubt this will have impacted in a positive way in the student’s life – having met a cross section of society rather than travelling with other disabled students. Ultimately, it is shown these students are likely to have more confidence to travel outside of school, move on to college, and university too. A third option would be to encourage a buddy system on the current transport. Such a system would allow younger people the option to have friends travel with them – and by friends I don’t just mean other disabled young people – personality clashes happen for disabled children too. There should be no discrimination when it comes to this element – young people choose their friends and should also have the freedom to choose who they travel with as a buddy. By looking to embrace this change we can bring the school
Dominic recalls seeing a Stagecoach ALX200 Dart like the one pictured here, when new in Cheltenham in 1998
Dominic Lund-Conlon: a brief history
Dominic Lund-Conlon is principal transport development officer at Essex County Council. Having already had a very keen interest in public transport and a campaigner for full access equality, Dominic joined the transport industry three years ago. He is heavily involved in the partnership Options for Independent Living (Transport) Group as part of his work at Essex County Council, where operators, transport users and local authorities work together to find solutions to problems which occur. He is a member of the Communications Executive at the Association of Transport Coordinating Officers (ATCO) where he also holds the role of website administrator. Outside of work, Dominic can often be found out and about using public transport with his wife and three young children.
Operators have helped promote more low-floor fleet vehicles to meet the needs of disabled passengers. Dominic Lund-Conlon pictured second left
transport system more into the 21st century. And back to the opening of this whole article – the young student living in South Lincolnshire, the 11 year old boy was me. I was the child who was segregated and I regret missing the social experiences my friends had. For this I don’t want sympathy or an apology – I want to see things continue to improve. Indeed, bus travel has changed in my lifetime. Where am I now? I’m about to get the bus to the pub for lunch with my family (using my concessionary pass, of course!). But as I board the bus with my wife and children, I will also be thinking of how more children with disabilities could be using public transport, like the service at the end of my road, to go to school. Using the school travel in turn can increase in their confidence and have a positive impact on their social lives- being enabled to go to the cinema, or the shops. We have the opportunity to reduce exclusion and improve the quality of life for all.
Association of Transport Coordinating Officers: www. atco.org.uk n Dominic Lund-Conlon’s blog: http://blog.lund-conlon.co.uk n Essex County Council Transport: http://www.essex. gov.uk/Travel-Highways/ Public-Transport/Pages/Publictransport.aspx
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AccessSchoolBuses.indd 40
29/08/2011 21:34
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DRIVERS
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Northumbria reunion Former company staff to celebrate 25th anniversary Northumbria Buses is celebrating 25 years since the former company took over routes previously operated by United Buses North of Tyne. The company, which has since become Arriva following industry deregulation and privatisation, is to celebrate the occasion with a special anniversary event on September 6. The event will be held at Newcastle’s civic centre, where the company originally launched, and will feature preserved Northumbria-liveried Optare Delta no.251, one of the first buses purchased by the company which formerly ran the 251 route. The bus is still owned by former managers to display at heritage trade shows. Northumbria Buses operated a fleet of over 250 buses which were liveried in the company colours of grey, red and white. The firm started life on September 6, 1986 with its promise to offer “a new service tailored to meet the needs of the local community” at a launch attended by Tyneside comedian Little Billy Fane. The now retired David Monaghan, the company’s former managing director told CBW he
was looking forward to familiar faces getting together to celebrate the anniversary and hoped drivers would share memories of driving buses along the route from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Tyne on Wear. David said: “John Fickling, Tony Kennan and myself founded the company and as well as being business partners are also close friends. We meet up on a regular basis and Tony reminded all of us of our 25th anniversary coming up in September. “We all thought it would be a wonderful idea to get as many past colleagues as possible together
Drivers.indd 43
Contact David Monaghan on 01661 852096.
Delta ‘G251SRG’, pictured outside its birthplace by Steve Hodgson
Arriva driver retires after 40 years
Arriva Yorkshire driver John Callaghan from Wakefield took his last journey on August 25. He has driven route 217 Overton - Leeds for 19 years. John, 64, began working for Arriva’s predecessor in 1970, firstly as a conductor and then a driver, a role he held for 36 years. “It has been an enjoyable career and I would not have wanted to do anything else,” he said. “When I first moved to the area the only road I knew was the one from Hemsworth to Wakefield. “Meeting people is the best part of the job and by doing the same route for so long I have got to know
who worked with us between September 1986 and July 1994 as we felt Northumbria was something special and worthy of such a celebration.” David added: “It was nice going through the names of past workers as it triggers happy memories. We have had a great response so far of over 100 people coming along and hopefully more to come.” The invitation is open to all of the company’s over 1000 former employees, 166 of which still work with Arriva.
To advertise on this page, contact advertising manager Irena Cornwell on 01733 293 247 or e-mail irena.cornwell@ rouncymedia.co.uk
Driver suffered from sleeping condition A First Bristol driver who suffered from sleep apnoea has denied driving dangerously but admitted careless driving in relation to a crash after falling asleep at the wheel in June 2009. The breathing condition disturbs sleep and causes severe tiredness in the day, leading to driver Robert Long falling asleep six hours into a shift before mounting the kerb and destroying a set of traffic lights. Long initially lost his job with First but was reinstated following a DVLA investigation which provided medical evidence. The judge fined Long £300 with £350 prosecution costs, endorsed his driving licence with six penalty points and told him to pay a £15 victim surcharge, after saying the circumstances of the accident were “wholly exceptional”. Long has since undergone successful medical treatment and can now continue driving. A First Bus spokeman said: “The original incident was thoroughly investigated by us and appropriate action was taken at the time. Since the original incident occurred, Mr Long has not been involved in any other blameworthy incidents.”
First Manchester’s Bury depot hospice donation
John Callaghan drove the 217 Overton to Leeds route for 19 years lots of families from the Overton, Netherton and Horbury area. “There has definitely been more ups than downs over the years and I’ve enjoyed working with the staff and the management.” John took on the role of secretary of the company’s sports and social club and ran the staff canteen for 21 years.
Drivers from First Manchester’s Bury depot have donated over £10,000 to a Bury hospice campaign. The donation from the company’s charity committee was handed over after operations team member Derek Sorah suggested Building a New Hospice for Bury as a worthwhile cause after the hospice had cared for his father five years previously. Derek’s role involves allocating work to the drivers at the depot, which is located on Rochdale Road. “As soon as I heard Bury Hospice was raising money to build a new hospice I approached the charitable committee and asked if they would consider making a £5,000 donation.
Not only did they say yes, but they doubled the amount,” said Derek. “Many of the drivers have also had family members who have been looked after by the hospice and we see this as an opportunity to give something back to the community. It is such a worthy cause to support.” Claire Warner, director of fundraising for Bury Hospice, added: “It was fantastic to receive such a generous amount from the bus drivers at First Manchester. We are delighted the company decided to support us. “Many local businesses are helping us to achieve our fundraising target, and we now have less than £400,000 to go.”
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29/08/2011 17:09
44 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
PRODUCTS
Email martin.cole@rouncymedia. co.uk to get your new product or service in the spotlight
Yuasa launchEs nEw wEbsitE
Vertical rear lamp mounting bracket for lED units suits most rear-access vehicles - capable of 12/24v applications
VErtical lED mounting brackEt for rEar lights LED Autolamps, manufacturer of ProDuct commercial vehicle of thE LED lighting, has wEEk introduced a new vertically mounted rear lamp for vehicles with limited fitting space, such as specialist rear-access vehicles including minibuses. Made from tough and durable ABS plastic, the bracket has been specifically designed to accept LED Autolamps’ 80 series rear lamp modules. The square rear single- and multifunction lamps can be simply clicked
into place and hardwired. In the event of damage, the lamps are very easily unclipped individually and replaced as necessary in a matter seconds, reducing downtime to an absolute minimum and eliminating the need to replace the whole unit. This unique mounting bracket has been specially designed to accept LED Autolamps’ 80 Series lamp part numbers, 80BSTIME Stop/Tail/ Indicator lamp, 80WME Reversing lamp, 80FME Fog lamp and 80AME Indicator lamp. Each lamp is 12/24 dual voltage capable, carries a 5-year warranty and comes with sealed electronics and 40cm of hard-wired cable. Current draw at 13.8 volts ranges from 0.04 to 0.42 Amps dependant on function. The overall
size of the bracket with three lamps fitted is 278 x 98 x 45mm. Maurice Bibb, commercial director Europe, LED Autolamps said, “This latest durable mounting bracket meets the needs of fleets and workshops looking for a practical, simple and effective way of fixing ECE approved vertically mounted rear lamps to specialist rear-access vehicles.” lED autolamps Europe llP, unit 8J, maybrook business Park, minworth, sutton coldfield, birmingham b76 1al contact: maurice bibb commercial director. t: +44 (0)121 313 2222 E: maurice@ledautolamps-uk.com w: www.ledautolamps-uk.com
rEVolutionarY wElDing torch tEstEr from wElDabilitY-sif
battery-operated mig welding torch tester requires no calibration
Weldability-SIF, a supplier of welding equipment, has launched a new revolutionary CE marked MIG Welding Torch Tester, which enables MIG welding equipment service engineers and welding shop supervisors to easily test and diagnose any electrical problems with their MIG torches. Plug any MIG torch with a Euro adaptor into the battery operated tester, which then identifies circuit
Yuasa Battery Sales (UK) Ltd has launched a new pan-European website at www.yuasaeurope.com to provide detailed information on the company’s wide range of products including lead acid batteries for industrial, security and telecom applications; batteries for automotive and leisure applications; motorcycle batteries, Nickel Metal Hydride and Nickel Cadmium cells; battery chargers and test equipment. Yuasa is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries with global manufacturing plants and an extensive marketing and distribution network throughout the UK and Europe. The new website is available in English, German, French, Spanish and Italian, providing full details of all products and technical datasheets which can be downloaded. Extensive technical support is available on the site particularly for automotive and motorcycle products where application and cross reference guides and battery selectors are available to assist users in making the correct choice of battery for their vehicle. Information on battery recycling and links to external sites for recycling advice are also available on the site. In the UK, industrial, golf and mobility batteries can be purchased from the site’s online store. Yuasa battery sales (uk) ltd, unit 13, hunts rise, south marston, swindon, wiltshire, sn3 4tg. t: 08708 500257 f: 08708 500265 E: enquiries@yuasa-sales.co.uk w: www.yuasaeurope.com
related faults in less than five seconds, testing both the working condition and operational function of the torch. It examines the availability and quality of the switching circuit used in the torch switch, the presence and quality of the power cable and identify any insulation failure which may cause shorting between the power cable and the control circuit. Battery operated, this tester works straight from the box without any calibration being required. contact adrian hawkins, managing director. t: +44 (0)1462 482200 E: info@weldability-sif.com
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29/08/2011 20:36
ptEg COlUmn › jonathan bray
August 31, 2011 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 45
Building the case for the bus – one fact at a time pteg director Jonathan Bray sets out the need for a strong armoury of evidence which will persuade DfT and the Treasury on the economic, environmental and social benefits of buses Facts and evidence doesn’t always win the day (otherwise we would be living in a very different world!) but if you want to win a public policy debate, having a combat ready armoury of evidence at your disposal is important. And important becomes vital when you are battling to change the status quo rather than maintain it. I think that we (as in the local transport authorities and bus operators) have more work to do in assembling that armoury if the argument on winning the case for investing and supporting bus services is to be won. We are on a battlefield where the bus just does not have the same political territorial advantage that cars, trains and planes already have. It’s in these situations where you need all the factual ammunition you can get. The funding stream for small to medium-size public transport schemes (including bus priority schemes) took a hammering in the spending review and is an example of what can happen when your evidence base isn’t as well delineated as it should be. The funding stream for these schemes (known as the Integrated Transport Block) has been halved since the election – the specific reason given for this by DfT and HMT is that the evidence for its benefits just wasn’t strong enough. This is remarkable given that a) there’s a consensus that bus punctuality is a key priority for the sector b) that bus priority is a key factor in delivering that better punctuality. Yet despite this local transport authorities and the bus industry weren’t able to provide the government with a sufficiently convincing set of facts, figures, case studies and evidence to persuade them of the benefits. The frustrating thing is that it’s not that the case for bus priority isn’t strong – it’s just that it hadn’t been compiled properly, although, to be fair, there are extenuating circumstances. Big expensive transport schemes (like new tram schemes or roads) justify big expensive appraisal and evaluation processes. Smaller schemes don’t justify the same expenditure on measuring their success. Measuring the benefits of some bus schemes is also intrinsically harder. For example, how do
PtegColumn.indd 45
The recent hammering taken by the funding stream for bus priority is remarkable given its importance in delivering punctuality; it’s not that the case isn’t strong but it hasn’t been properly compiled, says Jonathan you quantify the value of transforming a grotty old bus station into a modern facility? Plus the bus user demographic is poorer than that of car and train users and therefore the time savings benefit (on which conventional cost benefit appraisal rests) are lower. However, extenuating circumstances apart, we still need to do better. We made a start in the first half of this year with a report we published in July on the benefits of small to medium size public transport schemes. The good news was that the available evidence in the report indicated these schemes score consistently well in cost benefit terms. The report also set out a cut down appraisal and evaluation process specifically designed for
“We are on a battlefield where the bus just does not have the same political territorial advantage that cars, trains and planes already have.”
smaller schemes, all of which should help as we further develop the evidence base. Changes are also afoot in government thinking on appraisal and evaluation which might also help us. Conventional cost benefit analysis (COBA) will always be important but perhaps not quite as front and centre as it traditionally has been, as the appraisal wonks move towards a system that places COBA within a wider framework – or story – about what a scheme is trying to achieve and how. We also now need to move onto developing the evidence base for bus services in general – economically, environmentally, socially – and pteg will make its contribution to this wider mission in the second half of this year. The need for this is particularly pressing given both ATCO’s predictions on future bus cuts, and recent work we commissioned specifically on scenarios for bus services in the Mets. Both of which suggest that business as usual on bus funding will mean decline (at best!). There’s always a danger for any relatively marginalised sector where it retreats into a comfort zone of feeling hard done by and resorting to self-righteous grumbling, emotion, anecdote and assertion. There’s no doubt that assertion, anecdote and emotion can be persuasive (any good political speech is all about the guts not the head) but if we want to persuade Hammond and Her Majesty’s Treasury then we need a well-articulated evidence base which will stand up to their stony faced scrutiny. Jonathan is director of the pteg Support Unit. Jonathan’s background is in both transport campaigning and transport policy. He was one of the founders and co-ordinators of the campaign against the national road programme in the early nineties and later led the campaign against rail privatisation. He has also worked for the Campaign for Better Transport on a range of sustainable transport issues. Jonathan also has considerable transport policy experience - as a consultant his clients included local transport authorities, the BBC and the Strategic Rail Authority- for whom he led a major national public transport good practice project. He was appointed as assistant director of the pteg Support Unit in 2003 and director in 2008. www.coachandbusweek.com
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46 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
BUS STOPthe place to buy and sell
To advertise on these pages for as little as £20 just call 020 8320 1351 WILLIAMS TRUCK SALES 2007 ESKER CIMO 35 SEATER LUXURY COACH Mercedes Atego 1022 Chassis, new MOT, COIF, road tax, TV, video, fridge, top spec, LEZ compliant, 141,000 kms £57,950 + VAT ovno
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11 plate Ford Transit 17 seat bus COIF, PSV and tacho £24,995
2008 Peugeot Boxer 17 seat wheelchair accessible minibus, COIF, PSV, one owner, fsh, electrics £19995
09 plate Ford Transit 17 seat minibus wheelchair accessible, 35k miles, fits 2 chairs, underfloor lift £23,995
LDV Convoy 17 seater choice of 2 from £3,995
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August 31, 2011 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 47
To advertise on these pages for as little as £20 just call 020 8320 1351 Optare Toro
UNVI GT
Mercedes-Benz 0815 Vario chassis with rear air suspension, 28 passenger seats with 3pt lap and diagonal seat belts, powered entry door, air conditioning, double glazed windows, luggage racks with individual passenger reading lights and adjustable air flow blowers, radio/CD & PA system.
Mercedes-Benz 0816 Vario chassis with rear air suspension, 29 passenger seats with 3pt lap and diagonal seat belts and leather headrest inserts, courier seat, dark tint double glazed windows, air conditioning, radio/CD & PA system, DVD player and monitor, grammer luxury heated driver seat, full draw curtains, large boot space and side lockers.
£47,500 +VAT
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Call Dougie at Haggis Adventures on 0131 554 9192
Bus & Coach Business near Dublin
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Private Hire, Tours, School Buses, Staff Transport Contracts, Local Town services.
20+ vehicles with turnover in excess of 1.5 million Euro. Extensive Yard, Offices, Service and Maintainance Facilities. Enquiries in the first instance to:
doylecurtisassoc@gmail.com OFFER FOR SALE DUE TO FLEET UPGRADE
2004(04) IVECO BEULAS EL MUNDO, 51 seats, auto, full exec £82,000 now ..............£76,000 2003(53) IVECO BEULAS STERGEO, 49/53 seats, auto , full exec ..............................£75,000 2003(52) DAF SB300 VAN HOOL T9, 51/53 seats, auto, full exec .................................£79,000 2002(52) SCANIA K124 VAN HOOL T9, 49 seats, comfort shift, full exec ......................£75,000 2002(02) SCANIA K114 IRIZAR, 49 seats, comfort shift, full exec £68,000 now ............£63,000 (All coaches are in excellent condition with low miles, base white with removable transfers)
PART EXCHANGE CONSIDERED ON ALL ABOVE 2003(03) MERCEDES 311 CDI, 8 seats, MOT Feb 2012 .................................................£3,995 1998(S) IVECO DAILY 2.8 diesel, 15 seats .......................................................................£2,995 1998(S) FORD TRANSIT 2.5 diesel, Jumbo XL, 17 seats ................................................£1,995 SOLD 1991(J) MERCEDESS 814D, 29 seats New MOT ...............................................................£3,250 OLD ALL PRICES ARE PLUS VAT
For more details contact Steve or Russ 01884 252646 or 07702 626542
TEMSA SAFARI HD Full Stainless Steel
12.2mtr, Paccar 360hp, ZF auto gearbox, 53 rec seats with 3 point belts, Sutrak A/C, boiler, fridge, centre toilet.
01274 681144
Gomersal, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, BD19 4BJ Email: busandcoachsales@arriva.co.uk Web: www.arrivabusandcoach.co.uk Bus and Coach
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FREEDESIGNFREEWEBADFREEFULLCOLOURFREEDESIGNFREEWEBADFREEFULLCOLOUR
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DOUBLE DECK E 1997/8 VOLVO OLYMPIANS Seatbe exampleslted no available w
LEZ
LEZ
COMPLIANT
COMPLIANT
Volvo engines, Euro 2, 78 seats, converted to single door, new COIF, tyres included, UK registered ready to work.
2000 W/X REG V0LVO B6BLE’S
Cummins/Voith, LEZ compliant for 2012 with traps to Euro 4, CCTV, Alexander ALX400 bodies, DDA compliant or upseated to 80 seats.
1999/2000 T/V/X REG DENNIS TRIDENTS
Cummins/Allison, 28 seats, new MOT, all mods completed.
ZF gearboxes, Wrights bodies, ramps, 35 seats, very clean, £13,000 each supplied with new MOT and COIF.
2007 PLAXTON PRIMO
1997 P REG DENNIS JAVELIN GX
1998 VOLVO B10M
ZF 6 speed manual, Caetano Enigma body, 49 seats, centre toilet, MOT June 2012.
Cummins 290 / 6 speed ZF, Plaxton Premiere 320 body, 57 seats, just trimmed, MOT 09/12.
1995 M REG DENNIS DRAGONS
ZF automatic, Irizar body, 49 seats, rear toilet, air-con, supplied with new MOT. One only at £44,000.
2003 SCANIA K114
Cummins/Voith gearboxes, Duple Metsec bodies, recent floors and 92 coach seats.
2007 DART MPD
Euro 4, Cummins/Allison, MCV body, 9m, 32 seats. One available at £47,000
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 - B
Juliette Close, Purfleet Industrial Pa Telephone 01708 865656 Fax: 01708 864 Visit our website for current sto
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K ER SPECIALIST 1994 K REG VOLVO OLYMPIAN
2007 56 PLATE ENVIRO 300
Northern Counties low height bodies, Volvo engines, good selection with long MOTs.
6 speed ZF manual, Marcopolo body, 67 seats, MOT 02/12.
1995 PP DENNIS JAVELIN
Cummins ISBE engine, ZF automatic, 12m, DDA, Hanover destinations, 44 seats. Two available at £52,000 each
ZF automatic, Alexander Strider body, 51 seats, all belted, MOT Jan 2012.
1994 M REG VOLVO B10M
1998 S REG DENNIS DART SPD
Cummins / Allison World Series gearbox , Pointer 2 body, 41 seats.
Cummins / Allison, Caetano body, 34 seats, Hanover LEDʼs. MOT June 2012.
ZF automatic, Plaxton Excalibur body, 49 seats, NSR toilet, air-con, MOT 05/12. One only at £26,000.
Plaxton President bodies, LEZ post 2012 with traps, single door converted and 72 seats.
2000 W REG VOLVO B10M
ZF auto, East Lancs body, DDA compliant, 78 seats.
2001 VOLVO B7TL
2000 W REG DENNIS DART MPD’S Cummins/Allison, Plaxton bodies, 8.8m, 29 seats.
1999 V REG DART
2000 W REG VOLVO B7TL’S
1992 LEYLAND OLYMPIAN TRI-AXLE
Cummins L10/ZF, Alexander body, 102 coach seats with belts, air-con, tacho, good MOT.
Mercedes engines, Slimlines, 2.34m wide, 7.8m long, 24 seats, Hanover LEDʼs.
2006/7 OPTARE SOLO’S
- BRITAIN’S BIGGEST BUS DEALERS
rial Park, Purfleet, Essex, RM15 4YF 708 864340 e-mail: sales@ensignbus.com ent stock at www.ensignbus.com
121702-1000-Pembridge
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NEW PRE-REGISTERED FORDS (11) 2011 Ford Transit 17 seat medium roof, 2.4tdi, air-con, tacho, air-con, Bluetooth, fogs, colour coded bumpers, ONLY 3,000 miles £23,750
W at NE se 17
(60) 2011 Ford Transit 15 seat 2.4 tdci minibus, tacho, air-con, Bluetooth, silver £18,995
(10) 2010 Ford Transit 12 minibus 2.2tdci 115ps tacho, air-con, Bluetooth, parking sensors, in silver, 1,400km £17,495
(10) 2010 Ford Transit 9 seat Shuttle Bus 2.2 tdci 140ps, air-con, sat-nav, Bluetooth, parking sensors, in silver, delivery miles only £17,995
FORD TRANSIT MINIBUSES (08) 2008 Ford Transit 15 seat minibus, high back seats with three point belts, tacho, 41,000 kms £14,750
(08) 2008 Ford Transit 17 seat 2.4tdi, tacho, high back seats with three point belts, 33,000kms only, COIF/PSV £15,200
(06) 2006 Ford Transit 17 seat 2.4tdi minibus high back seats with three point belts, tacho, in white £8,995
LDV MINIBUSES New LDV Maxus 17 seat minibus 2.5 diesel, LWB, twin side loading doors, 2 year mechanical warranty, COIF/PSV £16,995
(57) 2007 LDV Maxus 15 seat minibus, high back seats with three point belts £7,495
(03) 2003 LDV Convoy 17 seat 2.4tdi LWB Hi Roof, COIF/PSV with new test £3,995
OTHER MAKES (08) 2008 Renault Traffic Sportive 9 seat LL29 dci, 31,000 miles, in silver £10,750
Peugeot Boxer 3.5 ton 17 seat School minibus diesel 2.2 120ps six speed, COIF/PSV. Choice of colours £21,995+VAT
5 3.
n to
OTHER MAKES (07) 2007 Volkswagen Crafter 8 seat 2.2 diesel inboard lift, fully tracked floor, rear heating, 48,000 miles £13,995 (55) 2005 Chrysler Grand Voyager 7 seat Auto 2.8 diesel, DVD, heated seats, radio/CD, electric mirrors, electric windows, one owner from new with FSH, silver, 67,000 miles £7,750
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS (58) Fiat Doblo 1.4 petrol, 3 seats, low floor, lightweight ramp, E/W, C/L, CD, 19,000 miles £9,995 (07) 2007 Fiat Dobol 1.4 petrol, lightweight ramp low floor, 5 door, ABS, air bag, air con, electric reels, E/W, PAS, radio/ CD, C/L £6,995 (05) 2005 Renault Master SWB 2.5dti, electric wheelchair lift, E/W, rear saloon heating, full aircon front and rear, three rear saloon passenger seats, privacy glass, 10,000 miles only £10,500 (05) 2005 Renault Master LWB 13 seat minibus 2.2 HDI, 13 high back seats, tracking for 3 wheelchairs, inboard lift floor, rear heating, side step, 21,000 miles, FSH £10,500 (04) 2004 Mercedes Sprinter 413cdi minibus 2.2 diesel, front entry drop step with power door, inboard Clearway lift, fully tracked floor to take 4 wheelchairs, rear heating, 77,000 miles £9,995
PART EX TO CLEAR (R) 1998 FORD TRANSIT 17 SEAT 2.5 DI, WHITE, COIF/ PSV NOVEMBER 2011 £1,500
Tel: 01633 485858 Mobile: 07866 443304 Contact Graham Thatcher – email: sales@minibussales.co.uk
Pembridge House, The Park Business Centre, Plough Road, Goytre, Penperlleni, Nr Usk, South Wales NPA 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%
550598-1001-Pickrell
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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.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINI BUSES
05 REG FORD TRANSIT 2.4 DIESEL
Manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, tacho, side loading door, AVS side step, 14 high back seats, fully Unwin tracked floor, air con, Webasto heater, underfloor AMF tail lift.
08 REG FORD TRANSIT 430 JUMBO 2.2TDCI (115)
Manual, LWB, PAS, m2 17 seat factory conversion, side loading door, AVS step, high back seats, fitted with tacho, COIF, new PSV MOT, ready for school contract.
2000 X REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 416CDI
Ambulance, LWB, wheeled coachbuilt conversion, full air con/climate, side loading door, 3 high back seats, easy load stretcher position, blue light bars and siren, choice of 2.
05 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 411 CDI
58 REG PEUGEOT EXPERT TEPEE 19 HDI
07 REG RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.2TD
06 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 411 CDI
Manual gearbox, LWB, PAS, O & H conversion, side loading electric power door, AVS electric step, 14 high back removable seats, Eberspacher, PLS underfloor t/tift, ex NHS.
Manual 5 speed gearbox, PAS, CD player, air con, twin side loading doors, 2 high back seat in rear plus single passenger seat front, cut out floor, fold down ramp, metallic silver, 12,389 miles.
Manual gearbox, high roof, O & H conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 7 high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, Eberspacher heater, air con, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, 21,435 miles.
Manual gearbox, LWB, PAS, O & H conversion, full height side loading plug door, AVS step, 17 seat with 14 high back removable seats, Eberspacher, Ratcliff underfloor t/ lift, ex NHS, COIF'd, tacho fitted, 91,500 kms.
55 REG CITROEN RELAY 1800 LM35 2.2HSI
2004/05 54 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 416CDI AMBULANCE
05 REG VAUXHALL VIVARO SH29 1.9 TD
2008 57 REG RENAULT TRAFFIC LH29 2.2TD
Manual gearbox, high roof, O & H conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 9 high back seats plus driver, Unwin tracked floor, Underfloor Ratcliff tail lift, only 38,800 miles.
LWB, Macneillie van conversion, SLD, 2 rear high back seats, Ferno Falcon stretcher & locks, stretcher lift, blue light bars and siren, very high spec, low miles 65-85,000 miles only, choice of 8.
Manual, high roof, SWB, Advance conversion, PAS, side loading door, AVS side step, 5 high back seats, Unwin tracking, full air con, Ricon tail lift, ex-charity, 32,675
Automatic, high roof, LWB, SCW conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 8 high back seats, Unwin tracking, tinted windows, full air front & rear, Eberspacher heater, Unwin ramps, only 9,000 miles.
07 REG RENAULT MASTER SM33 2.2TD
05 REG RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.2TD
07 REG RENAULT MASTER LM39 2.5TD
58 REG FORD TRANSIT 430 2.4 DIESEL
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, 33,756 miles.
Manual gearbox, high roof, Warner Bus conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 7 high back seats plus 2 x w/chairs, Eberspacher heater, Unwin m1 tested floor, Ricon tail lift, full air-con front & rear, 22,495 miles.
Tiptronic auto gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, side loading door, AVS side step, 14 high back seats, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, full air con & Eberspacher heating, only 35,275 miles, choice of 3.
Manual, LWB, PAS, factory conversion, tacho fitted, electric windows, cruise control, side loading door, 17 high back seats with seat belts, ex local authority, very nice spec, only 35,350 kms.
56 REG RENAULT MASTER LM35 2.5TD
04 REG CITROEN RELAY 2.8 TD
55 REG FORD TRANSIT JUMBO T350 90
07 REG RENAULT MASTER SL33 2.2TD
Manual gearbox, high roof, O&H conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 8 high back seats plus driver, Unwin tracked floor, underfloor Ratcliff tail lift, only 16,000 miles.
Tri axle, LWB, PAS, Leicester Carriage Builders mobile library, electric side double door, entry steps with ramps for w/chair access air con, heating, mint condition, battery charger and pack very high spec, 53,132 miles.
Manual gearbox, LWB, PAS, Euromotive conversion, side loading door, AVS step, 12 rear high back removable seats, Unwin tested floor, Ratcliff underfloor tail lift, 50,530 miles
Manual gearbox, high roof, O & H conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 6 high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, air con, heater, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, 22,166 miles.
06 REG RENAULT MASTER SM33 2.2TD
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, low roof, LWB, luxury conversion, PAS, twin side loading door, AVS side step, 8 luxury leather high back seats, air con, removable table in rear, Unwin tracking, Braun tail lift, 7,675 miles.
10 REG VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER TDI
54 REG RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.5TD
Manual, high roof, Atlas conversion, PAS, side loading door, AVS side step, 8 high back seats, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, Eberspacher air con, only 22,335 miles.
552013-1000-Fishwick
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2011 (11) FORD TRANSIT 9 SEAT SHUTTLE BUS 115PS TWIN SIDE LOAD DOORS INK BLUE £17,495
07 (57) IVECO DAILY 50C15 16 SEATS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE COIF/PSV 50,000 KM £25,995
2006 (06) FORD TRANSIT 17 SEAT MEDIUM ROOF WHITE 115PS COIF/PSV 63,000 MILES £8,995
2010 (60) RENAULT TRAFFIC 9 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE DELIVERY MILEAGE £24,995
P9 BJT
REGISTRATION PLATE FOR SALE – £500
NEW MERCEDES SPRINTER TOURLINE 516CDI ALTAS CONVERSION 17 SEAT MINICOACH £56,995
Tel: 01495 757111 Mob: 07850 739446 (Haydn) or visit our website www.minibussales.biz to view the above stock
VANFIT & LDV PARTS STOCKIST
(PONTYPOOL) LTD
for all 3 vehicles CAN SELL SEPARATELY
£90,000
8 seat limousines in bronze metallic paint. All vehicles are registered May 2004. One owner from new. 2.3 ltr petrol engine, 6 speed automatic gearbox, ABS brakes, PAS, radio/CD player, electric windows, electric powered and heated mirrors, heated rear screen, air con, alloy wheels. Hearse also capable to carry 2 bearers. All vehicles under 20,000 miles each. Limousines suitable for wedding cars.
CITROEN RELAY 8 SEATER WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE 73,328 MILES £8,500
19:26
NEW MAXUS 17 SEAT MINIBUS 120 PS LWB H/R PANAROMIC WINDOWS COIF £16,995
26/8/11
One Saab 95 Coleman Milne Hearse Two Saab 95 Coleman Milne Stretched
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56 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
BUS & COACH SALES
BUS 2001 2000
LEY DAF NUTRAK 24 SEATS MERCEDES 614 WELFARE BUS 16 SEATS
COACH 2006 SETRA S416 TRI AXLES 49 SEATS A/C 2005 DENNIS R CAETANO ENIGMA 49 SEATS A/C
2004 2004 2004 2003 2003 2002 2001
SCANIA IRIZAR CENTURY 49 SEATS A/C VOLVO B12 CAETANO 49 SEATS A/C SCANIA VANHOOL 49 SEATS A/C SCANIA IRIZAR CENTURY 49 SEATS A/C VOLVO B12 CAETANO 48 SEATS A/C SCANIA IRIZAR CENTURY 49 SEATS A/C SCANIA IRIZAR CENTURY 49 SEATS A/C
TO VIEW CALL DANNY 07979 295668
p57_CBW_1001
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Quality Coach Sales 1 x 1996 Dennis Javelin Berkhof 53 Seater
New MOT & Spray £12K Plus VAT
1999 T Reg Mercedes Benz 814D
Norvelle 20 Seat Executive Coach, 20 Red Leather Seats With Tables If Desired With Toliet & Kitchen Area, Large Boot, & Air Conditioning New MOT & Plain White. Amazing Coach £23K Plus VAT
1994 Volvo B10M Plaxton Premier 350 ZF Automatic 53 Fixed Seats with Rear Level Mounted toliet, Full Retrim In Grey & Spray White, NEW MOT Amazing coach £22K
www.SDRcoachhelp.com 24 Hrs 0844 576 3300 We have loan vehicle avalaible as well so you can commence your contracts
August 31, 2011 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 57
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58 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
1991 Leyland Olympian Northern Counties, Cummins L10 ZF gearbox, 78 seats, Front Hanover LED fitted. Very tidy. £5,500+VAT
Dennis Darts SLF Seat Belted: 1997 Plaxton Pointer 1. 39 seats fully belted with Tachograph, Hanover LED front, side & rear fitted. Bargain at £9,500+VAT each.
Dennis Darts SLF: 1997-8, Plaxton Pointer 1 & 2 bodywork, 36-38 seats. Hanover LED front, side & rear fitted. Bargain at £7,500+VAT each.
Volvo Olympian N, P, R + S reg Choice of Northern Counties or Alexander bodies 72/78 seats
• Full preparation to include: • Overhaul body and panel prep + full repaint any solid colour • Re trim if needed • New seat belt installation and cert by market leaders, Barry Hall Installations • NEW MOT • Ready in time for new term if you order quickly
FROM £14,950.00 FINANCE AVAILABLE
View all stock online: www.staffordbuscentre.com Email: martin@staffordbuscentre.com Tel: 01782 791774 Mobile: 07803 222552
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HEATONS MOTOR CO. WIGAN 01942 864222 THE NORTH WEST’S PREMIER MINIBUS SALES, SUPPLYING NATIONWIDE FOR OVER 40 YEARS 06 RENAULT TRAFFIC SWB highroof, covered 15,000 miles, good quality conversion, SLD with cassette step, 6 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, Ricon fully automatic Clearway tailift, totally showroom condition in everyway £10,995
07 RENAULT TRAFFIC LWB highroof, only covered 18,000 miles, 5 highback seats plus wheelchair spaces, twin SLDs, electric side step, Ricon internal tailift, lots of Unwin tracking fitted, Unwin Innotrax flooring system, totally immaculate in everyway, 35,000 miles £12,995
56 RENAULT MASTER MWB covered 36,000 miles, 6 highback passenger seats plus wheelchair spaces, Unwin tracking, Ricon internal fully automatic tailift, SLD with electric step, totally showroom condition inside and out £12,495
05 IVECO 40C14 MWB, covered only 11,000 miles - yes 11,000 miles, front low step entry, 8/10 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, Ratcliffe internal tailift, good quality conversion, tremendous value for money £10,995
54 VAUXHALL MOVANO MWB covered 35,000 miles, Ricon fully automatic internal tailift, twin SLDs with cassette step, lots of Unwin tracking, non slip floor, saloon heater, 4/8 passenger seats, totally out of the box as always £10,495
03 IVECO 50C13 IRIS BUS 15/16 highback passenger seats, only covered 50,000 miles, lots of Unwin tracking, external PLS fully automatic tailift, Powerdoor front entry, choice of 2, excellent value £9,995
03 MERCEDES SPRINTER 413 CDI 15 highback passenger seats in coach moquette, 3 point belts, covered 60,000 miles, Triptronic transmission, powerdoor front entry, external cassette tailift, fully colour coded, Mellor coachbuilt £9,995
54 PLATE IVECO 50C13 IRIS BUS 16 highback passenger seats, 3 point belts, full air conditioning, panoramic tinted PSV’d windows, front low step entry, only covered 54,000 miles, one owner, looks excellent, excellent drive, excellent value, 12 months PSV test, ready to work £10,995
06 MERCEDES SPRINTER 411 CDI only covered 60,000 miles, with 16 highback passenger seats, belts, lots PSV’d 3 point of Unwin tracking, side full height entrance door, full carpetlined, external Ratclliffe fully automatic cassette tailift, sound system, saloon lights, twin roof lights, a truly nice example of this popular minibus, excellent value £15,995
06 CITROEN RELAY SWB, covered 52,000 miles, good quality Gowring conversion, Ricon internal fully automatic clearway tailift, 4 seats plus 2 wheelchair spaces, unmarked, silver metallic, SLD with cassette step, excellent value £6,995
07 MERCEDES VITO 111CDI LWB only covered 24,000 miles, 8 passenger seat,s twin SLDs, air conditioning, full electric, pack totally showroom condition inside and out, excellent value £11,495
59 IVECO 45C15 covered 64,000 miles, 18 highback passenger seats in coach moquette with contrasting headlining, lugguage racks, reading lights, forced air, Powerdoor front entry, walnut dash, side skirts, top quality Onyx conversion, excellent value £26,495
07 IVECO 45C14 LWB, 16 high back passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, luggage racks with forced air PSV’d reading lights, powerdoor front low step entry, external PLS cassette tailift, saloon heater, tremendous value £17,995
08 VW TRANSPORTER SHUTTLE SE 77,000 miles, 8 highback passenger seats, full air conditioning, full electric pack, stunning silver metallic, totally showroom condition, excellent value £12,750
08 MERCEDES 515 UVG modular coachbuilt, 16 highback passenger seats, complete flat PSV’d floor, powerdoor front entry with low step entry, external PLS fully automatic tailift, automatic transmission, above average miles, one owner, FSH, less than a 1/3 of new price, PSV tested, must be a bargain £19,995
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
08 IVECO 50C15 IRIS BUS 15 highback Cogent seats in coach moquette, quick release seats, lots of Unwin tracking, Ricon internal fully automatic tailift, powerdoor front entry, full plant on tinted windows, automatic transmission, only covered 46,000 miles, one charity owner, totally showroom condition inside and out, vast saving on new price £20,995
54 CITROEN RELAY LWB highroof fitted with 7 highback seats plus wheelchair spaces, good quality conversion, external PLS tailift, SLD with cassette step, covered 70,000 miles £5,995 WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
Where can you find these? WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
2010 RENAULT MASTER MWB, 6 highback passenger seats plus wheelchair spaces, Ricon internal tailift, Unwin tracking, air conditioning, 2,000 miles only, this is as new as you would find giving excellent value and saving £16,495
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
Let us take the stress out of the purchase of your next minibus, leaving you to concentrate on running your business. 1, PSV tested. 2, Tacho fitted. 3, Finance options if required – 36, 48, 60 months low deposits, etc. Details on request. 4, Delivered to your premises. 5, Tail lift certificates. Where can you find one of the largest stock of wheelchair accessible/conventional minibuses? Ready to work, combining this with over 50 years of experience in the industry. Just one friendly phone call to Wayne or Philip will simplify your job.
HEATONS MOTOR CO. WIGAN
ALL PRICES PLUS VAT We guarantee quality vehicles, right prices, no pressure sales. Come and have a coffee while you browse at your leisure. Junction 23, M6 or 20 miles from Manchester/Liverpool airport.
52 Bickershaw Lane, Abram, Wigan, Lancashire WN2 5PL
Tel: 01942 864222
SEE ALL OUR STOCK ON OUR WEBSITE www.heatonsmotorco.co.uk
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60 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS &SERVICES BUILDINGS
ENGINES
CHECKPOINTS
HEAVY DUTY STEEL BUILDINGS
Crewe Engines Ltd
Bus Workshops - Secure Storage Supplied any width, any length Building to BS5590 - Doors high enough for Double Deckers - Finance available For further information phone
TO PURCHASE CHECKPOINT/DUSTITE loose wheelnut indicators or to locate your nearest stockist:
BLUELINE BUILDINGS 01709 578333 anytime
www.checkpoint-safety.com
Tel: 01524 271200
MERCEDES ENGINE SPECIALISTS
WE ALSO RECONDITION ALL MAKES OF BUS & COACH ENGINES Direct from the UK’s No.1 for 30 years
ENGINES
VOLVO - CUMMINS - SCANIA MAN - DAF - IVECO FULL FITTING FACILITIES CRAIG TILSLEY
Suppliers of Reconditioned
DAF MAN MERC, VOLVO SCANIA, GARDNER LEYLAND, CUMMINS ENGINES CYLINDER HEADS CRANKSHAFTS CRANKCASES CAMSHAFTS Tel: PUMPS Works: 01782 791524 Moorfields Ind. ETC 01782 791527 Est. Cotes Heath, Fax: 01782 791316
Stoke-on-Trent ST21 6QY
Specialists in Used Commercial Garage Equipment
BWS 0117 953 0381 www.bwsequip.co.uk
email: bwsequip@hotmail.com
TRAINING
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Don’t forget to mention that you saw it advertised in
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Driver CPC G £750 30 NXX 33 WXE 40 NXA 40 OXW 90 PXL 99 WNX PJZ 88 RJZ 66 RJZ 77
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Tel: (028) 6638 7124 Fax: (028) 6638 7771
Farrow Training UK Ltd
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£50 IIG 9238 IIG 9239 JIG 5671 JIG 5672 JIG 5673 SUI 9761 SUI 9762 TUI 2556 TUI 2557
Driver CPC Training available in West Midlands, Worcestershire and Shropshire at a time and place to suit you.
Get Legal - Get Trained www.trainingforcpc.com Tel: 07970 853663
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August 31, 2011 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 61
ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS &SERVICES SEATING
TICKETING
URBAN
SERVICE
COACH
SERVICE
HAND RAIL PADDING
ACCESSORIES
G Hand Rail Padding G Next Day Delivery G Seat Belt Installations G Double Deckers Seat Belted G Seat Belt Supplies Securon Amsafe/Safetex Fasching ISRI Reflex Schneeweis Orion MCF Fainsa Vogle Keil Politecnica Esteban + many more
The UK’s No1 Seatbelt Installers Call the Experts: 01522 689911 Email: info@bhiuk.com
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Getnoticed! AdvertiseyourProducts &Serviceshereforaslittle as£30.00 aweek! Call Sade Obisesan NOW on 0208 320 1353 or email: sade.obisesan@rouncymedia.co.uk TYRE EQUIPMENT
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Full range of Static, Mechanical and Air Suspension seats available for Coaches, Service Buses, Vans and Trucks
Prices from £150+VAT (No carriage charges)
12 Murray Place, Righead Ind Est, Bellshill ML4 3LP Tel: 01698 845352 • Fax: 01698 844325 Email: TScottco@aol.com
62 | COACH & BUS WEEK | August 31, 2011
Little and large What’s this? Little and large? Yes of sorts. What we believe to be an ex Berlin MAN double-decker operated by Hansabuss was caught on camera by CBW regular contributor John Marsh. “We’ve all heard of route branding - but bus shelters?” remarked John. “The MAN bus
was on the quayside at Tallinn in Estonia in the Baltics. We were on a cruise taking in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallinn, Helsinki and St Petersburg on P&O’s Azura. “There were over 3,000 passengers so it was most fortunate they didn’t all want to take an open top tour of the city. Just think of the options for our bus shelters and the advertising potential for operators if all the shelters had pictures of the full-size bus on them.” John asked: “What would Boris
Seen something funny? Send it to gareth.evans@rouncymedia.co.uk, fax 0845 2802927 or write to: Last Stop, Coach & Bus Week, 3 The Office Village, Cygnet Park, Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX
have done if all the shelters on bendi routes had been twice as long to accommodate picture of the buses?” One thing’s for sure, Boris would doubtless get his wotsits in a twist. We dare say there would not be any flexibility on that issue – indeed, no bending of anything, not even buses... All good fun. On a geeky note, look carefully at the ‘front’ wheels of the bus shelter – a trim of that type cannot be fitted to conventional front wheels as it would not cover the wheel nuts.
Sunday: Spend the morning working on CBW, before enjoying a picknic with my ‘in laws’ and fiancée in the afternoon. My parents are on holiday in Aberaeron. Having visited Strata Florida abbey, mum tells me she’s met the brother and sister behind Lewis Rhyd Lewis. Mum got chatting to them after she asked about taking a photo of their coach for CBW stock. Monday: Press day for issue 1000. Finish in the early hours. Our friendly printers have kindly re-jigged their production schedule to allow us to still meet deadlines. Tuesday: Enjoy a day off in lieu. Being my own worst enemy, don’t have a lie in as such – there are jobs to do in the house. No rest for the wicked eh?!
City sightseeing comes in all shapes and sizes in Tallinn
Bus strop loaner While waiting his turn in his local friendly barbers shop in Peterborough on Saturday morning, our Gareth flicked through the various publications to hand – as you do – among which was ‘The
Dilbert
Sun’ newspaper. Buried on p.38 was the following small story, reproduced here verbatim: “Loner Kiyo Naka, 24, booked every seat on a VIP airport bus in fake names so he could ride solo in Tokyo, Japan.” Yes, that’s right – the story is approximately 23 words long. A Google search failed to yield any answers as to its authenticity. Being
cynical journos here at CBW, it’s easy to jump to several conclusions – but it’s enough to say two things: 1 - the story won’t date any time soon; 2 – it’s certainly short and to the point. On a lighter note, we couldn’t help jumping to the conclusion that Kiyo has some deep-seated personal issues to deal with – get it…?!
Wednesday: James Day makes his editorial team debut. In between everything, I spend a crazy day feature writing. After everyone else has gone home, James Ingrey tells me he wants to leave to pursue a new life in London. He expresses his disappointment at having to leave us just when he’s got to the point of being let loose on operator visits, but says if he doesn’t do it now, he feels he never will. Thursday: Spend the day with Coliseum Coaches and Xelabus. Having enjoyed a good journey down, arrive half an hour early. “Gareth you’re early,” remarks Kerry. I can’t help but chuckle. I explain a catchphrase frequently uttered by my old operations foreman at Tanat Valley was “Gareth you’re late!” Alas, I don’t do the logistics’ concept of JIT (Just In Time) any more – it’s far less stressful to allow more generous schedules. Enjoy another warm welcome with the Blair family. Friday: A hectic day in the office. Interview a potential new recruit.
www.coachandbusweek.com
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RECRUITMENT
New sales manager for Tachodisc Tachodisc has appointed Lee John Slater as sales manager. As an experienced sales and customer relationship manager, Lee will take responsibility for Tachodisc’s existing sales team and key account team, which also includes the company’s customer and technical support division. Lee will also be utilising his IT sales from a former role to expand and develop Tachodisc’s range of analysis software and digital solutions. Lee said: “It is important the reputation Tachodisc enjoys in the marketplace is maintained and my focus will be on ensuring existing and new customers derive the maximum benefits from the portfolio of services and products Tachodisc has to offer.
CoNTaCT Irena Cornwell 01733 293247
irena.cornwell@rouncymedia.co.uk
There are exciting times ahead for Tachodisc, and I am pleased to be involved.” Karen Crispe, Tachodisc’s MD said: “The road transport industry continually sees a raft of legislative changes and with digital tachographs becoming more prevalent and technology becoming more sophisticated; we have to keep evolving to ensure we stay at the forefront. We believe we have found the right individual with the right sales and account manager experience to achieve this.”
Your First Choice for Recruitment
CBW’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.
Lee John Slater joins Tachodisc
CBW and www.coachandbusweek.com combine to create the ultimate recruitment solution, guaranteeing your vacancy is seen by every job seeker that matters from sales agents to board level. To get your vacancy seen by quality candidates, call Irena on 01733 293247 or email irena.cornwell@rouncymedia.co.uk
SUBCONTRACTING The Star Bus Company is looking to work in Partnership with fellow quality contractors to service one or more of our contracts. The value of the work could be substantial and would be for a fixed period. If you wish to register your interest then please email info@starbus.co.uk with the subject heading SUBCONTRACTING. Please include in your email the name of your company, name and contact number of the prime contact for us, type of vehicles you could supply, number of vehicles in your fleet and any other information you wish to include. We will request additional information before awarding any work. We require service providers of passenger assistants, PCO drivers and PCV drivers. Vehicle requirements would be for saloon cars, MPV’s, accessible cars, mini-buses up to 8 seats, mini-buses 9-16 passenger seats, tail-lift mini-buses, accessible welfare buses, service buses/coaches. Executive contractors also sought.
www.coachandbusweek.com
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