17 January 2014

Will we see any of these on Plymouth?

ABERDEEN-based transport giant FirstGroup today announced a massive £70 million order for 425 new fuel efficient vehicles for its bus division in the UK.

First’s order, which includes six electric vehicles, represents the biggest ever investment in new buses in the UK, for services outside London, and brings the company’s total investment in 2,000 new vehicles to around £310million over four years.

All but six of First’s new buses will be manufactured in the UK with Ballymena based Wrightbus winning the largest contract. First has placed an order for 301 Wrightbus vehicles including 274 of its “StreetLite Micro Hybrid” buses, one of the most fuel efficient buses on the market.

A spokesman for the international transport group said: “First and Wrightbus have worked in partnership throughout 2013 to test, trial and develop the Micro Hybrid buses. They are diesel vehicles which incorporate an innovative new on board hybrid system improving fuel efficiency by around ten per cent. FirstGroup will be the first company to operate these new buses.”

Giles Fearnley, managing director of First UK Bus, said: “This is the biggest order on record for services entirely outside London. We operate in 40 of the UK’s largest towns and cities and our investment will help support the communities we serve.

“This order is great news for our customers and underlines our commitment to growing our business and encouraging more people to use our services and use them more often.”

He continued: “Our groundbreaking partnership with Wrightbus will deliver unsurpassed levels of fuel efficiency, which, until recently few within in the bus industry would have believed possible. In 2013 we laid down the gauntlet to bus manufacturers to work with us to minimise fuel consumption.

 “Wrightbus embraced that challenge and together we’ve developed its StreetLite Micro Hybrid product. I am immensely proud of our collective achievements and we’re very much looking forward to being the first operator to take delivery of these revolutionary new vehicles.”

As part of the new order Falkirk based ADL has secured a contract for 97 new vehicles including 60 double-deckers. Leeds company Optare will manufacture 21, including six electric vehicles, and Volvo Group UK will build six coaches."

12 comments:

  1. There are some second-hand B7RLES on the way to First D&C

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    1. Any fleet numbers & from where ? The B7RLE is at least a good quality bus which both passengers & drivers like.

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    2. Four from oldham already operating on the 14/18 and based at Camborne, possibly two more to come.

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  2. "Will we see any of these on Plymouth?" - You have got to be joking. If the company is losing £4m pa (and Plymouth presumably accounts for the bulk of this), brand new buses will be a complete no go.

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  3. Aren't the B7RLEs already here (in Cornwall)? Swapped with slightly newer Darts, so it probably hasn't cost them anything.

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    1. If it is the 56 plate Darts from the 41 Falmouth service they will need a significant internal refurb - they have certainly earned their keep as they are looking somewhat thread bare

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  4. Hopefully not, if need be, transfer in some 10+ year old vehicles to keep the operation going before closure and withdrawal.
    If First are trying to turn themselves around, investment in new vehicles should only go to those companies that are profitable and have a long term future, i.e Aberdeen, Glasgow, Manchester, West/South Yorkshire, South Wales, Bristol/Bath, Southampton/Fareham/Portsmouth, Essex & Slough/Green Line/Airlink.

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    1. If FDC were only mildly loss-making I'd disagree with you. Sometimes you have to take an initial hit before the investment recoups itself and you go into profit. Not investing when the times were less harsh is why FDC is in such a mess now.

      However, given the parlous state of its finances (I'm amazed FDC hasn't closed down already), any significant investment is pouring money down the drain, thus I agree with your synopsis.

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  5. The answer is "of course not!" First think England stops past Bristol! We're forgotten about here!

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  6. Probably the closest they'll get is Bristol,then maybe some of their cast offs might reach FD&C.

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  7. FDC is in such a poor financial state that I can't see how there can be any investment, let alone new buses.

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  8. Depends what the strategy for Plymouth is. Looks like Tavistock aside it's about cheap low cost. That would make some sense as GoAhead is clearly all about expensive fares and epensive buses. If First has decided that there isn't room n the its for two expensive operators, perhaps it has actually decided to try the magic bus cheap and cheerful approach. There are certainly lots of customers out there who would use the cheapest operator of two competitors if the buses appeared to be safe and reliable. As someone else said expect others fully depreciated buses into Plymouth not new ones. There's nothing wrong with a business plan that is about minimal cost and low fares if it works because that is what customers want to choose.

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