Coach & Bus Week : Issue 1097

Wednesday July 24, 2013 Issue 1097 | ÂŁ2.95 www.coachandbusweek.com

COACH:

Hindhead coach crash coroner calls for tyre safety review p8

BIG QUESTION: How important is social media for your business? p16

BUS:

Services in Ireland may be opened up for commercial tender p4

SUPPLIER:

Blackpool-based WJF Technical Support in its tenth year p26

for recruitm

JOB ADVE ent EVERY WERTS EK

More QP talks to start in South Tyneside

RECRUIT N

OW

p6

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this week

Coach & Bus Week, First Floor, 3 The Office Village, Cygnet Park, Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX Switchboard 01733 293240 Fax 0845 280 2927 Web www.coachandbusweek.com Distributed by COMAG

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www.coachandbusweek.com ISSN: 1351-3877 © 2013 Coach and Bus Week Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or system or in any means without the written permission of the directors. This is considered a breach of copyright and action will be taken where this occurs. This magazine must not be lent, sold, hired or otherwise disposed of in a mutilated condition or in any authorised cover by way, or by trade, or annexed to any publication or advertising matter without first obtaining written permission from the directors.

Are you socially awkward?

A

s you’ll read on p16, this week in our ever-popular ‘Big Question’ feature I asked ‘How important is social media for your business?’ As well as contacting a number of individuals directly, I promoted the feature on social media myself, and it was immediately clear many operators take an active interest in the modern promotional platform, with detailed answers arriving within the hour.

It’s fair to say responses were positive all round, but there are still differing views. While some deem social media an excellent tool for promoting last minute tickets and service disruption information, others prioritise the dialogue it provides with customers and are wary of bombarding their followers with deals instead of talking to them.

One thing which has become clear is the speed at which social media followings can be developed with resources devoted to it. Lothian Buses increased its Facebook ‘likes’ almost fivefold in 18 months, while its Twitter following has grown by 60% in the last year. Greys of Ely saw its Facebook page’s reach grow by over 600% in seven months once the operator adjusted its marketing strategy to promote it. There are several examples

of companies who now secure the majority of their business through social media accounts.

It’s no secret that I am quite the technology enthusiast, often more comfortable at a computer desk than on a sofa in front of the TV. The internet is an absolute hive of activity, where there is always something going on and always something you haven’t found yet. I was reminded of this in Sleafordian Coaches’ response, which mentioned the social media management tool Hootsuite. I was an instant convert, and now can have CBW’s Facebook and Twitter feeds open constantly on one side of my monitor, automatically refreshing and requiring nothing more than a nudge every hour to remind it I haven’t left the office.

As a writer and journalist, Twitter is my personal preference. Everything is forced into 140 character limits, keeping it nice and concise and relevant – no ‘walls of text’ or ‘tl;dr’s’ (too long; didn’t read) as we call them online. It’s impossible to miss a thing if you follow the right people, far more effective than any news site in the world.

The odd thing about Twitter? For a social media site it isn’t social at all. Almost 75% of accounts follow less than 50 people and 40% of accounts never tweet.

James Day News Reporter

CONTENTS 4

22

30

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

12

Focus on glazing and entry systems, including repair services and parts

26

Long-serving NCT drivers retire, First Scotland East Superstars

BYD wins Dutch electric bus contract, EC supports fuel cells

16

Management team at WJF Technical Support on engineering matters

28

A lighthearted look at the industry.

Plus Office Diary column

Various firms and figures talk about the importance of social media

One of the new Jonckheere Volvos acquired by Park’s of Hamilton

All the latest people moves from across the industry

News

International News The Big Question

Industry Guide

Supplier Profile Big Picture

Drivers

53

Last Stop

55

People

The opinions and views expressed by authors and contributors within Coach & Bus Week are not necessarily those of the Editor or its publisher Coach and Bus Week Ltd.

Driver CPC Training Fully inclusive. No hidden costs

£60

wts.co.uk www.coachandbusweek.com

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4 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 24, 2013

news

“Twitter encourages us to think about how we feel about an event while actually experiencing it before formulating a pithy comment...”

Ian Jones Backhouse Jones

briefly An arson attack on the premises of Salsburgh, Lanarkshire-based Bruce’s Coaches has destroyed a £500,000 Van Hool TX which was to be the new Glasgow Rangers team bus, along with three other vehicles and much of the operator’s depot. An investigation is ongoing with police treating the blaze as suspicious.

The building was badly damaged by the fire when the roof collapsed, although no members of staff were in the premises at the time.

John Bruce, the firm’s owner, told The Scotsman: “It’s devastating.

The Rangers bus is among four coaches completely destroyed.

Luckily no-one was injured and hopefully the police will get to the bottom of it. The Rangers bus is no longer a coach – it’s just a heap of scrap.” Anyone with information is asked to contact Coatbridge Police Office on 01236 502000 or the police non-emergency number 101.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers where information can be provided anonymously.

Skills Holidays has created a YouTube channel, which can be found at www.skills.co.uk/info/ tv. One of the first films shows 24 hours in the life of the company condensed into two minutes, 42 seconds of footage, filmed through a time lapse camera.

Sightseeing tour operator, Big Bus Tours, has been awarded four TripAdvisor Excellence Awards for its operations in London, Dubai, Philadelphia and Miami. This is the first time the company has been recognised in the annual awards, which are only awarded to the top performing 10% of businesses receiving consistent positive feedback on the consumer site.

Reading Buses is changing the name of its travel centre to Reading Bus Shop and moving into larger premises in the town.

The new unit, which is moving from the kiosk near the escalators to nearby Unit 19B, will not only be called something different – it’s going to look a little different too. The Reading Bus Shop, which officially opens on Monday (July 29), will employ about half a dozen full-time and part-time staff. www.coachandbusweek.com

News4,5.indd 4

The Big Question p16

European Parliament votes to support CV wheel safety Wheel safety issue was raised

by MEP Brian Simpson after MWSD said non-circumferential wheels can half the wheel’s life expectancy The European Parliament (EP) has voted to support the testing of commercial vehicle wheels fitted onto non-standard axles as part of the EU Roadworthiness Package, which includes endorsement from the DfT. The safety issue, which has been led by Motor Wheel Service Distribution (MWSD) and included the company’s MD, John Ellis presenting expert testimony to the Committee on Transport and Tourism, was raised as an amendment by Transport Committee Chairman and North

West MEP, Brian Simpson following the initial report in March.

The legislative text states ‘wheels and hubs are critical safety components and should be totally compatible’ and it covers both roadside technical inspections and periodic vehicle testing.

MWSD has long argued noncircumferential hubs, which give only partial contact between axle and wheel, are causing untested load stresses which cause cracks and half life expectancy of the wheel.

To improve safety, Ellis called for wheels to be identified as safety critical, closer co-operation with OEMs, with all wheels and axles to be tested to European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation standards and all wheels to periodically undergo a 10-point check plan.

Motor Wheel Service Distribution Managing Director John Ellis welcomed the news after campaigning against non-circumferential wheel hubs

Republic of Ireland to see bus privatisation?

Republic of Ireland Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has unveiled plans for an overhaul of public bus services.

While a Government decision has yet to be made, the initiative could lead to 10% of the routes run by Dublin Bus (DB) and Bus Éireann (BÉ) being put out to private tender as early as next year.

A Government source told the Irish Times any tendering would include a ‘balance’ between profitable and unprofitable routes. The objective was to avoid providing an opportunity for private firms to ‘cherry pick’

The next stage is for negotiations to start between the Council, which has not supported the amendment and the EP to finalise the legislative text. Both are co-legislators, meaning they have equal power and will work together to find an agreement. Further details are due towards the end of the year.

Ellis said: “This is hugely welcome news and a significant step forwards in promoting wheel safety and the issues being created by non-circumferential hubs. We were also very pleased to see the DfT support the amendment. We have been working closely with the department since the outset of the campaign in early 2010.

“There is still plenty of work to be done and we will continue to work closely with Brian Simpson, the DfT, Paul Goggins (Labour MP for Wythenshawe & Sale East) and the North West Automotive Alliance, all of whom we thank for their continuing support, in getting tighter regulations ratified.”

Simpson added: “This subject is very close to my heart and I will continue to do all I possibly can to reach an agreement with the Council and see the amendment in law. This change is not designed to place extra financial burden on the CV sector but to create far safer practices for what is a safety critical item.

“The UK Government sits in Council with its 27 counterparts and for this amendment to make it into the final legislative act we need support from Council.” profit-making routes while leaving the public operators with lossincurring routes.

A looming network review by the two state-owned firms comes against the backdrop of financial difficulties. BÉ ran a deficit of €6.2m in 2012, while DB’s deficit stood at €3.8m. The review is a condition of the Dublin Transport Authority Act of 2008, under which DB and BÉ contracted to run routes between 2009 and 2014.

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July 24, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 5

Join the discussion on Twitter by following us at @cbwtweets and find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/coachandbusweek

First shareholders protest at AGM – but UK revenue rising Shareholders in FirstGroup protested at slumping profits, the recent rights issue, and executive pay at last week’s AGM. About a quarter refused to back Chairman Martin Gilbert’s re-election – even though he has already pledged to resign in the wake of the £615m rights issue. Almost 30% voted against the remuneration report.

Despite the scale of the revolt, FirstGroup said AGM had been quiet – it was staged in its home city of Aberdeen. The vote against the remuneration report took place even though CEO Tim O’Toole turned down a £600,000 bonus and froze his £846,000 salary.

In the group’s Interim Management Statement, Mr O’Toole said: “We appreciate this has been a challenging period for shareholders but we now have a stronger base to

EC consults on review of Driver CPC

The Mobility and Transport Department of the European Commission (EC) has opened a 14week consultation with reference to Directive 2003/59/EC regarding Driver CPC. The consultation, which runs until October 25, 2013, invites stakeholders to respond in a full critique, including issues from the harmonisation of content and training processes across member

deliver improved returns.”

On a more positive note, the firm said like-for-like passenger revenue in UK Bus rose 1.4%. It said it was seeing “particularly” positive results from those operations

which are furthest along in its transformation programme. First said it was also “pleased to see strong volume growth” as a result of fares and network changes in areas such as Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Manchester. For the depots which have completed the first stage of the process, lost mileage and vehicle breakdowns have reduced by around a third.

CEO Tim O’Toole has frozen his salary and foregone a £600,000 bonus states, to the inclusion of testing and the distribution of the training across the five-year period.

The EC is also seeking the stakeholders’ views on the main aspects of the directive in order to assess whether any need to be clarified, modified or changed. In addition to the specific questions asked, in the final section of an online questionnaire respondents are invited to voice their views on other relevant aspects not explicitly mentioned.

The three aims of the review, as stated by the EC, are: address difficulties 1 To encountered in processing Driver CPC;

Update legislation referring to the directive; and possible avenues for 3 Explore the evolution of the legislation.

In response the FTA said it believes the review is timely with it being 10 years since the original legislation was introduced by the EC in July 2003, and is pleased to have the opportunity to submit members’ comments.

James Firth, FTA Head of Road Freight and Enforcement Policy said: “We see the Driver CPC as positive for the freight industry, as it encourages and ensures continuous professional development which we see as a cornerstone of any vocational profession.

2

Go-Ahead gains IIP The Go-Ahead Group has achieved the Investor in People (IIP) standard at the first attempt. The standard was awarded after an independent review involving staff based in London and Newcastle.

David Brown, Go-Ahead’s Group CEO said: “I am pleased with this accreditation. Achieving the standard shows the initiatives we have introduced to improve workplace culture, communications and people development are all making a difference.”

Just over 100 people work for Go-Ahead at Group level in a variety of roles. Feedback from the IIP assessor said the Group had a strong team spirit, with individuals trusted and empowered to take responsibility. Communication internally was open and honest and the workforce engaged.

“FTA members think that there is certainly room for improvement to the Driver CPC legislation, which was devised a decade ago and the industry has five years’ experience of it to reflect upon. We do need to be careful, however, not to fall into the trap of looking to the Commission to solve problems through regulation, and thus constraining the flexibilities of responsible operators who are already using Driver CPC to good effect.”

CPT told CBW it “very much welcomes the announcement”

The online questionnaire can be found at http:// tinyurl.com/n4dtjow

Driver CPC Periodic Training

If you would like further information please call 01543 897505 or visit www.lloydmorgangroup.co.uk www.coachandbusweek.com

News4,5.indd 5

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1.11bn

news › BUSeS

The number of active users on Facebook every month

briefly Arriva Buses Wales has been announced as the official sponsor of local team Llandudno Junction Football Club for the 2013/14 season. The sponsorship will enable the club to make a number of much needed improvements to the facilities, including repainting the changing rooms at the Flyover Ground in Arriva’s corporate company colours. Area MD for Arriva Buses Wales, Michael Morton, said: “We are looking forward to working in partnership with the club this year. We are always keen to make a contribution to the local communities in which we operate and we’re pleased Llandudno Junction FC will be able to utilise our sponsorship for the benefit of all involved with the club.”

Network Warrington has started running a summer bus service connecting Warrington to Walton Hall. The X99 will run on Sundays and on August Bank Holiday Monday from July 21 to Sunday, September 8 from the bus station to the gardens. The bus will depart every 30 minutes between 1000hrs and 1130 and then half-hourly between 1300 and 1700. The X99’s route has also been changed for this year, operating via the Crematorium and Walton Lea Road. Walton Hall Gardens was originally part of a much larger country estate purchased in 1812 by the Greenall family, famous for their success in the brewing industry. The estate was bought

by Warrington Borough Council in 1941 and has been enjoyed as a park since 1945. Cllr Linda Dirir, executive board member for transportation, said: “It is with great pleasure that we can announce the re-introduction of the service.”

From July 22 to September 7 First Devon and Cornwall is reducing 10 its FirstDay SouthWest Family ticket to just £10 (normally £18.70). The ticket can be used by up to five people (max two adults) for a day’s unlimited travel on all First buses in Devon and most in Cornwall (not available on the service 300) plus those in Dorset, Somerset, North Somerset and most of Bristol. www.coachandbusweek.com

News6,7.indd 6

Stagecoach and GoAhead in talks with South Tyneside Council The prospect of a new voluntary bus partnership is to be discussed between the operators and the local authority South Tyneside Council is to meet with representatives from Stagecoach and Go-ahead subsidiary Go North East, the area’s two main bus operators, on August 20 to discuss agreeing a new voluntary bus partnership.

Top of the agenda will be discussions on the extension of current bus partnership arrangements in South Shields in advance of a “unified voluntary partnership”.

South Tyneside Council has had separate Voluntary Bus Partnership Agreements with Stagecoach and Go Ahead covering South Shields since summer 2010.

The agreements cover the scope of the bus network, quality standards, bus stop and bus

priority enhancements, marketing, passenger information and infrastructure.

Under the partnership, passengers have benefitted from a stable bus network, extended and enhanced services with improved local community links and fleet improvements representing a £5.5m investment in 37 new vehicles Confirmation of the new partnership talks precedes an important special meeting of the Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Authority this Friday (July 26) at Newcastle Civic Centre.

The meeting will consider options on whether to progress a voluntary partnership agreement with bus operators for the Tyne and Wear region or to launch a consultation on a controversial Quality Contract Scheme.

Bus partnerships have already

Both Go NE Whey Aye Five 0 for service 50 on the left passes a Stagecoach branded Bus to the Beach for the Economic service E1 at the bus stop

Yellow Buses invests £1.1m on Wrightbus StreetLites MD Derek Lott pictured at the launch of the new vehicles

Bournemouth-based Yellow Buses has purchased eight 11.5-metre Wrightbus StreetLite Max single-

been endorsed by the independent, cross-party Transport Select Committee and in a detailed Competition Commission review of the local bus sector.

Tobyn Hughes, Nexus Deputy Director General, said: “Nexus will next week present the work we have done to develop a Quality Contracts Scheme.

“The outcome of negotiations we have held with bus companies to see if the same improvements can be achieved through partnership.

It is then a matter for the ITA to decide what next steps to take.”

Phil Medlicott, Managing Director of Stagecoach North East, said: “We welcome this renewed support for partnership working by South Tyneside Council. These talks bring the opportunity to deliver even better bus services to people in South Shields far more quickly and at lower cost to local taxpayers than an expensive, wasteful and time-consuming bus contracting system.

“We hope other authorities represented on the Tyne and Wear ITA will opt for this constructive partnership approach. Partnerships mean bus improvements can be delivered in months rather than years. Every day the ITA delays accepting bus operators’ proposals means a longer wait for passengers to see further improvements. It will also mean far more money ends up being wasted on consultants and bureaucracy which should be invested right now in improving bus services.” deckers costing £1.1m.

The buses were officially unveiled in The Square, Bournemouth and boast leather seats and wood-effect floors, carry up to 70 passengers and will operate on the firm’s route 2 between Kinson and Bournemouth, linking Castlepoint and the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Yellow Buses has acquired 37

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July 24, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 7

2003 66% The year WJF Technical Services was founded

SHARE WATCH

The year-on-year passenger increase on the New Forest tour

Free fares for children in England unfounded

The Daily Telegraph reported under-16s would be offered free bus travel under plans being drawn up by Nick Clegg to help families.

Senior sources within the LibDems reportedly described the Deputy Prime Minister as being “very keen” on the proposal, which he believed could become a defining policy for the Coalition. However, the proposal has been revealed to be unfounded.

The so-called policy was to be included as part of a family-friendly package of measures from the Coalition government.

Under-16s have been entitled to free bus travel in London since 2005, with those under 11 also able to travel without charge on the Underground. According to the article Mr Clegg wanted the scheme to be extended nationally in place of children paying half fares. It was reported the passes would not be means-tested.

However, Transport Minister Norman Baker told BBC News: “We’re certainly interested as a government in trying to help young people who are facing significant challenges with their transport costs, particularly on buses, and that’s certainly something which Nick [Clegg] is interested in. We’ve had no discussions at all about the idea of giving free travel to under16s. That’s simply not true.”

A spokesman for CPT told CBW: “CPT has been assured by the Department for Transport that the article appearing in Saturday’s (July 20) Daily Telegraph (‘Children go free on buses’) was “without foundation” and “simply wrong”. We have since passed this information on to our members.” new buses in the last five years costing circa £4m and the new vehicles are the latest addition to the firm’s 136-strong fleet which carries over 15m passengers a year.

MD Derek Lott said: “Serving a large number of passengers every day means our vehicles need to offer a high quality standard. I’m confident these new additions will be a big hit with our passengers and drivers alike.”

News6,7.indd 7

Industry share prices at the close of the Stock Exchange on Monday, July 22. Siemens saw the greatest proportional rise, while FirstGroup saw the greatest proportional drop.

Most figures obtained from www.iii.co.uk

429.00p

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95.20p

Isle of Wight operator Southern Vectis has launched four ex-London Plaxton President Volvo B7TLs in special dinosaur liveries to run on its Coaster route as the island prepares for the December launch of Walking With Dinosaurs: The 3D Movie.

Matt Kitchin, General Manager of Southern Vectis, took a new liveried bus to one of six new ‘Meteorites’ on the trail full of dinosaur and movie information. By downloading a free smart-phone app with iTunes or Google Play, visitors can be photographed with an animated dinosaur based on those found in that area millions of years ago.

“It looked like our bus was being chased by a dinosaur,” said Matt.

“We are delighted to support the campaign devised by Visit Isle of Wight by promoting the film and the related tourist attractions which will become even more popular as a destination once the film is released.”

The Coaster route, which runs daily, travels from Ryde to Yarmouth along the island’s beautiful south coast calling at attractions on route including Isle of Wight Zoo, Dinosaur Isle, Blackgang Chine, Isle of Wight Pearl and The Needles Park with four return journeys per day.

Passenger growth for NCT Nottingham City Transport (NCT) has reported an 11th successive year of passenger growth. The announcement comes after the DfT revealed bus usage in England (outside London) fell by 2.5% in the year 2012/13.

NCT calculates passenger usage at 51.9m in financial year 2012 / 13 – an increase of 0.5% on the year before, with the number of paying customers up by 3.1%.

Marketing Manager, Anthony Carver-Smith said: “Firstly, we are dedicated to investing in new buses.

We’ve purchased 22 new buses in the last 12 months, with 63 more due this year. It is hugely important our passengers recognise that, with NCT, they can travel in and around the city comfortably, reliably and accessibly, with as little environmental impact as possible.”

NCT is set to receive 73 new

buses in 2013/14, resulting in 20 routes being upgraded and improved.

“We’ve increased frequencies on many of our core routes around the city and further frequency improvements take place in September. With real-time tracking technology on our vehicles, partnered with the local authorities electronic bus stop displays and extensive use of our website and social media channels, customers now feel more and more confident about when their bus will arrive,” added Anthony.

“We are already seeing good passenger figures for the first quarter of 2013/14, so investments and improvements, with minimal impact on passengers’ pockets will continue to be our strategy going forward. Experiencing an 11th successive year of growth – particularly during a period when the national picture sees usage on the downturn – firmly places Nottingham on the map in terms of quality public transport, and we’re keen to fly the flag for the city in the future.”

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FTSE 100

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www.coachandbusweek.com

22/07/2013 16:56

8 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 24, 2013

news › coaches

briefly Last Monday (July 15), the Highways Agency started work on improving the capacity of J21 of the M1 (Leicester). The work involves widening the M1 southbound exit slip road, the eastside of the circulatory and the entrance to the M69 from island.

To ensure completion as quickly as possible, the project is taking place during the day and at night for 19 weeks. During the work, various sections of the junction will be shut either during the night or as part of a full weekend closure.

Two major road schemes to upgrade key junctions on important coaching routes in the Midlands were given the go-ahead on July 18, 2013 by the Roads Minister Stephen Hammond, after successfully completing the final stages of the planning process. The improvements focus on notorious M1 junction 19 (A14/ M6) Catthorpe interchange near Rugby and A45 and A46 Tollbar End junction near Coventry and will provide free-flow links for the major turning movements at Junction 19, while retaining the M1 on its current alignment allowing free-flow traffic to pass between the M6 and A14. It will also include a three-level interchange involving the construction of six new bridges and the demolition of two existing bridges. Improvements to Tollbar End junction make for welcome news for coaches heading to Stratford upon Avon.

Overnight resurfacing work is set to take place on the M42 near Tamworth between J9 and 10 from Saturday (July 27) for 10 weeks between 2000 and 0600hrs.

Diversions are due to be in place for the duration of the work.

Northbound traffic will be diverted off the motorway at J9 onto the A446 northbound and eventually rejoin the A5 to J10 of the M42. The southbound diversion is the same route but in reverse.

The M6 southbound closes overnight between J7 (Great Barr) and 6 (A38M Birmingham city centre) from Friday (July 26) to Sunday (July 28) between 2200 and 0800hrs. It forms part of the managed motorways upgrade. www.coachandbusweek.com

News8,9.indd 8

Coach crash inquest raises questions over tyre safety The driver and two passengers were killed when the Merseypride-operated vehicle crashed following a tyre blowout last September Inquests into victims of the Hindhead coach crash have returned a verdict of accidental death, prompting scrutiny over the current legislation regarding the age of PCV tyres.

Last September a 52-seater EOS coach, operated by Liverpoolbased Merseypride Travel, crashed at 2350hrs as it travelled to Merseyside from the Bestival music festival on the Isle of Wight.

The nearside front tyre, which was found to be 19 years old, suffered a blowout causing the coach to mount the bank next to the A3 and smash into nearby trees.

Driver Colin Daulby, 63, and passengers Kerry Ogden, 23, and Michael Molloy, 18, were killed.

Tyre expert David Price, who was asked by Surrey Police to compile a report after the incident, said several of the six tyres on the coach were old, and described the one which burst as “abnormally old”.

One dated to 2001 while the spare was 14 years old. Mr Price said the tyre had been falling apart

internally for months and it was only half worn, so had either been a spare or in storage for a lengthy period.

“If you burst a tyre you get a noise,” said Mr Price. “It doesn’t tend to be a massive noise, but you certainly do hear it. It seems probable the burst had happened and caused the coach to mount the nearby verge. The driver is likely to have had very little advance warning apart from severe vibrations to the tyre.”

At the inquest conducted in Woking on July 16, Coroner Richard Travers said he could find no other cause for the coach veering off the road other than the tyre blowout.

After recording his verdict Mr Travers said: “I formally announce I will be writing a rule-43 report to draw attention to the Transport Minister of the dangers caused by the fact that vehicles, be they private, commercial or public are legally able to drive on tyres without restriction on age and by reason of age are potentially in a perilous condition which there is no realistic means of detecting.”

The inquest heard from PC Dominic Gibson, of Surrey Police’s collision investigation unit.

Mr Travers asked him why witnesses had not seen brake

The Sunsundegui SC7-bodied Volvo B11R at last year’s Euro Bus Expo

lights on the coach prior to the crash, which caused “catastrophic damage” to the nearside front end as it was crushed back by about three metres into the main body.

PC Gibson said the lack of brake lights could have been due to a number of issues. He explained that in a scenario where the coach was most likely travelling at 28 metres per second, Mr Daulby would have had less than three seconds to react after the tyre blowout before the vehicle hit the trees.

He suggested that a “professional driver” may have thought it best not to suddenly apply the brakes “because it is going to add more weight to the damaged wheel”.

“He would try to keep the coach going in a straight line or try gradual braking,” added PC Gibson.

Mr Daulby was described as a safe and considerate driver who loved his part-time job with the firm. Tests showed he had not consumed alcohol or drugs.

Surrey Police said Merseypride was due to appear at Guildford Magistrates’ Court on August 12 charged with using a defective tyre on the coach and carrying an extra person. The charge refers to a different tyre from the one which caused the crash.

Sunsundegui body option popular with Volvo customers

The Sunsundegui body option is proving a popular selection for Volvo Bus coach customers in 2013.

Volvo Bus UK began its partnership with Sunsundegui in 1999 with the Sideral body and the partnership between the two companies now extends across several European Markets.

22/07/2013 16:18

July 24, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 9

“We’re currently enjoying strong trading, with new business coming in. We’re also receiving enquiries from overseas, which adds to an already exciting time.”

Tim Freshney WJF

Supplier Profile p26

Forum to discuss EU coach group tourism

Administration Manager Hannah Grayson, Private Groups Manager Olga Ruebenbauer, Sales and Marketing Manager Carly Eden, Reservations Manager Nicola Begbie

Anderson Travel celebrates women in the coach sector As part of its 25th anniversary celebrations, Anderson Travel has treated its female employees to a makeover day at a top venue in Covent Garden.

The coach firm supports and encourages female professionals in a sector which is typically deemed to be male dominated. To mark the increasing role ladiess are

playing in the industry, the four women were offered a day out of their choice. They chose a day of pampering, having their hair and makeup done followed by a photo shoot.

Director of Anderson Travel Mark Anderson said: “In an industry with few women and some old habits, Anderson Travel has always tried to attract female talent as it’s important to have a balance in personnel.

We are passionate about the coach industry – it’s an attractive career choice for women and it’s important they are encouraged to participate in a traditionally male orientated trade. A ‘Women in Rail’ scheme was recently launched in the rail industry and a similar

group would be of benefit to the coach sector.

“The industry isn’t the most glamorous so to thank them for their continued hard work as we enjoy our 25th year of business, they indulged in something they enjoy – not a drab polyester suit in sight.”

Sales & Marketing Manager Carly Eden who took part in the pamper day said: “As much as we all love our jobs, it was great to spend time leisurely getting glammed up and having our photo taken. As you can imagine, it was far removed from our usual day at work. I am proud to be one of the females working within the sector and would fully encourage other women to get involved.”

Three Star Coaches, Cropley Coaches and KB Coaches are all recent recipients of Volvo vehicles with Sunsundegui bodywork.

Omega Coaches has also taken delivery of a new B11R with the stunning SC7 bodywork.

Coach Sales Manager James Hyde said: “We’ve seen a lot of interest in this vehicle combination from many of our key operators – they are impressed with the eye catching and aerodynamic design.

“However, I have to stress it is not just the new SC7 option which operators are buying. We’ve had a long relationship with Sunsundegui and people know the combination so are always keen to choose it, whether they are purchasing a

compact B7R, a mid-range B9R or the larger B11R.” Euro Bus Expo 2012 saw the launch of Volvo’s 13-metre B11R chassis, which amongst other body options, supports the new Sunsundegui SC7 bodywork.

SC7 combines aesthetic and ergonomic design elements with the latest safety features for both passengers and driver.

Its aerodynamic shape and the fairing of the air conditioning unit provide added benefits, such as reduced fuel consumption for the vehicle as a whole. This has been proven in service with excellent fuel consumption results over different operations.

Volvo Bus is working in

partnership with Sunsundegui for the development of the Euro 6 chassis B11R 4x2, 6x2 and B8R on the SC7 range.

In addition, Volvo Bus importer, Mayer´s Cars & Trucks placed an order to build 90 coaches SC7 on B11R 4x2 for use in Israel. The deliveries are expected from June 2013 to April 2014.

Volvo Bus MD, Nick Page said: “We work with a number of key bodybuilders across our vehicle range and the Sunsundegui has always been popular with our customers. The partnership has been successful right across Europe and we’re no different here in the UK and Ireland, as recent orders have highlighted.”

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The eighth European Bus and Coach Forum, organised by the International Road Transport Union (IRU), in co-operation with the International Social Tourism Organisation (ISTO), the European Tour Operators’ Association (ETOA) and the Belgian Federation of Bus and Coach operators (FBAA) takes place this year on October 17 within the framework of the largest dedicated global coach and bus trade show, Busworld Kortrijk.

Organised into two panels, the forum debate will focus on the senior and off-season market potential and opportunities, as well as on practical challenges and the means to bringing more customers on board coaches.

Some 250 representatives of the tourism and travel industry, MEPs, national competent authorities, European Commission officials, bus and coach manufacturers, researchers, and specialised journalists from all over the world are expected to join the debate.

Yves Mannaerts, President of the IRU Passenger Transport Council and FBAA Director, said: “Seniors and off-season tourism are crucial market segments, fully acknowledged by the European bus and coach tourism sector. We are already providing inclusive mobility services to these customers, but more must be done to realise our full potential.”

“The efforts of the European Parliament and Commission to further enhance senior citizens’ possibilities to travel in Europe off-season are of course welcome.

Yet, it is imperative the specific requirements of the bus and coach sector at European, national and local levels, as laid out by the Smart Move High Level Group, are taken into account to ensure enhanced senior citizens travel contributes to the joint objective of doubling the use of buses and coaches by 2025.”

On this occasion, winners of the Bus and Coach Smart Awards will be announced at the opening ceremony of Busworld Kortrijk.

This year’s awards have attracted entries from 13 different countries on three continents.

www.coachandbusweek.com

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10 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 24, 2013

news

TfL recognises outstanding staff at London Bus Awards The seven awards covered were presented to staff at Arriva, CT Plus, Stagecoach, Metroline and Go-Ahead, with the TfL Olympic transport team also recognised Outstanding customer service and actions above and beyond the call of duty were celebrated at the London Bus Awards on Wednesday, July 17.

The awards honour London bus staff who display an outstanding commitment and professionalism.

There were seven awards presented, including to a bus driver from Barking who helped a baby who had stopped breathing, a team who provide exceptional engineering performance and the team from TfL who helped keep buses moving during the Games.

Leon Daniels, TfL’s Managing Director of Surface Transport said: “The London Bus Awards are very special to me as they acknowledge the incredible and often unsung hard work of the thousands of bus drivers and support staff who help keep London moving. London Buses is carrying record numbers of passengers and our staff provide a fabulous service - these awards are celebrating this. This is our way of thanking the drivers and other staff who go above and beyond the call of duty and show true dedication and commitment to their passengers.”

The winners of this year’s London Bus Awards are: n Steve Sobers, Arriva (Barking): Actions above and beyond the call of duty. Steve was driving his route 491 to North Middlesex Hospital when he noticed a young mother clearly in distress with a young baby in her arms standing outside the medical health centre. Clearly worried, but unsure what was wrong, Steve stopped his bus to see if could help to find the baby had stopped breathing. Quick thinking Steve began administering mouth to mouth to the baby while kicking on the door of the health centre to raise the alarm. Mother and baby are now both well. n Jade Sanfelix, CT Plus (Ash Grove): Big Red Book Award for outstanding customer service.

Jade’s approach to customer www.coachandbusweek.com

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Above left: Steve Sober. Centre: Jade Sanfelix. Right: Nadia Nobrega Below: Leon Daniels, TfL MD for Surface Transport with Tony Akers and Val Shawcross, Chair of the Transport Committee at the London Assembly~

service as a driver on route 153 was labelled as both genuinely inspiring and representing the very best in her industry. Jade was praised for working hard to offer a warm and cheery welcome to put passengers at ease. Jade explained: “If you can give great customer service, then you can really change people’s minds about public transport.” n Barking Garage, Stagecoach: Best Vehicle Care. The team at Barking Garage were awarded for their focus on driving up performance using simple and effective measures, including solid engineering principles and a passion for service delivery. These factors and a spirit to win have seen a significant improvement in engineering performance over the past two years. By improving inspection standards and performing rigorous audits there has been an annual reduction in lost mileage of around 23% and a reduction in vehicle breakdowns of around 13%. These tighter controls also ensured that the garage had 24

months of a perfect pass rate for vehicle MOTs and clear spot checks made by VOSA. n Bus Operations, TfL Games Time Boarding Team: On the road support for TfL staff. During the London 2012 Games there were a number of events which took place on roads which impacted the bus network to ensure the smooth running of the network, diversions and curtailments were carefully planned. The winning team’s role was imperative as they worked on the ground preparing, erecting and removing diversion boards across London. Their efforts ensured the best possible support to drivers and officials and helped keep London’s buses moving.

The team was co-ordinated by Peter Skilton, with Gary Cooper, Derek Roberts and Glenn Michaels. n Euphema Wallace, Metroline (Cricklewood): Big Red Book award for an Accessibility Champion: Euphema was praised for always being courteous and conscientious with a willingness to help. Due

to this professionalism and exceptional levels of customer care shown for her passengers, Euphema was selected prior to the London 2012 Games to be a vehicle instructor and to train her colleagues in the different types of vehicle. Developing best practices on ways to help elderly or disabled passengers, Euphema became a focal point for advice from her colleagues during the Games. n Nadia Nobrega, Go Ahead (Stockwell): Outstanding Newcomer. When Nadia joined GoAhead she had limited knowledge of the transport industry, having previously been employed as a Legal Secretary and a personal assistant. Nadia recieved the award after embracing her work and showing a natural flair for providing excellent customer service and a smile for her passengers every day. Nadia received compliments from members of the public commenting on her warm smile and patience, with independent assessments

by TfL rating her driving as comfortable and smooth. n Catford Garage Green Team, Stagecoach: Environmental Champion. When Engineering Director Darren Roe arrived in 2010 he was determined to increase awareness of environmental issues and established ‘Green Teams’ at nine Stagecoach garages, one of which was at Catford. Some changes were major, such as lighting and heating systems, but some were introduced at a local level, such as improved recycling of waste and tackling noise pollution. Darren signed up to The Big Switch Off initiative for Christmas and New Year in 2011 where all non essential electrical equipment was turned off for the period. He introduced it again during the weekend of the Queen’s Jubilee Weekend celebrations in 2012 and the result at Catford was remarkable, with a 25% reduction in electrical consumption. The team was presented with a financial reward, which they donated to charity. This work at Catford has led to the initiatives being rolled out to the whole of Stagecoach UK.

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July 24, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 11

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12 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 24, 2013

news › international

BYD wins Schipol Airport contract for 35 ebus Electric buses to replace ageing fleet of specialist vehicles by July 2014 NETHERLANDS BYD is to supply a new fleet of 35 electric buses to transfer passengers between the terminals and aircraft at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. The emissionfree BYD ebus models, due to enter service in July 2014, replace an ageing fleet of specialised dieselpowered buses.

The SUBSS Project (SUstainable BusSystem Schiphol) aims to provide a new generation of emission-free at the point of use

Solaris diesel order & electric trial

AUSTRIA A Solaris Urbino 8.9 LE electric bus has entered service in the city of Klagenfurt. Municipallyowned Stadtwerke Klagenfurt purchased the vehicle as a part of a European Union project called Cemobil. Solaris electric bus performance will be evaluated both by the operator and the manufacturer’s R&D department.

The bus is being trialled on the route which runs from the city centre, through the main railway station to the university campus on the outskirts of the city.

On the basis of the results, Stadtwerke Klagenfurt will decide whether to acquire further examples.

The batteries power both the drive system and the airconditioning, heating, power steering and electric door control.

The Polish manufacturer said that for the first time, CO2 airconditioning system with a built-in heat exchanger has been installed.

In a separate development, Solaris has announced it has won an order for 43 Urbino 12 buses to Austrian national bus operator ÖBB Postbus.

Due to be delivered over the course of the next four years, the deal forms part of the stateowned operator’s fleet renewal programme. In the next five years www.coachandbusweek.com

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airside transfer vehicles which will enhance the airport’s image, reduce bus maintenance and management costs and improve air quality by reducing the emission of CO2 and NOx. The order was won through competitive tender against four other established suppliers.

The BYD ebus has completed more than 17m kilometres in passenger carrying services and continues to be evaluated in trials in major cities across Europe. The company’s European headquarters is located in Rotterdam and claims to be rolling out a wide range of pure electric vehicles, including

buses and taxis, as part of its Green City Solutions programme. All these vehicles are using the company’s advanced and environmentally friendly iron-phosphate Fe batteries for their power.

The motivation behind the Schiphol SUBSS project is complex. Some of the current buses are approaching the end of their technical service life, mainly because of wear and tear of their fossil fuel engines which rarely reach optimal operating temperatures on short journeys from terminal to aircraft. This results in higher maintenance costs

Above: A Solaris bus in the West Austrian town of Dornbirn. Below: The electric Urbino in Klagenfurt, complete with its ‘green’ branding

ÖBB Postbus is going to order up to 700 urban and interurban buses.

The relationship between ÖBB Postbus and Solaris began in 2009 with the order of 14 Urbino 10 midibuses. To date, Solaris vehicles are run by over 20 Austrian

operators in such diverse locations as Vienna, Salzburg and the popular Alpine resort of Mayrhofen.

For more details about the EU Cemobil project, visit www.cemobil.at

and poor emissions performance.

The current buses have also proved to be too big at 14m long and 2.7m wide for the Schiphol airside infrastructure, resulting in regular accidental damage.

The ebus is 12m long and built as an electric bus from its conception - it is not a converted bus from designed for a conventional power unit. BYD says this ensures appropriate weight distribution, through smart utilisation of the battery weight which results in good driveability and handling.

The ebus also has a well-developed system of energy recovery, which allows the batteries to be recharged during braking. The ebus can be driven for 250km in heavy city traffic on a single full charge, the Chinese manufacturer claims. A recent test journey in Poland saw ebus achieve 310km using only 69% of its stored battery energy.

EC pledges €1.4bn support for fuel cells

EUROPE The European Commission (EC) and industry bodies are to invest more than €22bn over the next seven years in innovation for various industry sectors.

For the area of the scheme involving transport, the EC has proposed to renew and strengthen the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH) Joint Undertaking. The FCH 2 Joint Undertaking creates the basis for a renewed public-private partnership aimed at expanding the use of clean and efficient technologies.

It aims move the sector forward with a budget of €1.4bn until 2020, equally shared by the European private sector and EU. Màire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, said: “Thanks to the current FCH partnership, there are hydrogenpowered, pollution-free buses in five cities across Europe. However, much research and development is needed to make FCH technology widespread and for clean energy production and storage to become commercially attractive.”

Visit the FCH website at www.fch-ju.eu

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news › REGIONAL

SCOTLAND

Over the past four weekends, NatEx Dundee has carried almost a fifth more passengers on its route 5, which runs between the city centre, the West End and Broughty Ferry, than in 2012.

The figures show 18.7% more people using service at the end of June and beginning of July, than the same time last year – which equates to just over 20,000 passengers.

Phil Smith, MD of NX Dundee said: “It’s a welcome side-effect of the warm weather. We’re very lucky in this city to have easy access to such a large, clean beach as the one at Broughty Ferry and it’s well served by our service 5, as well as the new Outer Circle services. An almost 20% increase in passengers is a remarkable rise.”

KEY

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

WALES

First Cymru bus services in and around Llanelli changed on Sunday (July 21) in a bid to simplify routes in and around the town and make service numbers easier to remember. The firm said it is hoped the changes will also lead to reliability and punctuality improvements.

Owen Williams, First Cymru’s Area Business Manager said: “We now have five Llanelli town services which are numbered from one to five to make it really simple. As an example of one of the many positive things happening, passengers have been asking for a long time to create better links to and from Parc Trostre and so in changing route L4 and 111, we have made this possible. We have produced a new guide for Llanelli, which incorporates a map and clear descriptions showing which route now goes where. These are available to pick up from Llanelli depot, from drivers and from Swansea bus station.”

EAST

Six attractions have jumped on board with konectbus’ route 2 buses between Norwich and the North Norfolk coast.

The Go-Ahead Group-owned operator launched the service last November, which links Sheringham and Cromer direct with Norwich city centre, and has since extended to Holt due its popularity.

The service is being marketed as the ‘Seaside Special’, highlighting the £4-off voucher available to bus passengers for a Cromer theatre production of the same name. www.coachandbusweek.com

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Other venues along the route offering voucher incentives include Alby Crafts and Gardens, The Old Rock Shop Bistro and Bolton’s Bistro at Cromer, the Priory Maze and Gardens at Beeston Regis, and Sheringham Little Theatre.

The offers, which run until the end of the year, are geared to encourage more bus passengers from the Norwich area to explore the delights of North Norfolk.

Julian Patterson, Managing Director of konectbus told CBW: “We’re really excited about this opportunity which gives people yet another reason to travel by bus, helping to reduce congestion and pollution across Norfolk, in addition to helping the local economy.”

Passengers get their discounts, from cheaper show tickets to free coffees, by presenting vouchers on a leaflet in the service timetable.

Municipally-owned Ipswich Buses (IB) has won back the contract to run park-andride services in the town from November 2.

The firm ran the P&R contract when the first site at Copdock Mill was opened in 1997. However, in 2008 FirstGroup won on a five-year contract. There are now two sites, at Copdock Mill and Martlesham, after the Bury Road centre closed in early 2011.

Suffolk County Council said the tenders were evaluated on the basis of both quality and price.

IB has promised a wide range of

improvements and ideas which the authority described as “both innovative and financially viable”.

The new contract will provide branded buses, staffed sites and cross-town services between the P&R sites – all of which were important to users according to recent survey work. Improvements will include CCTV and next stop announcements, the introduction of group rates and improved integration with other IB services.

SOUTH EAST

The New Forest Tour (NFT) has seen its most successful start to the summer season yet with a big rise in passenger numbers – according to the National Park Authority.

In its first 11 days of the season, 2,806 passenger journeys were made on the red, green and blue routes compared to 1,695 in the same period last year – a year-onyear increase of 66%.

After several days of sunny weather, the new blue route is now the most popular of the three, exploring the coast at Keyhaven, Milford on Sea and Barton on Sea, as well as holiday parks, campsites and attractions such as New Forest Cider at Burley.

The NFT is run by Go South Coast in partnership with the New Forest National Park Authority. It has grown in popularity, starting with 9,000 passenger journeys in 2007 and rising to nearly 34,000

passenger journeys in 2012.

A new timetable for the blue route began on July 14 to improve reliability and offer passengers more time to enjoy the natural scenery. It can be viewed online at www.thenewforesttour.info where visitors can also enjoy a 10% discount if they pre-book. All routes run hourly each day until September 15.

The red and green routes of the NFT are run commercially, but the blue bus is supported by part of a £3.8m DfT fund to encourage 370,000 car-free journeys in the New Forest and South Downs National Parks by March 2015.

The NFT is also supported by Hampshire County Council.

With changes made by larger bus companies in network savings there will always be opportunities for the smaller operators to provide the missing links and in Southampton where First Bus is pulling out of a number of locations and removing cross city links, Xelabus of Eastleigh has identified a growing need to cater for the market of college students.

Richard Taunton Sixth Form College in Hill Lane, Southampton, is now working with Xelabus to reinstate and improve transport links for students. A new dedicated transport network will operate from September. Three new services will cater for students travelling from Hamble, Woolston, Bitterne and Portswood, from the Waterside area and from Lordshill, Millbrook and Shirley.

Philip Blair, MD of Xelabus said: “Students have been ignored as part of the changes introduced in Southampton in June. First appears to be unconcerned by the difficulties the changes will have on their journeys to college. It’s time to help this group and we have identified a new network, will be carrying out a marketing exercise at fresher’s events, having a branded bus for the college, as well as students being able to download an app to their smartphones to be kept informed of bus services and offers which Xelabus is providing.”

SOUTH WEST

A new bridge is to be built in Bristol city centre as a result of changes to the proposed MetroBus route. The structure will run alongside the existing bridge which takes Commercial Road over the Bathurst Basin at the eastern end of Cumberland Road, opposite

22/07/2013 16:20

Coach & Bus Week takes a look at the big issues where you live in our round-up of the regions. If you’ve got a local issue you’d like us to cover, contact James Day on james. day@coachandbusweek.com. the Louisiana pub.

Elected Mayor George Ferguson decided to change the planned bus route, moving it away from the Harbourside. The MetroBus, which was originally called the Bus Rapid Transit system, was criticised by campaigners because it was due to run in front of the historic M shed museum and destroy the Bristol Harbour Railway.

Mr Ferguson backed the campaigners and opted to move the controversial stretch of the route on to Cumberland Road – according to the Bristol Evening Post. There have also been alterations to the North Fringe route.

The changes to the Ashton Vale to Bristol city centre section include that the route no longer crosses Prince Street Bridge or passes through the Harbourside. The proposed new route runs along Cumberland Road, Commercial Road and Redcliff Hill. A new signalled junction is planned for the Avon Crescent junction to accommodate inbound and outbound buses using Cumberland

Road. New bus lanes and road widening are also proposed at various points along the revised route. These would result in some loss of parking, and changes to a short section of cycle lane near Gaol Ferry Bridge.

Changes to the North Fringe to Hengrove Package include the fact the route will no longer use Lombard Street or Prince Street Bridge and does not require construction of a new bridge across the Avon New Cut. The proposed new route runs along Bedminster Parade, Bedminster Bridge and Redcliff Hill to Redcliffe Roundabout. New bus lanes and road widening are proposed at points along the revised route.

Separate planning applications for each scheme are due to be submitted later this year and public consultations are currently being carried out on the changes. The consultation process will run until August 14. View the proposals and submit your comments online at the special www.travelwest.info/ metrobus website.

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

The popular EYMS Big Bus Day family charity event will take place on August 31 this year. A number of heritage buses are due to attend

2013 n August 3 Imberbus. Vintage bus service to abandoned settlements on Salisbury Plain, 10–1800hrs.

www.warminstervbrd.wordpress. com/imberbus/

n August 10 Metroline’s Holloway Garage Open Day

www.metroline.co.uk

n August 24 Inglebrough Classic & Vintage Vehicle Gathering.

Bibbys Coaches depot, North Yorkshire. 10-1700hrs. For details, call 015242 41330 n August 26 The Big Operating Day and Blue & Cream Celebration. Celebrating the centenary of Birmingham’s first blue & cream buses. The Transport Museum Wythall. 01564 826471. www.wythall.org.uk n August 31 EYMS Big Bus Day. Streetlife Museum of Transport, Hull. www.eyms.co.uk

Leeds North East MP Fabian Hamilton dropped in to First’s Bramley depot to meet pupils from Roundhay High School and bus staff taking part in a project called ‘Making The Grade Mentoring Programme’.

First West Yorkshire (FWY) has signed up to take part in a three-year mentoring programme with the school. Around 20 members of FWY staff, at all levels, are involved in the scheme, which involves visiting the school once a month to pass on life skills to a group of year 8 and 9 pupils.

The site visit was the final session this term. Pupils were treated to a tour of the depot, which included a quick trip on a route 72 Streetcar.

Mr Hamilton said: “This is an excellent community based project and First and Roundhay School should be proud of the great strides they have made working together to benefit the pupils.”

Brandon Jones, Head of Communications for First and one of the members of staff taking part in the mentoring project said: “Those staff taking part benefit from meeting enthusiastic young people and if we can give them life skills advice in return then it is a fair deal for all.”

The scheme has been created by Ahead Partnership, a social enterprise which works with the public and private sectors to foster social and economic regeneration, and provides coaching and support to the pupils taking part to better prepare them for the world of work.

n September 7-8 Bus Driver of the Year Final. Blackpool. Call 01303 251462. www.bdoy.co.uk n September 8 Bus & Coach Wales 2013. Rhyd y Car Leisure Centre, Merthyr Tydfil

n September 21-22 Metrobus 30th anniversary depot open days. Orpington, Croydon & Crawley. www.metrobus.co.uk/ metrobus30 n September 22 Showbus 2013.

Long Marston Airfield, Warwickshire. www.showbus.com n October 2-3 Coach & Bus Live 2013. NEC, Birmingham. www. coachandbuslive.com n October 20 Oxford Bus Museum Bus & Coach Vehicle Rally. 01993 883 617. www.oxfordbusmuseum. org.uk n October 23-24 Young Bus Managers Network Conference. Manchester. www. youngbusmanagers.org.uk n October 27 Swansea Bus Museum Running Day. 07877 771 878. www.swanseabusmuseum.com n November 19 UK Bus Awards.

London Hilton Hotel Park Lane. www.ukbusawards.org.uk n November 27 ATCO Winter Conference & AGM. Local Government House, Smith Square, London. www.atco.org.uk

2014

n September 9-10 CPT Scotland Annual Conference. Crieff Hydro Hotel, Perthshire. Visit www.cpt-uk. org or call CPT Scotland on 0131 272 215

n March 18-19 Young Bus Managers Network Conference.

Reading. www.youngbusmanagers. org.uk

n September 10 Association of Trainers AGM. 1400hrs, Wembley.

For details call 01797 344251.

n May 12-14 ALBUM Conference.

Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh. www.album-bus.co.uk

n September 11 IRTE Conference 2013. Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon. 01322 221144. www.irteconference.co.uk

Send your event details to gareth.evans@ coachandbusweek.com www.coachandbusweek.com

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THE BIG QUESTION › social media

The value of social media James Day asks various operators, suppliers and individuals from across the coach & bus industry for their viewpoint on the importance of social media for their businesses

S

ocial media continues to be an important part of modern society.

Facebook is as strong as ever, with 1.11 billion users each month as of March 31, 2013, up 23% on March 2012. Twitter’s growth is even more explosive, rising from 140 million to 200 million active users between May and December 2012, and looking set to break the 300 million mark in the near future. It’s worth noting that a number of responses to this feature came in as a direct result of CBW promoting it on Facebook and Twitter.

Other social media platforms are also going strong, although their success is slightly more ambiguous.

LinkedIn breached 200 million members in January, although it refuses to release figures on active users. Google+ has claimed the second place spot, with almost 360 million active users, but this fails to account for many of its members being automatically signed up through Google’s wider network, including active YouTube and Googlemail accounts which do not necessarily make use of the social network. Other networks like Pinterest and Instagram are also growing.

Social media is becoming so prevalent now that online tools have been built just to manage it. Hootsuite, for example, allows you to have multiple social media streams on the same page, allowing easy monitoring and managing

www.coachandbusweek.com

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across several social media platforms.

But even with these massive figures behind it, just how useful is Social Media to our industry? Coach & Bus Week has asked a number of operators and suppliers the following question: ‘How important is social media for your business?’

Ian Jones Backhouse Jones The Holiday season is upon us and do you, like me, remember with a shudder being forced to watch slides of family holidays projected onto a big screen in the living room like a home cinema? “This is Aunty Linda getting on a camel and this is Aunty Linda getting off a camel”. Now ask yourself is posting photographs on Twitter just a more immediate experience? I have already received photographs of my friend’s children splashing in the surf in Spain and they have only been away 24 hours.

Modern social media allows the real-time sharing of events and it could be argued enhances them.

The great Alan Whicker died this month and he said of himself that he had such an innate curiosity he was the only person he knew who was “actually interested in other people’s holiday photographs”.

I, for one, would absolutely have followed Alan Whicker on Twitter had it been available when he was travelling the world if only to bring some colour to a day that had teetered in the mundane. Like

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Lothian Buses’ social media-liveried bus, which is used to promote the operator’s Facebook & Twitter accounts

www.coachandbusweek.com

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THE BIG QUESTION › social media

Social Media: helpful links and pages

Social media sites provide plenty of help on how to use them effectively as a business. Here are some useful links to take a look at, whether you are thinking about establishing an account or looking into how to improve your use of social media.

For Twitter: https://business.twitter. com – some information on effective use of Twitter as a business and advertising through it; @twitter – the social media giant’s flagship account.

Other accounts to consider following include @twittereng (engineering), @twitterads (advertising), @twitterapi (for Twitter API updates) and @dickc (Twitter CEO); For Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ business – a useful link for those starting a business page on Facebook. See also https://www. facebook.com/business/starterkit; https://www.facebook. com/FacebookMarketingUK – Facebook’s dedicated page for Marketing updates.

For other sites: http://tinyurl.com/o69e9tl – Information on establishing a company page on LinkedIn http://www.youtube.com/ yt/creators – Information on creating a successful YouTube channel www.hootsuite.com – a tool for managing multiple social media accounts

“It’s a great tool for front line customer services as a whole, responding to feedback, answering queries etc.”

Rachel Jones Door2Tour

“25% of Ford’s marketing spend is on social media.”

Peter J Flynn EVM Direct www.coachandbusweek.com

BigQuestion_SocialMedia.indd 18

Crosskeys believes social media compliments other marketing channels Mr Whicker I delighted in seeing my friend’s children having fun in the sun.

Twitter encourages us to think about how we feel about an event while actually experiencing it before formulating a pithy comment to share with our followers. Thanks to the internet we can then immediately interact with friends to acquire their perspective.

Rather than turning a generation of teenagers into digital zombies is it possible that Twitter expands the opportunity and ability to analyse a situation and own the experience a little more deeply than might have been the case? 20 years ago the mobile telephone allowed us to keep in touch with everybody and today smart phones, through social media, allow us to curate the photographs of our life and has unwittingly turned us all into amateur journalists. Just think how different history may have been if Marie Antoinette had received a tweet imploring her “not to mention cake”.

Talking of history, who would not be interested to read about their grandparents’ charabanc holiday to the seaside and their perspective on life?

Social media empowers us all as individuals. For the lonely and awkward it provides an opportunity to reach out and connect with others. For the gregarious – and you know your own tricks best – it provides a platform to show off. Before we write off a generation of children as

simply recording their lives rather than living them perhaps we should embrace the technological genie which is out of the bottle.

But there are ground rules and precautions you should be aware of. I would advise turning off your ‘location’ to ensure your smart phone is not a tracking device and be cautious about publicising your plans in advance. You would not put a sign in the window of your home advising local burglars that you are in Spain for a fortnight so why broadcast this through social media?

This was the basis of the recent film The Bling Ring which was a close up of the ‘Me Me Me generation’ on the silver screen. It was based on a true story about a gang of Hollywood youths who tracked celebrities on stalker websites and burgled their homes when they were out. The Bling Ring gang robbed socialite Paris Hilton five times and stole nearly $2m in jewels before she noticed anything was amiss.

Not all of us are quite as self absorbed or wealthy as Paris Hilton but it is a lesson to heed as many of us contemplate taking a break.

Equally we are not as articulate as Alan Whicker in recording everyday life but I encourage you to tweet your own personal poetry of life for the entertainment of your current friends and education of future descendants as they “meet you coming BACK” from beyond the grave. Even Aunty Linda has embraced Twitter and I shall re-tweet her camel experience of 1979.

Gareth Stevens Business Development Manager at Cardiff Bus We highly value the importance of social media. It is a tool that allows us to communicate with a sizable percentage of our customer base instantly – be that for travel advice, operational issues, i.e. road closures, or to market offers or promotions we have. We also use it as a way to engage with customers and only recently ran another competition. In the modern era of people wanting information promptly this works hand in hand with RTPI information, in our view, in that it is another way of giving confidence to make the choice of travelling by bus. Anything which allows us to engage with our customers, and potential new ones, has to be embraced.

Carlyle Bus & Coach Ltd In a technology-led world, where Facebook and Twitter dominate more and more smartphones, social media is essential to our business. It means we can communicate with customers, prospective customers, suppliers and partners more effectively. Social media is a platform for two-way communication and gives us an instant response. Using social media also brings us up to date knowledge of what is going on in the industry and is another fun interactive channel to get our name out there.

Jennie Blackmore Marketing Manager at Crosskeys Coaches of Folkestone We recently started using Social Media alongside traditional marketing. We currently use Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. It’s early days yet but it’s a great way to engage with our customers and industry partners.

We believe it compliments, rather than substitutes, other marketing channels.

Claire Burnett Marketing & Administration Assistant at Dawson Group We’ve found that any presence which gets people talking positively about your business is valuable. It’s a bit of a word of mouth tool and if there is no other reason to be on social networking sites, it will at the very least raise awareness.

We feel it’s important to get involved in social networking

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July 24, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 19

because it’s not going away. Fewer people use hard copy to get across their message and the internet is far more accessible and popular than ever before.

To begin with I was personally not a fan of social networking sites, however I have found that it is incredibly valuable to businesses and it’s actually growing on me!

I find retweeting interesting facts and occasionally liking fun posts has made us more human to our followers. I post / tweet interesting bus facts, feature our website and links to vehicles on other sites and regularly show our adverts & pictures of buses we are selling. This has led to a number of questions and some leads from bus operators. It’s made us more approachable and gives people the freedom to ask us questions in a less formal setting.

Our salesmen found they have obtained some excellent leads on LinkedIn, it puts them in touch with the decision makers far quicker than before and gives you the personal touch of contact names in the industry. One of our salesmen found the use of Hoot suite and Twitter has helped him to get competitor information and a general insight into what operators are doing.

I’ve recently placed myself on LinkedIn and we do a lot of e-marketing with sites like Coach & Bus Market. I use the social networking sites to alert people to their presence and point people to stock we have on these sites.

Truth is it’s all about relationship building and keeping our customers informed about products and services, which can only be a good thing!

Rachel Jones Online PR & Marketing Co-ordinator, Door2Tour At Door2Tour.com we don’t underestimate the power or potential of social media. A lot of companies don’t see the point in it unless it’s driving hard revenue, but overlook the other benefits. It’s an excellent tool for keeping in touch with our customers, doesn’t take long to maintain and above all it’s free – a bit of a no-brainer really.

That said, social media will only work if you are engaging with your followers so make sure there is someone in your office dedicated to this so that if someone leaves a comment or responds to a tweet, you can interact with them more

BigQuestion_SocialMedia.indd 19

Ian Jones is a particularly keen advocate of Twitter

“Before we write off a generation of children as simply recording their lives rather than living them perhaps we should embrace the technological genie which is out of the bottle.”

Ian Jones Backhouse Jones

Gareth Stevens, Cardiff Bus Business Development Manager

“In the modern era of people wanting information promptly this works hand in hand with RTPI information, in our view, in that it is another way of giving confidence to make the choice of travelling by bus.”

Gareth Stevens Cardiff Bus

or less straight away. It’s no good having a one-way conversation, if you don’t consistently engage with your customers they won’t see the point of following or liking your page.

Many companies use social media as a channel for trying to increase their sales, but that’s not what it’s about; followers do not want to be bombarded with offers in their news feeds. On the odd occasion, we will post links to our latest e-shot or if there is a greatvalue tour available which might be of interest but on the whole people would rather receive useful information. Our followers are also more likely to interact if the item we have posted or tweeted about is of use to them. Once you realise that, you’ll start to reap the benefits.

Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Google+ are great tools for getting our brand out there in the public arena.

As well as giving the company a personality, we make our posts and tweets interesting so customers are engaged with useful information which will hopefully encourage them to talk about us. Think knowledgeable articles, useful infographics, videos, interviews and podcasts so your customers spread the word about you.

It’s also a great avenue to keep in touch with our customers when other lines of communication are ineffective, for example, if we are experiencing problems with our phones in the call centre, we can spread the word that although customers cannot call they can still get in touch with us via other means if they have a query etc. It’s a great tool for front line customer services as a whole, responding to feedback, answering queries etc.

The tone of voice used in tweets and Facebook posts should be personable so do not sign off as the company, give your name so your customers realise they are talking to a human and not a machine!

Ultimately, remember your social media activity should not be left in the hands of an agency; it should be within the company to keep true to the brand and the image which is being portrayed.

Keith Payne Managing Director, Ebdons Tours I first started to use this as an email newsletter each month in 2003 and sent out anything which had happened which gave a reputation and expectation to receive it each

month. As we have moved on there is now a Twitter element with a number of followers but we tend to use Facebook to promote the company activates coming up. The danger with it is that the same people are contacted and they now switch off to it, unless the offer is really good.

We still mail out our paper brochure to our day trip clientele who are not computer literate in great numbers, although that too is rapidly changing.

Peter J Flynn Sales & Marketing Manager, EVM Direct Such a simple question which requires such a comprehensive answer to fully portray the impact social media has had on EVM’s business in the past year. To best understand how social media has changed how we do business we must start with how the buyer decides that EVM is the place to purchase their new Sprinter Minibus.

In the days before social media you would message five million people to try and influence 500.

Today you form a relationship with 500 and influence five million.

The old adage that people trust recommendations from people has never been more true.

Social media allows us to interact with our customers long before they are ready to even think about their next purchase. Social media allows us to be where our customers are. It ensures our customers are ‘aware’ of who EVM are and what we are about. It places us in the middle of the discussion forums and gives us an ear to what people are saying about us. It allows us influence/steer market perception by making qualified information available to the key decision makers in the industry.

A key part of our sales process is the “promotion” of our delivery to the customer. Without social media, this level of exposure would not be possible. As well as selling our customer a new vehicle, we also give them the best possible start by placing their details in front of up to 10,000 people instantly. This has the added effect of swaying potential customers in our direction i.e. the most positive feedback you can get is when someone decides to buy your product.

Once we have converted our prospect into a customer, social media gives customer’s a public platform to document

www.coachandbusweek.com

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20 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 24, 2013

THE BIG QUESTION › social media

their experiences, positive or negative. We can react instantly to this feedback and be in touch with a customer within minutes. Good feedback from recognised and respected operators is priceless. e.g. From @Passengerplus: Massive thanks to @EVMDirectLtd for helping us out #quality #relationship #customerservice People don’t care what you say about your company! They care what your customers say!

Remember what goes on the web, stays on the web. Never has this been truer than now with Google firmly entrenching its position as gatekeeper to the web.

Google has refined its indexing to the point where it has become highly accurate and only hard work will yield positive results.

Social media platforms are integrated into every aspect of what we do here at EVM. Having spent the last 20 years watching the development of the internet and the onset of social media, it has been enlightening to watch the spread of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc into the coach and bus market. My initial perception was the sector seemed to lag behind other industries but the last year has seen huge changes with a massive volume of operators taking themselves online.

I believe the future of the bus and coach industry offers fantastic opportunities for us to embrace new technologies and methodologies.

The simplest way of describing the importance of social media to EVM is: ‘It’s not about targeting audiences; it’s about drawing an irresistible bull’s-eye on yourself so audiences will target you.’

Jeroen Weimar Chief Operating Officer, First UK Bus Engaging with our customers is absolutely critical to the future of bus services, individual companies and the industry as a whole. Social media today is one of the ost powerful and direct ways in which we can listen to and communicate with our customers in real time.

Compared to a few years ago, we can now communicate directly with customers on how services are running, suggest alternative ways of travel in case of disruption and promote our services. Even more importantly we can get instant feedback on current service issues, understand where there are bad experiences and go some way to putting them right immediately. www.coachandbusweek.com

BigQuestion_SocialMedia.indd 20

Social media is only one tool to deliver great customer service.

Some of our local bus teams in First are making fantastic use of Twitter.

For example, our team in Norwich is doing a great job in really understanding and responding to customers and we are finding new ways of doing things. We are working on many ways to further improve our social media service - not least by providing a real time voice when people want us to - not just when we are in the office. Social media will continue to develop and we must all keep working on the next wave of innovation in listening and talking to our customers.

Richard Grey Managing Director, Grey’s of Ely Following a revaluation of our online presence for 2013 we implemented a new marketing strategy for social media to ascertain what can be achieved and how best to use it for our business. This strategy has seen our Facebook ‘Likes’ grow from 215 to 1350 (to date) over the past seven months. This combined with our successful YouTube Viral Video “Mr T’ on a Coach” (28,500 views in three months) has increased client interactions and opened up new opportunities for our business. We are looking to expand upon this success in the forthcoming months to diversify into new avenues of customer interaction using mobile based technology.

Karen Bowen Digital Media Manager, Guide Dogs Social media for Guide Dogs is an important part of our engagement strategy, both nationally and locally.

Social media gives us the opportunity to engage with donors, have conversations with our supporters, provide support to our beneficiaries and raise awareness of our brand.

An integrated approach is taken, ensuring all communication channels are utilised where appropriate for each campaign.

A recent campaign to support an ITV documentary ‘Me and My Guide Dog’ saw us utilising online PR, Facebook activity to build interest before the program, Facebook adverts, a promotional video on YouTube and a Twitter hashtag event during the program.

As a result we saw the hashtag #myguidedog trending on Twitter in the UK, with an average of 49 tweets per minute. The total reach on Twitter was nearly two million.

Jeroen Weimar responded to CBW’s promotion of this feature on Twitter

“Compared to a few years ago, we can now communicate directly with customers on how services are running, suggest alternative ways of travel in case of disruption and promote our services.”

Jeroen Weimar First UK Bus

Richard Grey hailed Grey’s of Ely’s recent YouTube success

“Following a revaluation of our online presence for 2013 we implemented a new marketing strategy for social media to ascertain what can be achieved and how best to use it for our business.”

Richard Grey Grey’s of Ely

Morag Milligan Operations Manager, Milligans Coach Travel Here at Milligans Coach Travel we use a couple of social media sites.

We’ve had Facebook for about two years now and opened a Twitter account about a year ago. The two accounts are now linked together so it means if you make a posting on one it will also appear on the other therefore saving time.

It’s mainly used as a means of free advertising and also a means of exposure for our company.

Does it work? Did CBW know much about our small family company before the days of social media? I’m quite certain you didn’t really.

We’ve got ourselves recognised and we now interact with other coach companies, other businesses, customers and suppliers through posting information, adding photographs and sharing knowledge.

One example of how it worked for me recently was I had two cancelled theatre tickets. I posted this on Facebook & Twitter and these were sold within the hour.

One site which I find invaluable is the Facebook Coach Drivers Named & Shamed page. This group includes coach operators and coach/bus drivers from all walks

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July 24, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 21

Sleafordian was praised for its use of social media during bad weather of life.

I’ve made postings on here to find out about suitable secure parking, coach stops, event information, legal issues and even used it to find coach replacement when we had a puncture on tour.

The information and help was with us within a matter of minutes.

It’s also a great site for sharing driver and operator views and hopefully the different perspectives on the coaching world can only help improve the industry.

Social media has helped increase business, put us on the map and we also now have friends all over the country.

Lothian Buses Social media has become the first point of contact for many people looking for news and information.

With over half of UK residents now using smartphones, customers expect a high level of engagement and instant information from all companies they interact with.

Lothian Buses’ Twitter feed has become a very popular way for our passengers and other Edinburgh residents to get local information, news and travel announcements quickly and while on the move.

We post realtime travel and route updates direct from our Control

BigQuestion_SocialMedia.indd 21

Guide Dogs managed to get TV appearances trending on Twitter

“Social media gives us the opportunity to engage with donors, have conversations with our supporters, provide support to our beneficiaries and raise awareness of our brand.”

Karen Bowen Guide Dogs

Room as well as future diversions and route change information.

Our marketing department tweets company news and updates, as well as information on events happening in the city of interest to our passengers. We also answer customer queries during working hours. Tweets are many and varied from people asking what bus to get to their destination, looking for their lost property, comments on drivers, passengers needing bus times, opening hours and even where they can get a picture of a certain bus!

Our social media communication has been received well by our passengers. Followers on Twitter have increased by around 60% since this time last year to almost 21,000. We now respond to around 250 customer queries a month via Twitter compared to 70 twelve months ago and this figure continues to rise. It has also had a positive effect on our customer services department, answering questions quickly and sometimes before they are even asked.

We have been recognised by the local press and businesses as one of the top Twitter accounts for local information.

We started looking at our Facebook page as an engagement tool in April 2012. Facebook likes have increased from 663 at the beginning of 2012 to 3,158 in July 2013.

Posting company news, promotions and local events as well as sharing followers’ photos and stories, Facebook is a great way for our customers to communicate with both us and each other.

The page has a real community feel and is a great way for us to get to know our customers, their thoughts and concerns.

Comments received via social media are logged and fed back to the relevant departments. They are used for as a source of information for driver commendations, scheduling and ways of improving our services.

John Ventress Sleafordian Coaches I think the answer to the question as far as Sleafordian Coaches is concerned is that its importance is growing and will continue to do so. We use both Facebook and Twitter to keep our followers, who now number in excess of 1,000, up to date with information related to delays and alterations, as well

as promoting ourselves by way of special offers and competitions.

Our efforts to keep passengers updated during bad weather last winter were praised by our CPT Regional Manager Keith McNally, on his Twitter feed which was much appreciated. We are also able to keep schools and parents up to date with regard to private hire arrival times, which has gone down particularly well with trips arriving back late in the evenings as it reduces the onus on schools to provide parents with this information.

Actually putting the information on Twitter & Facebook is quick and easy to do and can be done by a number of our staff so the flow of information isn’t down to one individual here. We load the information on Hootsuite, which then posts to our Twitter & Facebook pages simultaneously, which simplifies the whole process.

In terms of the broader picture we believe using social media further enhances the service we provide and helps us to stand out a little which can only be a good thing.

David Leatham Volvo UK Bus At @VolvoBusUK social media is a constantly growing facet of our business. We were early adopters of the technology and continue to lead the way as the industry, as a whole, establishes itself on Twitter.

We put out several daily tweets covering products, services, vehicle orders and deliveries, in addition to sharing traffic and weather information and regularly engage with our audience.

Our current social media audience is a mix of customers, operators, enthusiasts, competitors and even employees, such as @ RMann_VolvoBus. We would encourage all operators using the network to follow and correspond with us as we welcome the opportunity for dialogue. Tweets generally ask us for product information, service information, technical data and exhibition dates.

Volvo Bus also has an established corporate Facebook account, which features Volvo Group information and photos.

Going forward we hope to see even more operators, journalists and industry figures using social media technology to connect with us. It’s quick, innovative and a highly effective means of sharing information.

www.coachandbusweek.com

22/07/2013 16:12

22 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 24, 2013

INDUSTRY

GUIDE

TO glazing & entry systems

L

Installing top quality glazing onto a vehicle can really help make a very strong first impression

Repair before it needs a replacement This week’s Industry Guide looks at suppliers offering glazing and entry system products and services, from windscreen & window repair to spare parts for coach and bus doors www.coachandbusweek.com

IndustryGuide_p22,23.indd 22

ooking after the windscreen on any vehicle is clearly very important, but the expense of replacing a coach or bus windscreen is particularly high. For that reason it is a good idea to take advantage of companies offering to fill in chips and cracks before the entire windscreen is compromised. Many of these companies can do this on site - glazing doesn’t need to be a pain…

Passenger vehicles are required to have safety glass in place and any tinting applied to the windows which is within the driver’s ‘vision reference zone’ must let at least 70% of light through (75% for windscreens). This does not apply to windows behind the driver in a bus or coach, except for those facing the rear, or those which are part of a door.

While many passengers may like their privacy, using a dedicated

supplier for glazing will ensure this is well balanced with actually being able to see out properly.

Turning to entry systems, passenger vehicles can have continental doors installed or multiple entry points and need to ensure all of the exits are lit and safe. A rickety-looking door won’t do much for the passenger’s peace of mind, being the first part of the coach or bus they see close up, and it isn’t nice for passengers on board a night bus to step off into complete darkness.

If a part is needed for an entry system, you need to know the supplier will get it to you as quickly as possible. Operators cannot afford to have vehicles off the road because of something as simple as a faulty door part.

Another consideration is accessibility. Making your vehicles easy to board for those with wheelchairs, visual impairments or other disabilities can go a long way to give an operator a positive image.

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July 24, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 23

Transport Door Solutions Transport Door Solutions is a specialist bus door parts supplier, based in the UK for seven years and with over 20 years product expertise and a large supporting supplier base.

The company offers cost effective product options which are normally available from stock. Parts are original OE supply or developed fully compatible universal equivalents which have been engineered to give a quality, good value alternative. Universal product ranges are the most popular items and have been installed worldwide.

TDS ships daily to all destinations from over 2,500 catalogued parts to one of its 600+ registered customers, which grows weekly particularly among small/medium sized operators.

The regularly updated TDS website has been improved to give useful part images and cross references which can be

displayed online or downloaded as convenient PDF documents. It is being redesigned now to optimise content display on mobile devices which are becoming the preferred method to search the internet.

TDS is the appointed UK agent for Ventura Systems of Holland and provides full part and service support on the now commonly fitted inward gliding & plug sliding door systems present in all major UK fleets.

Over 300 commonly used parts for these systems are stocked in the UK for quick VOR response and full access to technical & drawing data is available on request.

TDS regularly finds sources for older and difficult to obtain parts.

Equivalents can be offered or parts reverse engineered to a high specification including pneumatic, electronic and mechanical types.

TDS just requires samples, drawings or images to assist in this process.

TDS co-ordinates a fully trained service agent network to primarily support all TDS and Ventura door systems in service.

General pneumatic, electrical and mechanical troubleshooting can also be undertaken on all other common door systems including Deans, Peters & Overton systems.

TDS offers onsite training and preventative maintenance/ healthcheck inspections for older UK fitted door systems including Peters & Deans and offers attractive parts inclusive packages. The firm is also a supplier of pneumatic and electric glider/folder door systems with over 3,000 systems in service throughout the UK & Europe and more recently in South Africa. It is currently working on a number of low volume specialist door applications for unique vehicle projects.

The company’s wide ranging experience, comprehensive services and excellent customer service make it the first choice supplier for many operators, repairers and councils, particularly when cost effect options are required in these challenging economic times.

TDS is in a unique position by

stocking such a diverse range of universal spare parts which tackle most common failures across current and defunct door systems at a competitive price. Its OEM operations, relationship with Ventura, historical relationship with Peters, Deans & others and the fact it keeps so many parts in its inventory all means if a bus operator is looking for a spare for a bus door, then the spare part probably comes, directly or indirectly, from TDS. No order is too small or big, serving those with one vehicle to thousands.

TDS maintain a track record of over 90% performance for shipping orders within 24 hours, with most leaving the same day. Customers can be confident downtime will be kept to a minimum with this high level of service.

T: 01787 473000 E: sales@transportdoor solutions.co.uk W: www.transport doorsolutions.co.uk

www.transportdoorsolutions.co.uk

Supporting Bus Door Maintenance, Refurbishment & Service

HAVING DEANS / PETERS / OVERTON OR OTHER PART SOURCING ISSUES?

We can help you with common UK fitted door systems by offering OE or quality universal product options that we have developed with our specialist suppliers.

Popular products we supply Bodybuilders, Councils, Repairers & Operators :

VALVES

RODENDS

SPINDLES

BEARINGS

REGULATORS

We now supply over 2500 spare parts including ALL

BUTTONS

CYLINDERS

BRUSHES

specific items.

As a specialist Pneumatic & Electric OE door manufacturer we have extensive product knowledge to help you solve your problems.

Please contact us on T: 01787 473000 F: 01787 477040 E: sales@transportdoorsolutions.co.uk

www.coachandbusweek.com

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24 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 24, 2013

INDUSTRY

GUIDE

TO glazing & entry systems Esprit Windscreen Repair Systems In today’s world of ever-rising fuel costs, increased insurance and the effects of inflation, it is more important than ever for the modern transport business to look for new ways of reducing costs wherever possible.

Windscreen repair is one area where operators can help themselves to reduce future maintenance bills. A simple stone chip or short crack in the windscreen is easy to ignore until one day it grows. At this point it becomes an expensive problem.

The solution is to repair the damage as soon as it occurs. Think of a windscreen repair as preventative maintenance for glass – stop that small chip becoming an expensive replacement.

Windscreen repair is a simple process where small stone chips are filled with an Ultra Violet light curing resin. The resin, when cured, restores strength to the damaged

glass, restores most of the optical performance to the damaged area and is a permanent repair.

The main advantages of carrying out your own repairs are both speed and cost savings. The work can be carried out in 20 to 30 minutes and because it uses UV curing resin, the vehicle can be driven immediately after repair.

The material cost of the repair is minimal, being about £2 per job, a significant saving over replacement.

The latest Esprit repair equipment has been designed for ease of use; the main skill sets required being patience and observation. All Esprit windscreen repair kits includes a day’s training at the Esprit training centre in Newcastle under Lyme in Staffordshire. On-site training is also available at an extra cost.

A short graphic clip showing the principles of a windscreen repair can be found on the firm’s website.

T: 0800 432 0982 W: www.espritws.com

Windscreen Wizard Established 28 years ago, JT Handtools is a specialist manufacturer and supplier of tools to the automotive glass industry in the UK and Europe.

It has recently introduced Windscreen Wizard (patent pending), a specialised bespoke manufactured product which allows the user to remove a whole windscreen in minutes.

Designed in conjunction with specialist engineers, windscreen removal companies and windscreen technician experts, this product is

Windscreen Wizard can remove windscreens easily in minutes

a perfect solution to the growing need for a wire removal system for modern day windscreens.

Using a system of wires and suction cups, Windscreen Wizard is remarkably fast, and can see a windscreen completely removed in minutes.

A 10-minute demonstration can be seen at http://youtu.be/ GWVZ5AbXPLM JT Handtools’ specialist manufactured tools are of a supreme quality, all carrying lifetime guarantees.

Richard Vaughan, Director, said: “Our diversified product range continues to grow by following trends, improving our standard products and listening to the customer. ” The firm also stocks and supplies a wide range of general tools for automotive glass from other manufacturers including UltraWiz, Olfa, Fein, Esprit & Meritool.

T: 01142 449989 W: www.windscreen wizard.com

www.coachandbusweek.com

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July 24, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 25

Superscreens Now established as one of the leading companies in the UK for the supply and fitment of glass for all makes of bus and coach, Superscreens wants to ensure it is not resting on its laurels by improving the service provided to all its customers.

“Being there when the operator needs us 24 hours a day, seven days a week is what we insist upon,” said proprietor Richard Knight.

The Superscreens depot is situated near Heathrow and consists of a large warehouse where a full range of glass is held for the different makes and variations of vehicle, alongside a fully equipped workshop which has the capability to house four coaches and has access 24 hours a day.

The depot is in close proximity to Central London and the different attractions the surrounding area has to offer allows a quick efficient service for coach companies while they tour or visit the capital.

“Although the majority of work is mobile, many operators take advantage of our workshops when in London and the surrounding area because they are open 24 hours a day,” explained Richard.

“A coach can be left if the glass is bonded often with a facility for the driver to have access to a vehicle so it can be collected later the same day or the next morning, depending on the customers’ needs.”

Superscreens also has a network of agents through the country and Europe to provide a comprehensive service and has agreements with all the major insurance companies to carry out work on their behalf.

“To ensure our leading status in the market it is vital all work is carried out to the highest standard from initial enquiry to the finished job – that’s our aim at all times,” concluded Richard.

T: 01784 427080.

E: richard@superscreens.

co.uk W: www.superscreens.co.uk

Features List 2013 Below is the complete list of this year’s CBW issues showing current scheduled dates for Industry Guides. Dates are subject to change.

Issue

Issue Date

1068 January 2 1069 January 9 1070 January 16 1071 January 23 1072 January 30 1073 February 6 1074 February 13 1075 February 20 1076 February 27 1077 March 6 1078 March13 1079 March 20 1080 March 27 1081 April 3 1082 April 10 1083 April 17 1084 April 24 1085 May 1 1086 May 8 1087 May 15 1088 May 22 1089 May 39 1090 June 5 1091 June 12 1092 June 19 1093 June 26 1094 July 3 1095 July 10 1096 July 17 1097 July 24 1098 July 31 1099 August 7 1100 August 14 1101 August 21 1102 August 28 1103 September 4 1104 September 11 1105 September 18 1106 September 25 1107 October 2 1108 October 9 1109 October 16 1110 October 23 1111 October 30 1112 November 6 1113 November 13 1114 November 20 1115 November 27 1116 December 4 1117 December 11 1118 December 18

Product Focus Feature Passenger Comfort & Entertainment Vehicle Presentation Telematics

Training & Safety Engines & Transmissions Seating, Flooring & Interiors

Digital Technology Rental, Leasing & Finance Garage Equipment Tachographs Fuel Management & Emission Control Ticketing & Cash Handling

Repairs & Refurbishment Training & Safety Glazing & Entry Systems Uniforms & Workwear Vehicle Presentation Engines & Transmissions

Security & Insurance Digital Technology Garage Equipment Seating, Flooring & Interiors Ticketing & Cash Handling Repairs & Refurbishment Fuel Management & Emission Control

CONTACTS Advertising & Marketing Manager Ian Gillis 01733 293484 ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com

Booking deadline Space should be booked no later than two weeks in advance www.coachandbusweek.com

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supplier profile › wjf

Engineering services from WJF Technical Support Martin Cole looks at what WJF Technical Support has on offer to assist operators across the country with all bus and coach engineering requirements www.coachandbusweek.com

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B

lackpool-based WJF Technical Support is now in its tenth year of providing back-up and support for bus and coach operators across the country – and even, on occasion, into Europe.

Managing Director Tim Freshney, an engineer by trade, started the business alongside a colleague in 2003 and built a team of qualified technicians to provide engineering and maintenance services to the industry. Some 18 months ago the partners went their separate ways, Tim took over sole ownership of the business and has begun to expand the services on offer and widen the

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supplier: WJF Technical Services location: Blackpool established: 2003 Contact: 07720 966653 www.wjftechnicalsupport.com

cover overnight, at weekends or for holidays, sickness or staff shortages. We know exactly what the capabilities are of all our team members. They are all highly competent in their field and this assurance gives our customers confidence they are getting value for money – which is not always the case when sourcing requirements through agencies.”

WJF Technical Support is currently enjoying being viewed as primary choice for engineering

skills into the bus industry. Tim Freshney, added: “We’re enjoying strong trading currently and are looking forward to another good year with new business coming in constantly on the back of reputation.

We are also receiving enquiries from overseas, which adds to an already exciting time for us.”

Notably, WJF works for the major bus manufacturers and operating groups as well as smaller bus or coach operators. It has recently been heavily involved with

WJF’s engineers assist operators anywhere, large or small. Top right: One of the company’s support vehicles. Centre right: Simon Egan, Tim Freshney and Natalie Freshney

scope of the enterprise.

He said: “We are now ‘working smarter’ and have become much more customer focused to meet the diverse needs of operators of all sizes. Not only can we provide mechanical and electrical technicians but we can offer support for administration or supervisory staff requirements.

While engineering remains our principle focus it is possible for us to source qualified people quickly for projects or campaigns. We want to show we have diverse capabilities and can handle anything from a one-off engine change to delivering short term placements for operators needing

WJF.indd 27

Transport for London and Eminox in the project to install emission control equipment on all the older buses operating in the capital. This also includes monitoring the buses to ensure the systems are fully functional and to ensure they are kept operational. The company is also working closely with Go-Ahead and Chinese manufacturer BYD over the forthcoming introduction of full-sized electric buses to the London fleet later this year. Another recent project with Go-Ahead also saw WJF manage the refurbishment of 26 double deckers for its Oxford operation. In addition, WJF also undertook a large project for Almex, installing new ticketing equipment across a customer’s fleet.

The current team at WJF numbers 20. Service Delivery Manager Simon Egan, also Blackpool-based, has been with the business since it was formed.

A supervisor is now located in the London area liaising with TfL, operating companies and managing staff allocation locally.

Simon Egan said: Things have gone really well over the last 18 months. We’ve started to expand and we are determined to succeed.

We have never really made much of marketing ourselves but we feel now is the time to promote ourselves more strongly as we begin widening our horizons and offering more services.”

Tim Freshney concluded: “The changes allow us to concentrate on providing first class support through a team of dedicated, trained and highly experienced engineers to assist operators in keeping their vehicles on the road and in a safe condition, It’s not only vital for the safety of the public but for our reputation too.”

“We want to show we have diverse capabilities and can handle anything from a one-off engine change to delivering short term placements for operators needing cover overnight, at weekends or for holidays, sickness or staff shortages.”

Above: Mobile teams can move rapidly to provide a fast response

Tim Freshney www.coachandbusweek.com

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THE BIG PICTURE

Park’s of Hamilton has acquired 10 new Jonckheere-bodied Volvo B9Rs. Three of the new coaches have been specified with 39 table-format luxury seats for use on high end Scottish football team contracts. The latter include such prestigious names as Glasgow Celtic FC, Motherwell FC and The Scottish National team. Supplied in 53-seat format, the other seven new Volvo B9Rs are being used on the company’s wide range of UK and continental tours, as well as for other private hire purposes.

Park’s has been a loyal Volvo customer since it was founded in 1971 and the strength of that longterm relationship was important in the purchase of these latest vehicles. “We’ve been specifying Volvo since the beginning and we know the high standards they set, both in terms of their vehicles and aftermarket care,” said Michael Andrews, Director. “The B9R offers us the perfect blend of quality, affordability and excellent fuel efficiency combined with exceptional passenger comfort.”

www.coachandbusweek.com

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www.coachandbusweek.com

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DRIVERS

In association with

DriveTech

Send your driver news and stories to alex.tyler@coachandbusweek. com or call 01733 293 244.

Retirement for longserving NCT crew Both drivers have accumulated nearly 80 years of combined service on the buses Nottingham City Transport (NCT) drivers Alan Edwards and Mick Asling are both set for well-earned retirement.

Mick, from the Basford area of Nottingham, began working for NCT in September 1974. Starting out as a conductor at Parliament Street Garage before training to be a driver, Mick has become a familiar friendly face to many regular passengers on the numerous routes he’s driven during nearly four decades of service.

“Seeing my grandchildren more will be a big bonus to my retirement, but I’m going to miss working for NCT,” said Mick.

“Meeting and getting to know my passengers was always the best part of the job – there was never a dull moment.”

Alan started working for NCT around a similar time to Mick in October 1973. Beginning his long-lived career as a conductor at Bulwell Garage, Alan also went through NCT’s vigorous training to

Stagecoach NE driver recognised for service

A Stagecoach North East bus driver from the company’s Walkergate depot in Newcastle has been recognised for his exceptional manner at work after being presented with a top international award for customer service.

51-year-old Owen McGuire has beaten thousands of Stagecoach staff internationally to be awarded

become a driver on routes through Bilborough and then Central Market.

Nearing the end of his career, Alan’s final transfer was to the Parliament Street Garage and in July 2008, he welcomed part-time work before his retirement this month.

“Nearly 40 years has gone by so quickly,” said Alan. “NCT has been a great company to work for

and I’ve enjoyed every minute of being on the buses. I remember my first week as if it were yesterday, everyone was so friendly – it’s probably why I’ve never wanted to do any other job since!”

Both drivers have received certificates, theatre tickets, a long service award, a meal and free travel to mark their impressive length of service.

Mick Asling and Alan Edwards with their long service certificates, which recognise their 38.5 and 47 years of service respectively the Gold winner of the Customer Service Champion accolade at the 2013 Stagecoach Champions awards in Venice recently.

This is the second year in a row a Stagecoach North East employee has taken the top spot, with Ken Smith from the Teesside depot taking home gold last year.

Owen was nominated for the award by the depot’s Operations Manager, David Wakefield, after receiving exceptional positive feedback from passengers who praised his attitude and friendly manner.

Owen commented: “I was totally blown away to win the gold award – I didn’t expect it at all. To

win the award over thousands of other drivers internationally is astonishing. Going to Venice was a once in a lifetime opportunity and the award now has pride of place on my mantelpiece, I couldn’t be happier.”

David said: “Owen is a credit to Stagecoach and displays sterling qualities. He displays commendable tact and patience and is at his best when dealing with people. He even dresses up at Christmas and collects for charity while at work and is a recipient of a service to the community award. I had no hesitation in putting Owen forward for the award and the entire depot is thrilled he’s won.”

First Scotland East’s ‘Superstar’ drivers, Robert Sherman and Gordon MacVicar

Superstar status for First Scotland East drivers Two drivers from the Bannockburn Depot have won First Scotland East’s monthly ‘Superstar’ awards recently after coming to the rescue of lorry driver who had overturned and in the case of driver Gordon MacVicar, potentially saving the life of an elderly customer.

Gordon was driving route 59 between Stirling and Calendar in May. He was made aware that one of his passengers had been taken unwell. Gordon, who has been a driver for First for four years after enjoying a successful 24 year career in the military, safely parked the bus and attended to the gentleman.

Meanwhile Robert Sherman came to the assistance of an overturned lorry outside First Scotland East’s Bannockburn Depot in May. The 40 tonne truck had overturned while trying to negotiate a roundabout. Robert saw the incident and rushed over to the scene. He managed to safely remove the lorry driver from his cab, called the emergency services and while waiting applied a bandage to a wound on the driver’s head.

Operations Director at First Scotland East, John Gorman, said: “Both John and Robert are valued members of our team and have reputations for good customer service. I’m very proud of their actions and they thoroughly deserve to be named as First Scotland East Superstars.”

www.coachandbusweek.com

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2003 ADL Enviro 300 7HO

COIF and accessibility certificate, 40 seats and 27 standing, taxed until August and with a new MOT, this is a very clean and tidy bus which is ready to go straight to work.

2002 ADL ALX200 Dennis Dart

COIF and DDA compliant, Euro 3 engine, 28 seats and 16 standing, taxed until end of June and MOT until July, well maintained and ready to work.

POA

POA – choice of 3

Phone Nick on 01626 833664 or 07872 839530

Phone Nick on 01626 833664 or 07872 839530

2012 Mercedes Sprinter 515 Cdi

2009 Renault

Immediate delivery.16 Leather seats with blue piping 3 point belts, recliners, arm rest to aisle side, A/C, D/G, Large drop boot, PA System, Heater, EVM Conversion, 11800 mls, New MOT, Fully serviced, Ready to go.

POA. Location: Crawley - Contact: 01293 852025/ 01293 852040/ 0771 9103203

16 reclining seats, perfect for airports, takes 20 big suitcases, A/C, TV, DVD, hot drinks & fridge, 3 point belts, overhead racks, front entry, 166,000kms, great on fuel, sale due to fleet restructure.

£15,500 + VAT

Florida Taxi Coaches 01787 477701

2010 59 Reg Ford Transit Factory Bus

09 Reg Renault Master LM35 2.5TD

17 seats, will have new COIF and PSV test, tachograph, only 60k miles.

Manual gearbox, high roof, factory conversion, PAS side loading doors, electric side step, 15 high back seats plus driver, tested floor, tacho fitted, 32,997 kms only.

X reg, 27 seats, new MOT.

£8,950

£8,000 + VAT

P.O.A.

Phone Nick on 01626 833664 or 07872 839530

£14,950

2000 Optare Solo M850

Stafford Bus Centre 01782 791774

H.W. Pickrell – 01268 521033

Stafford Bus Centre 01782 791774

2006 Bova Majiq

2003 Volvo B7TL Wrights Gemini 10.1m

2005 Mercedes 814D Plaxton Cheetah

49 seat executive, ZF auto, LEZ compliant, leather headrests, twin monitor DVD, centre sunken toilet, tasteful moquette, excellent condition, MOT & Tax, economical vehicle, ready to work.

£95,000 + VAT

Travelstar European 01922 647100 / 07779 801862

64 seats + 25 standees, Volvo D7C/Voith, conversion to single door available & seat belt option (£POA), very clean ex-lease vehicles. £27,500 + VAT – CHOICE Southdown PSV 01342 711840 email: bussales@southdownpsv.co.uk www.southdownpsv.co.uk

33 high back seats, 3 point belts, forced air, reading lights, power door and boot.

POA

Volvo B10M Caetano Algarve

55 seats, COIF, MOT until September, taxed until end of October.

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Connaught PSV – 01405 814064

Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com

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LEZ BOXES FOR SALE

2007 MAN Plaxton Panther 49/53 seats, LEZ compliant, toilet, DVD/CD, fridge, hot drinks, Webasto.

Only used on our own holidays and excursions.

Excellent condition.

Used Eminox LEZ exhaust box, used for 6 months 2012.

Cleaned/reconditioned.

To fit a Bova Futura.

With full fitting kit or can be fitted while you wait! £3,000 + VAT

PARNHAMS COACHES LTD Contact Ray 07747 071071

£85,000 + VAT

Please call Jamie 01730 267543 or 07956 029344

2010 Mercedes Benz Travel 45

2006 Mercedes Benz 814D Vario

16 reclining seats, 3 point belts, A/C, forced air, reading lights, power door, power step, curtains, coach rear, bi-xenon lights, auto gearbox, 189,000 miles.

24 seats + courier 3 point belts luggage racks, reading lights, blown air, private plate, full skirts, wheel trims, stunning condition, more pictures available.

POA

£32,495 + VAT Call Karl at Whitegate Travel Tel: 01606 786833 Mobile: 07841 110426

Connaught PSV – 01405 814064

2003 Mercedes Citaros

38 + 34 standees, LEZ complaint, full DDA, dual door, Hanover LEDs, CCTV, in good condition, very low mileage (240,000 – 260,000 km), 1 year’s MOT. Choice of 6 (5 x 53 plate and 1 x 03 plate). £40,000 each + VAT

yourbus – 01773 714013

Mercedes 814D Euro Coach

PSV 12/5/13, taxed 30/4/13, full service history.

£58,000

Contact William on 07733 914050

1998 Volvo Olympian

Northern Counties low height body, ZF gearbox, 76 seats + 8, choice of 2.

£9,950

Stafford Bus Centre 01782 791774

1998 R REG OPTARE SOLO

2001 Mercedes 814 Vario Optare Nouvelle

Volvo Olympian open top bus

MAN Fast Carrier

Mercedes engine, Allison, 30 seats, new MOT.

31/33 high back seats, forced air, reading lights, PA system, power door and boot.

Alexander Dennis body, P reg (1997), seats 75.

Fitted with a PA system, new MOT on purchase.

Choice of 5 vehicles.

57 dual purpose seats + 12 standees, 3 point belts, power front and side doors, auto gearbox, double glazed tinted glass and curtains, 238,157 miles.

POA

POA

EnsignBus 01708 865656

Connaught PSV – 01405 814064

Bath Bus Company 01225 330444

1999 Volvo B10M Jonckheere

1995 Scania K113 VanHool Alizee

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48 reclining seats with retractable belts, monitor, DVD, radio + cassette, rear toilet with rear door, fully sprayed and new stretch panels fitted, good coach, just been to Spain, lovely driver.

£20,000 + VAT ono

Paul Watson Travel paul.watson9@btconnect.com

Converted this year to 70 seater using Cogent seats with 3 point belts, tea machine, TV/DVD.

£27,500 Milligans Coach Travel 01290 550365

£92,000

Blythswood Motors 0141 889 9730

2002 Futura

Full exec spec, Eminox euro 4 exhaust, 49 seats, green cloth, manual, 792K kms, new MOT on sale.

£55,000 + VAT L.J. Edwards: 01323 440622 option 2 or John 07974 369570

Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com

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2006 Mercedes Benz 814 Vario

2006 MAN 14.220 SLF MCV Evolution 11.2m

Mercedes Benz 814D Plaxton

2008 Mercedes 515 CDI Soroco

27 coach seats with 3 point belts, perfect for school bus or private hire, choice of two – one manual, one auto, private plate and power door.

19 high back seats, forced air, A/C, D/G, reading lights, power door and boot, in metallic silver.

ÂŁ8,995 + VAT Call Karl at Whitegate Travel Tel: 01606 786833 Mobile: 07841 110426

Connaught PSV – 01405 814064

1999 Iveco Beulis

2003 Transbus ALX400

ÂŁ10,000

49 seats, 4 x 4 box, air con, new test, toilet.

53 reg, 76 belted seats, LEZ compliant, new conversion with new high back seats.

Drew Wilson Coach Sales 0141 248 5524

ÂŁPOA

ÂŁ47,995

Blythswood Motors 0141 889 9730

BASE Ltd – 01772 425355

ÂŁ32,495 + VAT Call Karl at Whitegate Travel Tel: 01606 786833 Mobile: 07841 110426

40 seats + 21 standees, DDA compliant, Hanover LED, direct off lease from a major operator. £32,500 + VAT – CHOICE Southdown PSV 01342 711840 email: bussales@southdownpsv.co.uk www.southdownpsv.co.uk

2007 MERCEDES SPRINTER 311 CDI WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

1999 Mercedes 814D Mellor

24 seats + courier, 3 point belts, luggage racks, reading lights, blown air, private plate, full skirts, wheel trims, very low mileage, test 27/10/2013, stunning condition.

Automatic gearbox, 2200cc cdi turbo diesel, AMF wheelchair lift, tracking for upto 3 wheelchairs plus 4 seated, panoramic glass, 66000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty. ÂŁ 18995 + VAT

Ben Weaver Commercials 0114 275 7076

2004 Bova Futura

33 coach seats, 3 point belts, MOT 21/11/12, luggage racks, forced air, power door, boot/side locker, manual gearbox, tacho, repainted cream.

POA

2010 Alexander Enviro 200 <RXÂś UH L Q FRQW URO

51 seat executive, ZF auto, LEZ compliant, excellent condition, centre sunken toilet, 2 monitors, DVD, driver and crew seat retrimmed. Ready to go.

Very clean example of the market leading bus, fitted with seat belts.

ÂŁ55,000 + VAT

ÂŁ82,500

Travelstar European 01922 647100 / 07779 801862

Plaxton Coach Sales Centre 01909 551166

1998 Volvo B10M Caetano Enigma

Mercedes Plaxton Cheetah

49 seats with retractable belts, monitor, DVD, radio, cassette, taxed and tested, has air-con but needs re-gas + belts, needs t.l.c. but good motor.

ÂŁ15,500 + VAT ono

Paul Watson Travel paul.watson9@btconnect.com

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29 seater plus large boot, very nice clean exterior and brand new seat trim, new wheel rims, taxed with short test but can be re-tested if required.

ÂŁ14,500 o.n.o.

Lightning Travel â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 017530 237830

Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com

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ALFA COACHES HAVE FOR SALE DUE TO FLEET REPLACEMENT

2002 Optare Solo M920

Dennis Plaxton R Series Cummins 420, AStronic Gearbox 2004: 5 x 53 seats £40,000 plus VAT 2005: 2 x 53 seats £50,000 plus VAT Volvo B12B Plaxton Paragon Easyshift gearbox, LEZ compliant 2006: 2 x 53 seats £84,000 plus VAT All are well maintained, low mileage examples (approximately 62,000km per annum) with reclining seats, 3 point seat belts and air conditioning. Owned by us from new and used on our own holiday programme. All over cream. Price includes new MoT. Sorry no part exchange facilities!

To view contact Tom Smith, Operations Manager, on 01257 248136

2003 Setra 315 GTHD

2006 Plaxton Cheetah

49 seat with retractable belts, low mileage, seat back tables, footrests, centre toilet, power door, air con, webasto, cool box and boiler 2 x monitors and DVD, radio cassette, LEZ exhaust, great drive.

Automatic gearbox, only had one owner from new.

2001 MAN Neoplan 12 months MOT, 12 months tax, full tank of fuel, one owner driver for the last 5 years, 49 seater, toilet, aircon, drivers bunk, alloy wheels, just refurbished, 2 new 22in Samsung LED monitors, black-out windows, TV tuner, DVD system all fitted 8 months ago, good mpg, 3 new air bags, new belts, hoses and interior LED lights just fitted, 600,000km, based in Glasgow. £33,500 + VAT

Contact Gary 07930 377051

2000 SCANIA T9

02 reg, 31 seats – three available.

£11,750

Stafford Bus Centre 01782 791774

2007 Scania K340/ Caetano Levante

Choice of 2, 49 leather reclining seats, ZF automatic gearbox and retarder, Hanover front, side and rear destinations, WC, air conditioning, PLS magic lift, low mileage, recently refurbished and can be used on National Express network until June 2016.

£54,500

53 seats, excellent condition, PSV 26/5/13, taxed 30/4/13, service records, lovely bus all round and just had an interior re-trim.

Paul Watson Travel paul.watson9@btconnect.com

Plaxton Coach Sales Centre 01909 551166

£24,750

£80,000 + VAT each

Belfast Bus – 07921 389720

yourbus – 01773 714013

2008 Setra 416 GT HD

2003 Futura

VOLVO B12B

2009 MAN NL273F Wrightbus Meridian 12m

£53,500 + VAT ono

53 seat Comfort class, 12 speed ASTronic gearbox, air con, PA, CD & DVD, hot drinks & fridge, WC/washroom, seat belts, continental entrance.

£99,500 + VAT

Florida Taxi Coaches 01787 477701

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" 4

4 5 " / % " 3 %

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"

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' 0 3

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Full exec spec, Eminox euro 4 exhaust, 49 seats, green cloth, manual, 695K kms, new MOT on sale.

£65,000 + VAT L.J. Edwards: 01323 440622 option 2 or John 07974 369570

375,604 miles, PSV 25/4/13, taxed 31/3/13, full service history.

£120,000

Contact William on 07733 914050

1994 Volvo B9M Berkof Excellence

2007 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 515 CDI

Good solid engine and gearbox, tidy bodywork, MOT till April 2014, 37 recliners, loads of legroom and a rear toilet.

Imm delivery. Extra long. Ext’d body, manual, c/back boot door, 16 seats + 2 tables, 3 pt seat belts, aisle side arm rests, curtains, large boot, 197000 mls, panoramic windows, Euroliners, full length luggage racks, forced air + reading lights, under dash storage box, PA, new MOT, ready to go, location Crawley.

POA 01293 852025/01293 852040/0771 9103203

£14,000 Milligans Coach Travel 01290 550365

44 seats + 26 standees, fully DDA compliant, Mobitec LED, CCTV, digital tachograph, ex-lease. £67,500 + VAT Southdown PSV 01342 711840 email: bussales@southdownpsv.co.uk www.southdownpsv.co.uk

Luxury VW Crafter

2007, 16 seats, A/C, DVD, microphone, 125,000 miles, 8 months MOT, excellent condition.

£25,000

Slick Rides – 07823 770978

Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com

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Ensig DOUBLE DECK 85

SEAT S

2000 DENNIS TRIDENTS Alexander ALX400 bodies, converted to high capacity 85 seat school buses.

LEZ

COMPLIANT

1999/2000/2001 V/X/51 PLATE DENNIS TRIDENTS Cummins/Voith, LEZ compliant for 2012 with traps to Euro 4, CCTV, Alexander ALX400 bodies, DDA compliant or upseated to 80 seats.

1999 T/V REG DENNIS TRIDENTS

1999 T/V REG DENNIS DART SLF’S

Caetano Compass bodies, 39 seats, ramps.

Cummins/Voith, LEZ compliant with traps, Plaxton President bodies, 62 seats dual door or 70 when converted to single door.

Last few remaining from £8,500.

2000 VOLVO B7TL’S

2001 Y REG VOLVO B7TL’S Euro 3 with traps, DDA, LWB, Plaxton bodies, 67 seats as 2 doors or 78 once converted to single door.

80 seats, Voith gearboxes, Euro 2 engines with traps, or full Euro 3 with traps, Plaxton President bodies, can be DDA with 78 seats.

1996 VOLVO B10M

1999 VOLVO B7TL’S

ZF automatic, Plaxton Premiere 350, 70 seats, air-con.

SWB, CCTV, particulate traps so LEZ compliant, Plaxton President bodies, dual door 62 seats or single door 71 seats.

2002 52 PLATE VOLVO B7TL’S 2005 NEOPLAN SKYLINER Air-con, auto, MAN engine, DDA, 89 seats.

DDA and LEZ, 70 seats, Euro 3, £24000 plus VAT.

OPEN TOP BUSES A SPECIALITY -

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

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nbus

K ER SPECIALIST 1998 R REG VOLVO B10BLE’S

2000 W REG DAF SB220’S

ZF auto, East Lancs Myllenium bodies, SLF, 46 seats.

1998 R REG DENNIS JAVELIN ZF 6 speed manual, Plaxton Premiere 350, 53 seats, new MOT.

Voith automatic gearboxes, SLF, Alexander ALX300 bodies, 44 seats and 27 standing, heavy duty low floor buses. They can also be converted to be DDA compliant.

2003 SCANIA OMNICITY CN94UB

2000 VOLVO B7TL’S

ZF gearboxes, Alexander ALX400 bodies, new COIF / MOT, 82 seats or 80 seats with DDA compliance.

2 door, Euro 3, ZF automatic, 37 seats, 12m, DDA.

1997 VOLVO OLYMPIAN

1995 VOLVO OLYMPIAN

Volvo Euro 2 engine, 76 seats, Northern Counties low height (13 feet 8) body, MOT Feb 2014.

Cummins L10 / ZF, Northern Counties body, low height 13 feet 8, 77 seats.

2001/2002 DENNIS TRIDENTS

1991 DENNIS JAVELIN

51 and 02 plate, Cummins Euro 3 ISC engines, LEZ, Plaxton President bodies, can be DDA, single door and 78 seats, or dual door 67 seats.

ZF automatic, Plaxton body, 53 high back seats with 3 point belts.

1998 R REG VOLVO OLYMPIANS Euro 2 engines, ZF gearboxes, Northern Counties bodies, 80 seats.

2008 SCANIA OMNICITY N230UD 64 seats, 2 door, Euro 5, can be converted to single door 75 seats.

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

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H. W. PIC

MINIBUS & WHE ELCHAIR A

GARDINERS LANE NORTH • CRAYS HI

Tel: 01268 521033 • Mobile: 07860 894331 • Fax

www.hwpic

10 REG PEUGEOT PARTNER TEPEE URBAN 1.6 PETROL MANUAL GEARBOX, CD, ELECTRIC WINDOWS & MIRRORS, TWIN SIDE LOADING DOORS, HIGH BACK SEAT IN REAR SINGLE PASSENGER SEAT, CUT OUT FLOOR, FOLD DOWN RAMP, GOWERINGS CONVERSION, ONLY 4,105 MILES.

58 REG FORD TRANSIT TOURNEO CONNECT 1.8 HDI MANUAL GEARBOX, CD, ELEC WINDOWS & MIRRORS, A/C, TWIN SIDE LOADING DOORS, HIGH BACK SEAT IN REAR SINGLE PASSENGER SEAT, CUT OUT FLOOR, LOWERING AIR SUSPENSION, FOLD DOWN RAMP, GOWERINGS CONVERSION, ONLY 8,600 MILES.

05 REG VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER T30 TDI LWB, MAN G/BOX, CD, ELEC WINDOWS & MIRRORS, FULL A/C CLIMATE FRONT AND REAR, TWIN SIDE LOADING DOORS, 9 HIGH BACK SEAT IN REAR, UNWIN TRACKING, BRAUN TAIL LIFT, REAR TAIL GATE & BLINDS, COTRIM CONVERSION, 29,209 MILES.

57 REG VAUXHALL MOVANO MM33 2.5TD 6 SPEED MANUAL GEARBOX, MWB, HIGH ROOF, PAS, TWIN SIDE LOADING DOOR, SIDE STEP, 8 SEATS PLUS DRIVER PLUS 1 X W/CHAIR, WEBASTO HEATER, FULLY TESTED UNWIN INOTRAC TRACKED FLOOR, RICON TAIL LIFT, 28,345 MILES ONLY.

57 REG FORD TRANSIT 100 350 2.4TDCI MANUAL, MWB, HIGH ROOF, PAS, SCW CONVERSION, SIDE LOADING DOOR, SIDE STEP, 8 HIGH BACK SEATS, FULLY UNWIN TRACKED FLOOR, DASH AC, EBERSPACHER HEATER, RATCLIFF UNDERFLOOR TAIL LIFT, 11,092 MILES ONLY.

57 REG RENAULT MASTER, MM33 2.5TD MANUAL GEARBOX, HIGH ROOF, GLENEAGLES CONVERSION, PAS, SLD, ELECTRIC SIDE STEP, 8 REMOVABLE REAR HIGH BACK SEATS (10 seats in total) PLUS DRIVER, AIR CON, UNWIN TRACKING & SOLO SYSTEM FITTED, RICON TAIL LIFT, 22,487 MILES ONLY.

2008 57 REG VAUXHALL MOVANO MM33 2.5TD 6 SPEED MANUAL GEARBOX, MWB, HIGH ROOF, PAS, TWIN SIDE LOADING DOOR, SIDE STEP, 9 SEATS PLUS DRIVER PLUS 1 x W/CHAIR, HEATER, UNWIN TRACKED FLOOR, RICON TAIL LIFT, 39191 MILES ONLY, EURO 4.

2009 58 REG RENAULT TRAFFIC, LH29 2.0TD AUTOMATIC GEARBOX, HIGH ROOF, SCW CONVERSION, TWIN SIDE LOADING DOORS, SIDE STEP, 6 REAR HIGH BACK SEATS PLUS DOUBLE PASSENGER & DRIVER AC, EBERSPACHER HEATER, UNWIN TRACKING, RICON TAIL LIFT, 38,309 MILES ONLY.

06 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 411 CDI MANUAL GEAR BOX, LWB, PAS, O & H CONVERSION, N/S FULL HEIGHT MANUAL DOOR, 16 HIGH BACK REMOVABLE SEATS, EBERSPACHER HEATER, RATCLIFF UNDERFLOOR T/ LIFT, EX NHS, COIF'D,103,080 KMS, PSV TESTED TILL MARCH 2014.

57 REG PEUGEOT BOXER, 2.5TD MANUAL GEAR BOX, HIGH ROOF, PAS, LWB, O&H CONVERSION, SLD, AVS SIDE STEP, 8 REAR HIGH BACK SEATS PLUS 1 x WHEELCHAIR SPACE, UNWIN TRACKING, EBERSPACHER HEATER, RICON TAIL LIFT, EX LOCAL AUTHORITY, 20,286 MILES.

57 REG CITROEN RELAY 2.5TD MANUAL GEAR BOX, HIGH ROOF, PAS, LWB, O&H CONVERSION, SLD, AVS SIDE STEP, 9 SEATS PLUS DRIVER PLUS 1 X WHEELCHAIR SPACE, UNWIN TRACKING, EBERSPACHER HEATER, RICON TAIL LIFT, EX LOCAL AUTHORITY, 21,647 MILES.

59 REG RENAULT MASTER LM35 2.5TD MANUAL, HIGH ROOF, PAS, LWB, GLENEAGLES CONVERSION, SIDE LOADING DOOR, SIDE STEP, 8 HIGH BACK SEATS, FULLY TRACKED UNWIN FLOOR, LOWERING AIR SUSPENSION & PORTARAMP, WEBASTO HEATER, 11,199 MILES.

For latest stock arrivals follow

@h_w_pickrell

ICKRELL 697745-1097-Pickrell DPS

22/7/13

14:08

Page 2

A I R AC CE S S I B L E M I N I BU S E S

HILL • BILLERICAY • ESSEX • CM11 2XE

ax: 01268 284951 • Email: sales@hwpickrell.co.uk

ckrell.co.uk 2008 57 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 311 2.2CDI 6 SPEED MANUAL G/BOX, SEMI HIGH ROOF, PAS, MWB, SLD, 10 HIGH BACK SEATS INCLUDING DRIVER, BLUETOOTH & SAT NAV, AIR CON, ELEC WINDOWS & MIRRORS, ELECTRIC SIDE STEP, UNWIN TRACKING, RICON TAIL LIFT, 39,834 MILES.

08 REG FORD TRANSIT 430 JUMBO 2.4TDCI MANUAL GEARBOX, HIGH ROOF, PAS, LWB, TACHO, SIDE LOADING DOOR, ELECTRIC SIDE STEP, 13 RESCROFT SEATS, UNWIN FULLY TRACKED FLOOR, EBERSPACHER HEATER, UNDERFLOOR RATCLIFF TAIL LIFT, TACHO, 34,955 MILES. (WHITE)

58 REG IVECO DAILY 50C13 IRIS BUS 3.0 MANUAL GEARBOX, HIGH ROOF, PAS, LWB, TACHO, POWER DOOR, 16 REAR HIGH BACK SEATS (17 seats in total), UNWIN TRACKED FLOOR, EBERSPACHER HEATER, RATCLIFF T/ LIFT, COIF, 63,371 MILES, PSV TESTED TILL MARCH 2014 (WHITE)

54 & 06 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 413 CDI UVG TREKA AUTO GEARBOX, LWB, PAS, CLIMATE CONTROL, N/S/F ELECTRIC POWER DOOR, 16 HIGH BACK REMOVABLE SEATS ON NMI QUICK RELEASE, EBERSPACHER, PLS UNDERFLOOR T/LIFT, EX LOCAL AUTHORITY, COIF'D, 60,000 KMS ONLY. CHOICE.

58 REG IVECO DAILY 50C13 IRIS BUS 3.0 AUTO GEAR BOX, HIGH ROOF, PAS, LWB, TACHO, POWER DOOR, 16 REAR HIGH BACK SEATS (17 seats in total), AMF TRACKED FLAT FLOOR, EBERSPACHER HEATER, FULL AIR CON, PLS T/LIFT, COIF, 49,381 MILES ONLY.

08 REG VW CRAFTER CR50 2.5TDI 108PS LWB, SCW MINIBUS CONVERSION, FRONT ENTRY SLAM DOOR, 16 HIGH BACK REMOVABLE SEATS ON NMI QUICK RELEASE, FLAT FLOOR, EBERSPACHER, RATCLIFF UNDERFLOOR T/ LIFT, EX LOCAL AUTHORITY, COIF'D, TACHO, 39,161 MILES.

58 REG IVECO DAILY 50C13 IRIS BUS 3.0 AUTO GEARBOX, HIGH ROOF, TACHO, SCW CONVERSION, POWER DOOR, 16 REAR HIGH BACK SEATS (17 seats in total), FULLY TRACKED FLAT FLOOR, EBERSPACHER HEATER, FULL AIR CON, CLIMATE CONTROL, PLS T/ LIFT, COIF, VERY HIGH SPEC, 84,213KMS.

2008 57 REG VW TRANSPORTER T32 AUTO GEARBOX, LWB, PAS, BLUEBIRD TUCANA, N/S ELECTRIC POWER DOOR WITH FOLD OUT LOW ENTRY RAMP, 12 HIGH BACK REMOVABLE SEATS, EBERSPACHER, REAR LOWERING AIR SUSPENSION & RAMP, EX LOCAL AUTHORITY, ONLY 25,391 MILES.

NEW UN REG IVECO DAILY 50C17 IRIS BUS 3.0 AGILE GEARBOX, HIGH ROOF, PAS, LWB, TACHO, POWER FRONT ENTRY DOOR, 16 REAR HIGH BACK SEATS (17 seats in total), UNWIN INNOTRAX FLAT FLOOR, UNDERFLOOR RATCLIFF T/ LIFT, COIF/IVA TO TAKE UP TO 5 WHEELCHAIRS.

08 REG RENAULT MASTER LM35 2.5TD MANUAL GEARBOX, HIGH ROOF, FACTORY CONVERSION, PAS, SIDE LOADING DOORS, ELECTRIC SIDE STEP, 16 HIGH BACK SEATS PLUS DRIVER, TESTED FLOOR, TACHO FITTED, 6,183 KMS ONLY, 3,812 MILES ONLY FROM NEW.

2010 10 REG VOLKSWAGEN CRAFTER CR50 2.5TDI 108PS, LWB, EXCEL MINIBUS CONVERSION, SIDE LOADING DOOR, AVS STEP, 16 HIGH BACK ABACUS SEATS ON T BOLTS, EBERSPACHER, COIF, EX LOCAL AUTHORITY, 35,280 KMS.

61 REG RENAULT MASTER F3500 2.5TD MANUAL GEARBOX, HIGH ROOF, FACTORY CONVERSION, PAS, SIDE LOADING DOORS, ELECTRIC SIDE STEP, 16 HIGH BACK SEATS PLUS DRIVER, TESTED FLOOR, OVER HEAD STORAGE SHELVES, TACHO FITTED, 20,137 KMS ONLY.

Finance available on all vehicles (subject to status) – written details available on request

682633-1097-Eastwoods DPS

22/7/13

15:28

Page 1

DUE TO ILLNESS OF THE MD, MASSIVE SALE WITH HUGE REDUCTIONS – ALL MUST BE SOLD!

O

E N

O S

D L

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

Straight from MOD.

£P.O.A

Straight from MOD

02 SETRA

Model S-315 GT HD, 6 cylinder MAN engine, manual 6 speed gearbox, 49 seater, continental door, full air conditioning, many extras, full year MOT

£40,000 o.n.o for quick sale Part exchange considered

682633-1097-Eastwoods DPS

22/7/13

15:29

Page 2

IVECO SERVICE BUS

67 seats (moquet), new 2006, only 12,000 miles since new,Vihixel body, auto gearbox, air-con, MOT full year, LEZ, must be seen, superb condition, wheelchair facility.

VOLVO B10M PLAXTON PARAGON 48 reclining seats plus courier seat, air-con, full MOT, nice vehicle.

£48,000 o.n.o.

03 MERCEDES VARIO

With wheelchair lift, 13 seats, low mileage, extra seats available, MOT full year.

£12,000 + VAT

£35,000

1996 VOLVO PLAXTON PREMIER HIGH LINER

B10 engine, full MOT, 70 seats, tinted double glazing, curtains, continental door, aircraft lockers, must be seen.

DRIVER TRAINING VEHICLE

06 MAN EVOLUTION

14/220, 37 seats, SLF automatic, wheelchair ramp, superb condition throughout, fully MoT’d.

£39,750

DENNIS JAVELIN

10 metre, 47 high back seats, ABS brakes, Class 5 MOT, Cummins 220 engine, 6 speed gearbox, new stretch panels repainted white, ready for service.

£13,750

£18,000

BERKOF RADIAL 1998

53 seats, Cummins 300 engine, ex council, manual box, air cond, MoT, very low mileage, super condition.

£18,750

BMC AIRPORT BUS

32 seats, 220 Cummins, MOT tested.

QUICK SALE WANTED.

£12,000 o.n.o.

p42_CBW_1097

22/7/13

17:55

Page 1

681973-1097-Pembridge

22/7/13

15:44

Page 1

NEW PRE-REGISTERED FORDS

New Ford Transit 17 seat 4.3ton 135ps minibus, air-con, tacho From £20,795 + VAT

OTHER MAKES

(56) 2006 Peugeot Boxer 3.5t on 17 seat minibus 2.8 diesel, high back seats with three point belts, 33,000 miles £8,995

FORD TRANSIT MINIBUSES

(12) 2012 Ford Transit Tourneo 9 seat Trend 2.2 125 PS, air-con, Bluetooth, in Midnight Sky Blue, 2,608 miles £14,900 + VAT (12) 2012 Ford Transit 17 seat minibus 135ps air-con, tacho, COIF/PSV £18,450

(05) 2005 Mercedes Vito 9 seat LWB 2.2 diesel, 6 speed gearbox, air-con, large boot £6,995

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS

(57) 2008 Iveco 50c15 wheelchair accessible minibus, 17 seats or 4 seated + 5 wheelchairs, rear heating, underfloor tail lift, front entry drop step, 90,000 km COIF/PSV £15,495

D L O S

(11) 2011 Ford Transit 9 seat Shuttle Bus, twin side loading doors, large rear luggage area, delivery miles only £16,995

(07) 2007 LDV Maxus 13 seat wheelchair accessible minibus, under floor lift, space for two wheelchairs, electric side step £8,495

(10) 2010 Ford Transit 17 seat minibus 2.4 diesel, six speed gearbox, tacho, 55,000 km £13,495

(06) 2006 Vauxhall Vivaro 1.9 cdti 9 seat, inboard lift, tracking for 2 wheelchairs, 45,000 miles £8,995

(57) 2007 Renault Master MWB 2.5TD 6 speed, tracking for two wheelchairs, in board lift, aircon, rear heating, 35,000 miles, one owner £12,495

(58) 2008 Ford Transit 12 seat minibus 2.2 diesel, twin side loading doors, tacho, 35,000 miles £10,995 (07) 2007 Ford Transit 17 seat minibus 2.4 diesel, six speed, one owner, 64,000 miles, FSH, COIF/PSV £9,950 + VAT

OTHER MAKES

New Peugeot Boxer 16 seat 3.5 ton and 17 seat w/chair accessible minibuses, 2.2 diesel 120ps, six speed gearbox LEZ COMPLIANT From £24,750 + VAT (10) 2010 Renault Master 17 seat LM39 2.5 diesel, high back seats, nice spec £11,450 (56) 2006 Peugeot Boxer 3.5 ton 17 seat LWB minibus, 2.8 diesel, high back seats with three point seat belts, 19,000 miles only £9,450

(

(05) 2005 Fiat Ducato 20ltr diesel SWB 6 Seat wheelchair accessible minibus, Unwin fully tracked floor to take two wheelchairs, lightweight fold out ramp, electric winch £3,995

(55) 2005 Peugeot Boxer 3.5 ton 17 seat minibus 2.8 diesel, with three point seat belts, tow bar, removable seats to rear, 77,000 miles £6,995

D SOL

Y 2001 Renault Mascot 2.8 diesel, 16 seat wheelchair accessible minibus, front entry drop step, fully tracked floor to take five wheelchairs, under floor lift, rear heating, COIF/PSV £5,995

PART-EX TO CLEAR

D SOL

(X) 2000 Ford Transit SWB 2 litre petrol 11 seat minibus, MOT until March 2014 in VGC £1,250 no VAT

Contact Graham Thatcher – email: sales@minibussales.co.uk

Tel: 01633 485858 Mobile: 07866 443304

Pembridge House, The Park Business Centre, Plough Road, Goytre, Penperlleni, Nr Usk, South Wales NP4 0AL – 10 minutes from M4 motorway. Viewing by appointment only

Finance Contract Hire and Finance Lease Available. We deliver Nationwide. All vehicles prepared to VOSA standard COIF/PSV specialist

All above prices are subject to VAT @ 20%

p44_CBW_1097

22/7/13

18:13

Page 44

44 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 24, 2013

TDTRAVELAUCTION Saturday 3rd August 2013, 12 noon prompt Viewing Friday 2nd August 2013

The Squares, Coast Road, Mostyn, Holywell, Flintshire CH8 9DZ Volvo B10M Van Hool 53 Seat Coach Volvo Alexander 49 Seat Bus Dennis Dart 40 Seat Bus Mercedes Cheetah 33 Seat Coach Mercedes Nouvelle 33 Seat Coach Volkswagen LT46TDi 16 Seat Mini Bus Renault Traffic T110D 10 Seat Mini Bus Renault Master Wheelchair Access Mini Bus Renault Master Wheelchair Access Mini Bus Renault Master Wheelchair Access Mini Bus Renault Master Wheelchair Access Mini Bus

FREE ONLINE BIDDING AVAILABLE Click the link on our website to register

Contact Charlie Foyle or Graham Johnson on 01630 674326

www.malcolmharrison.co.uk auctions@malcolmharrison.co.uk All overseas and first time buyers not known to the auctioneer must lodge ÂŁ1000 refundable deposit on registration by cash/credit/debit card.

MALCOLM HARRISON AUCTIONS

682251-1097-Dawsons

22/7/13

15:14

Page 1

p46_CBW_1097

22/7/13

17:39

Page 46

46 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 24, 2013

Volvo Olympians

Large selection, all taxed and PSVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d, ZF auto boxes, recently re-upholstered, just out of services, upper deck 47, lower 31, standing 8.

We also have a number of Dennis Dart and Volvo single decker buses with seat belts.

Contact us for more information: 01530 560566 07836 517350 sales@truckandplantsalesltd.com

696864-1095-Connaught

8/7/13

11:45

Page 1

Mini Coach Sales

BRAND NEW COACH BUILT MERCEDES 516 FERQUI SOROCO 16 high back leather trimmed reclining seats, courier seat, A/C, D/G, power door, large boot, DVD, silver metallic. AVAILABLE NOW.

BRAND NEW MERCEDES FERQUI TORO 28/32 high back seats + courier, A/C, D/G, forced air, reading lights, power door, large boot.

BRAND NEW MERCEDES BENZ FERQUI SOROCO 19 high back seats, 3 point belts, A/C, D/G, forced air, reading lights and boot.

2011 MERCEDES 519 CDI SPRINTER X-CLUSIVE AUTO 16 high back full leather trimmed seats, 3 point belts, A/C, D/G, power door, glass roof, large boot and DVD system.

2011 61 REG MERCEDES 513 CDI TRANSFER 16 high back seats, 3 point belts, A/C, parking sensors, side entry with automatic step, luggage space.

2010 59 REG MERCEDES 515 CDI TRAVEL 45 16 high back reclining seats, 3 point belts, A/C, forced air, reading lights, DVD, power door & power step, coach rear, auto.

2008 08 REG MERCEDES 515 CDI SOROCO 16 high back seats, forced air, A/C, D/G, reading lights, power door and boot, in silver metallic.

2008 08 REG MERCEDES 515CDI SPRINTER 16 high back seats, 3 point belts, AC, forced air, reading lights, under-floor wheelchair lift, silver.

2007 07 REG MERCEDES 515CDI SOROCO 19 high back seats, 3 point belts, A/C, D/G, forced air, reading lights, power door, boot, in silver metallic.

2007 07 REG MERCEDES 515CDI SOROCO 16 high back seats, 3 point belts, AC, DG, forced air, reading lights, DVD, power door and large boot.

2005 05 REG MERCEDES 814D PLAXTON CHEETAH 33 high back seats, 3 point belts, forced air, reading lights, power door and boot.

2003 03 REG MERCEDES 413 CDI SOROCO 16 high back seats, 3 point belts, AC, forced air, reading lights, power door and boot.

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

p48_CBW_1097

22/7/13

18:11

Page 48

48 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 24, 2013

TRAVELBILLITY 2005 Mellor 33 seats with boot, forced air, analogue tacho, 260,000kms, MOT 10/2013

2005 Plaxton Beaver 2006 Mellor 28 seats or 9 W/C, 29 seats, large boot, automative, climate air con, analogue control, 98,000kms, tacho, 287,000kms, MOT 09/2013 MOT 10/2013

1998 VW LT

2006 LDV Maxus

£2,500 + private plate not included in sale

May 2014 £3,995 + VAT

MWB, 12 seats, PLS 7 seats, PTS spec, underfloor side step, very wheelchair accessible, versatile, too good to scrap Ricon tail lift, MOT

2006 LDV Maxus 8 seats, wheelchair accessible, GM Coach conversion £6,995 + VAT

All prices + VAT FINANCE CAN BE ARRANGED

Please call 01934 515511 or email info@travelbillity.com Location 2 minutes from J21 M5

65 SEAT S

15 RE MET

2007 VOLVO B12BT PLAXTON PANTHER 15M 65 SEATS n Auto n Air con n LEZ compliant

n DDA compliant n Front lift n Rear toilet

All for £89,950 + VAT OVNO

NEW BATCH RELEASED Call Mike Austin for more information

07834 810907

E&OE

........Distinctly Different

EVM Elegance Available Now!

EVM SPRINTER Elegance 19 + G + D

19 Club Class seats in Moquette.

Automatic Gearbox.

Privacy Glass.

In Dash A/C.

Saloon heater.

Forced air to Passenger Units.

3 Stage Entry Step.

Luggage racks with Strip lights.

European Type Approval.

3 Year Unlimited mileage UK Chassis Warranty.

Available for immediate delivery

EVM X-Clusive up 19 seats

EVM Avantgarde up to 19 seats

EVM Classic up to 22 seats

EVM Shuttle up to 16 seats

View available stock and configure your new minibus online at www.evmdirect.co.uk EVM, Units 1-3 Wellingham Way, Crawley Road, Horsham, RH12 4SE | t: 0845 5205160 | m: 0774 910 3203 | w: www.evmdirect.co.uk

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February 2013

Top ways to groups happykeep younger p22

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2012’s lasting legacy the best of London and p30

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p50_CBW_1097

22/7/13

17:31

Page 50

50 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 24, 2013

BUS & COACH RENTALS

CHECKPOINTS

The ABC of Rental Solutions

HEATING

FLEET SALES

RETIRING or

CHANGING YOUR FLEET?

Under your control.

For the time you need it.

Contact Malcolm Harrison Auctions

Bus and Coach

01630 674326

01274 681144

busandcoachsales@arriva.co.uk www.arrivabusandcoach.co.uk

auctions@malcolmharrison.co.uk

HEAVY DUTY STEEL BUILDINGS

FINANCE

MALCOLM HARRISON AUCTIONS

BUILDINGS

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

Tel: 01993 849522 Fax: 01993 706920 Email: sales@thhs.co.uk

www.thhs.co.uk

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

• Bus Workshops • Secure Storage

• Supplied any width, any length

• Building to BS5590

• Doors high enough for Double Deckers • Finance available Phone for further information

BLUELINE BUILDINGS 01709 578333 anytime INSURANCE

Innovative funding solutions to fit every business. We specialise in raising funds for all types of companies from sole traders to PLCs. As a specialist business funder, Huxley Corporate Finance can provide your company with a wide range of finance facilities including the following:

• Equipment Finance • Vehicle Finance • Cash Flow • Mortgages • Company Acquisition • Capital Release Scheme • Vehicle Sourcing

Call the team to discuss your current financial requirements on 01829 730062

LIFTS & RAMPS

65A High Street, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 0DP T 01829 730062 F 01829 730063 E info@huxleycf.co.uk www.huxleycf.co.uk

p51_CBW_1097

22/7/13

15:35

Page 51

July 24, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 51

SIGNWRITING

PARTS

Sign Writing Services • Same day local delivery

• School Signs – Hard Back with Suckers, Magnetic or Stick-on • Legal Lettering, Stickers, Notices & Signs • Full Colour Latex Vinyl Printing & Design Service • Vinyl Livery Cut & Posted ready to apply

• Next day national delivery

Tel: 01884 290818 Mobile: 07583 334455 www.kjsupport.co.uk

• Full UK coverage

• Official Irizar part distributor

REGISTRATIONS

• All manufacturer parts supplier

£750 70 RXG AXZ 15 DXZ 10 KIG 80 LIG 57 MHZ 25 REZ 63 SNZ 55 XEZ 22

• Fast, efficient & 24/7

Tel: 01909 511349 www.master-part.co.uk PARTS

£99 EXZ 1660 FRZ 5515 GRZ 1261 GRZ 1262 HIG 3236 JIG 7992 KIG 6556 LIG 1676 LIG 1677

Over 17,000 parts lines directly from stock.

Next day delivery as standard.

Bus and Coach

TACHOGRAPH ANALYSIS

busandcoachsales@arriva.co.uk www.arrivabusandcoach.co.uk

BUCKINGHAM 3 & 2 • Ergonomic design for maximum support, comfort and legroom • Tried & tested: fitted into many new coaches as OEM

• Lighter weight makes easier for installation Prime Passenger Seating Limited 7 Canalwood Industrial Estate, Chirk, Wrexham LL14 5RL Telephone: 01691 898 665 Fax: 01691 770 798 Email: johnm@primeps.com

www.primeps.com

£50 CXZ 4471 DXZ 9293 EXZ 5505 EXZ 5506 FRZ 4155 FRZ 4156 JFZ 3439 LIG 2283 LIG 2284

£50 NFZ 3430 RHZ 1425 RHZ 1426 RNZ 9197 SNZ 3885 SNZ 3886 TUI 7175 UUI 2926 UUI 2927

Millwo od, L isbellaw, Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland B T94 5HQ

• Ideal for 3 & 2 configurations

• Full range of legs and fitting options make the Buckingham ideal for upseating to 70+ seats

£99 LIG 1678 RHZ 1511 RHZ 1512 SNZ 5222 SNZ 5223 SUI 8185 TJZ 8222 UUI 2888 UUI 2889

Tel: 028 6638 7124 • www.speedyreg.co.uk

SEATING

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You’re in charge.

Digital and analogue tachograph analysis

Take the photos, write the ad and change it later if you want to, all from your online dashboard.

Selling a vehicle is simple on . . .

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52 | COACH & BUS WEEK | July 24, 2013

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CPC Nat / International Driver CPC Digital Tachograph Drivers’ Hours Tachograph Analysis

July 24, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 53

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

Edwards’ enthusiastic future driver Monday: Press day. Fed up of hot conditions in the office, I invest in a desk fan – us Welsh hill folk are not accustomed to the heat of the Eastern Region. Alex hands in his notice to take up a role in another publishing sector. Production is delayed due to a combination of factors, so we finish later than we’ve become accustomed.

It is often said we need to encourage more young people into our industry. It seems South Walesbased Edwards Coaches has done just that, if this photo is anything to go by, which was sent in by Jason Edwards.

James, the eight-year-old grandson of Edwards’ Local Service Manager Dave Simms had the opportunity to wear fancy dress to school last week. When asked what he wanted to dress up as, he replied: “An Edwards coach driver.”

Aww...

Tuesday: Finish writing up my Jaspal Singh ‘Face to Face’ interview for the forthcoming Comfort Delgro superfeature. Convene a team meeting to update plans for forthcoming issues.

Like many of us, James’ enthusiasm for the industry has started young

A moody photo?

Despite the name, this driver didn’t appear to be in a bad mood...

Dilbert

Chances are, we’ve all met badtempered coach drivers – and perhaps even been one ourselves on the odd occasion. However, to actually shout about it on the side of the coach – as opposed to verbally or in ‘graffiti’ in the sometimes inevitable road dirt – is something groundbreaking, in our opinion. Even Afing, the home of the operator doesn’t sound a million miles away from an English swearword. On a serious note, this Neoplan Tourliner was spotted in the coach park alongside the boat terminal in Bratislava, during Gareth’s recent visit to the capital city of Slovakia on a friend’s stag do.

It was snapped prior to enjoying a trip up the Danube to Vienna.

Wednesday: Compile material for forthcoming issues, including a ‘Legal Update’, ‘Deliveries’ and for this issue, ‘Regional News’. Catch up with a friendly coach operator in the South West of England. I don rose tints about Devon and dream about a long weekend away with Sarah on a mixture of business & pleasure. Let’s hope she agrees.

Thursday: A hectic morning in the office writing. Interview a potential new addition to my team with Jonathan. I’m rather chuffed when the CEO of a large transport group asks me to join him for lunch.

Friday: Spend a chunk of the morning newshounding. I get a kick out of finding stories and putting my own angle on events. In between his hectic schedule, a Welsh coach operator call for a chat. I keep thinking I should profile his family firm as they’ve never, as far as I am aware, enjoyed a feature in the trade press. In the CBW office, it’s Andrew’s last day. As the day draws to a close, he’s presented with his leaving present and card.

I tell him how impressed I am at his commitment, which had remained 150% right until the end. Head up to my parents in the evening. We show the 009 model railway we’ve restored in my brother’s memory at the Cambrian RailEx in Oswestry on Sunday. www.coachandbusweek.com

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Fleet Engineer Galleon Travel is a small family owned and run business based on the Essex/ Hertfordshire boarder and have a family approach to our staff.

Due to recent expansion, Galleon Travel are looking for a Fleet Engineer to organise the workshop and workshop staff and become part of the management team.

The applicant must have a hands-on approach and be up-to-date with requirements for buses and coaches.

A PCV licence would be an advantage but not a requirement for the right candidate Salary negotiable.

If this interests you then, in the first instance, please email a C.V. to mark@galleontravel.co.uk

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Call Del Haggerty Just Coach Drivers Ltd 07950 292939 www.justcoachdrivers.com www.coachandbusweek.com

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RECRUITMENT & people

July 24, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 55

In association with

Deadlines Booking: Monday 5.00pm Full artwork: Monday 5.00pm Contact Ian Gillis T: 01733 293484 E: ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com

Wilts & Dorset body repairer retires after 28 years

Stagecoach boosts its UK Bus marketing

Tony Nother, who joined Wilts & Dorset at the company’s Poole depot as a Coach Builder in 1985 has retired. Tony, now 65, who previously worked as a self-employed body repairer, was joined by Jenny, his wife for over 40 years, at a presentation to be thanked for his exceptional and exemplary service to the company by Managing Director Andrew Wickham, Engineering Director Steve Hamilton and Poole Engineering Manager Kenny McDonald.

“We are grateful to Tony for his hard work over the years that has helped to ensure that the bus

Stagecoach Group’s UK Bus division has welcomed two new appointments to its marketing team.

Craig Carrington joins as UK Bus Assistant Marketing Manager and is based in Rugby. He is responsible for assisting in the development of the UK Bus marketing, branding and customer experience development and roll-out. Craig was most recently employed in the packaging industry, where he worked as a Divisional Marketing Manager, handling brands such as Coca Cola, Lego and Nestle.

Stagecoach has also announced Alan Sawyers has taken on the role of UK Bus Senior Designer.

Having worked with Stagecoach as an external designer since 2006, he has been responsible for the design work for megabus.com and its associated brands. He has also worked with many Stagecoach regional operating companies and will continue to provide services for all of these brands in his new role.

Alan will provide design support and direction on driving and rolling out UK Bus branding strategies, as well as supporting marketing units and working on national projects and campaigns.

Jodine Milne-Reader, UK Bus Marketing Manager said: “Both Craig and Alan have significant experience in their fields and will play an important part within the wider marketing team.”

New GM at Carlyle

Carlyle Bus & Coach has appointed Martin Whittaker as General Manager.

Martin joins Carlyle after more than 20 years in the automotive industry having previously worked for NSG Pilkington – global automotive supplier of glazing product in a succession of European and Global senior management roles including the automotive aftermarket.

Martin commented: “I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to join Carlyle Bus and Coach and help take the

Tony and Jenny Nother (centre) with Wilts & Dorest MD Andrew Wickham (left) and Engineering Director Steve Hamilton (right) fleet standards of presentation have been maintained to a high standard,” said Andrew Wickham.

“We wish him a long and happy retirement.”

Tony, from Winterborne

Martin Whittaker firm into the next phase of its development. With the support of the management team and all those involved with Carlyle, I look forward to adding value to the business. Carlyle is at a very interesting stage in its long history

Stickland, said he expects to become the family’s handyman: “I have a list of DIY jobs that will keep me busy in between enjoying some travelling but I will miss the great team at Poole.” and has a significant number of opportunities to grow its business which it will be really good to be part of.”

The newly created role is to help strengthen the management team and assist with the delivery of future growth and development of the business. Martin will report to and work closely with Mike Fortt, Carlyle’s Managing Director.

John Turton, Chairman, said: “I am pleased to welcome Martin to our team as I know he will be a huge asset to the company and management structure. I am confident he will use his wealth of experience and passion for professional development to the great benefit of the company.”

www.coachandbusweek.com

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681698-1092-Grayson

17/6/13

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