Coach & Bus Week : Issue 1172

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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.

In the face of falling garage forecourt pump prices, operators are under pressure to reduce rates and fares by members of the public, who may be unaware that fuel is but one factor in operating coaches and buses

Cheaper fuel, lower rates?

I

f you’re a coach or bus operator, I’m sure you will by now be familiar with at least one of your customers asking about reducing the price of a contract or fare for your services in the face of ‘plummeting fuel prices.’

Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said has urged operators and TfL to pass on lower fuel prices to consumers. This echoes the sort of sentiment uttered by the uninformed general public at large. As our industry insider columnist ‘Merlin’ writes on p32, “the only driver of cost consciousness in private motoring is the regular cost of fuel.”

While the public can be perhaps be forgiven for not being aware of the full picture, the same cannot be said of politicians holding key positions in the Treasury, the nation’s equivalent of the finance department.

In our industry, I know many operators have reduced their margins during the recession to help their customers, but then some of those customers seem to be in the ‘given an inch, take a mile’ mentality. There’s a delicate balancing act between

politely correcting their assertions and alienating them, and hence potentially losing work. That said, I always think that if you explain things in the right way, at least reasonable people may begin to understand that there is more to running coaches and buses than merely fuel.

Rates or fares cover overheads such as insurance and maintenance. And then there is hedging.

On a coaching note, I would like to draw your attention to our story on p10 of this issue about coaches being broken into in Babbacombe. I became aware of the issue thanks to operators and drivers on the Facebook group Coach Drivers North & South, which I try to take an active part in, as much as time allows.

Feel free to drop us a line if you are experiencing similar issues elsewhere or in Babbacombe.

After all, it is only through sharing experiences and drawing attention to a matter that things might change.

Gareth Evans Editor

Beat the Taxman IMMEDIATE COACH STOCK AVAILABLE Get your coach deal completed before the end of your tax year Contact John McNally for details. Tel: 07827 894445 Email: john.mcnally@kinglonguk.com

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January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 3 19/01/2015 18:52

CONTENTS

12 16 18

22 26

32 34

NEWS

The Campaign for Better Transport report on bus funding and reactions

NEWS FOCUS

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Bus and Coach Section

OPERATOR UPDATE

MINIBUS

39 42

An interview with Peter Lee, on Whippet Coaches being sold to Tower Transit

COMMENT 2015 brings higher expectations for the years ahead

MINIBUS NEWS

Latest deliveries and news from the minibus sector

GALLERY

Whippet Coaches’ fleet in pictures

FACE TO FACE

A chat with Tom Laverty, Robinson of Kimbolton’s oldest driver

INSIDE TRACK

Merlin asks if local authorities are doing their part help to keep buses moving

LEGAL NEWS

A look at the two-week suspension for Rutherford’s Travel

46

FIRST DRIVE

The Citroën Relay L3H2 130 Enterprise is taken on a test drive

Top Stories

Regulars

6 l TfL welcomes the European Court of Justices’ ruling on bus lanes

06 l News 08 l Bus News 10 l Coach News 14 l International News 40 l Big Picture 76 l Last Stop 77 l People

8 l Bus budget cuts for Sheffield mean that SYPTE workforce will be cut by 45% 10 l Coach operators and drivers are warned after spate of thefts from parked tourers at Babbacombe

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15/09/2014 09:25 19/01/2015 18:28

seeing come ns who what

NEWS

TfL welcomes ECJ judgment on bus lane policy

taxi meter and have a particularly thorough knowledge of London.

Concluding that in that context, the bus lane policy does not confer a selective economic advantage on taxis.

Leon Daniels, TfL’s Managing Director of Surface Transport, said: “Our policy on bus lanes was upheld by the High Court.

We welcome the opinion from the Advocate General and now the European Court of Justice, but ultimately await the decision of the Court of Appeal. As this process

continues we are maintaining our well-understood and effective policy that helps to keep London moving in the interest of everyone.”

In the original Judicial Review proceedings in 2012, TfL explained to the court that taxis are allowed to drive in bus lanes because they can ply for hire, whereas minicabs cannot. It would be more difficult to hail a taxi, especially on a busy road, if the vehicle concerned was not near to the kerb. Unlike minicabs, taxis are required to be wheelchair accessible and

their ability to use bus lanes is of great benefit to wheelchair users. Allowing tens of thousands of minicabs to drive in bus lanes would also impact on the reliability of bus services and risk inconveniencing the six and a half million passengers who travel on buses each day.

Mr Justice Burton agreed, noting in his High Court judgment: “There is to my mind a clear distinction between the need of black cabs (and their passengers and the public) for them to be in the bus lanes, by way of visibility and availability of, and access to, black cabs for those hailing a cruising taxi.”

He went on to note: “I consider it makes entire good sense for black cabs to be travelling in bus lanes.

Minicabs do not have the need to use the bus lane, and black cabs do.”

The proceedings were brought

by Eventech, a subsidiary of Addison Lee, against the Parking Adjudicator, which arose from Penalty Charge Notices issued

by Camden Council for illegal use of the Southampton Row bus lanes. Both the London Borough of Camden and TfL were named as interested parties. The High Court upheld TfL’s bus lanes policy in 2012 and the Court of Appeal hearing took place in April 2013.

increased this month to £1.50 per trip, up 5p on 2014’s prices.

Danny Alexander sought assurances that the mayor would pass the saving onto passengers ‘as quickly as possible.’

In his letter, Danny said: “The

government is providing generous support to transport in London, with an annual grant of over £1.5bn to Transport for London. However it is important given your role in setting fares that you play a part too in ensuring fares for passengers are

as low as possible.”

“With fuel prices dropping it’s right that the benefits are passed on. Falling oil prices are like a tax cut to the economy, but the positive effect will only be felt if the oil price falls are passed on.”

Eventech challenged TfL’s policy of allowing taxis, but not private hire vehicles, to use bus lanes in the capital Transport for London (TfL) on January 14 welcomed the judgment of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), in Luxembourg, on the case brought by Eventech, a subsidiary of Addison Lee, that challenged TfL’s policy of allowing taxis, but not private hire vehicles, to use bus lanes in the capital.

In its judgment, the ECJ recognised that taxis are distinct from minicabs noting the former’s “legal status, are in a factual and legal situation which is distinct from that of minicabs, and consequently those two categories of vehicles are not comparable.”

The ECJ notes that drivers of taxis are subject to strict standards in relation to their vehicles, their fares and their knowledge of London, whereas those standards do not apply to minicabs.

The ECJ goes on to recognise that only taxis can ply for hire, they are subject to the rule of ‘compellability,’ they must be recognisable and capable of conveying persons in wheelchairs, and their drivers must set the fares for their services by means of a

The European Court of Justice ruled that taxis are distinct from minicabs and allowing minicabs access to bus lanes would cause significant disruption

Request for London bus fare to be cut after oil prices drop Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, has written to Boris Johnson urging him to cut bus fares in the capital, following a fall in the price of crude oil.

Despite oil prices falling around $60 per barrel, London fares

6 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015 006_007_CBW1172_News.indd 6

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The Little Red Bus manager jailed for theft of nearly £100,000 £4m for local charges of theft, fraud and false management was told that new A former of�ice manager has been transport in rural accounting, last June, but her kitchen appliances at her home jailed for stealing almost £100,000 and isolated areas from a charitable trust which sentence was repeatedly delayed had been paid for using the trust’s

Transport Minister Baroness Kramer has announced that up to £4m is being made available to pilot new and better ways of delivering joined-up local transport in rural and isolated areas.

The DfT fund aims to promote a better coordination and utilisation of all available transport services in local communities.

Around £2bn of public funding for transport services is currently provided each year by a number of agencies. However, this funding is often not co-ordinated or integrated at a local level, resulting in duplication and potential waste of public funding. The pilot funding will allow local authorities to show how transport resources can be used more efficiently by bringing organisations together, improving vital transport services in local areas.

The Minister said: “It is common sense that we ensure that those rural and isolated areas have vital transport services that meet the needs of local communities. That is why we are allocating £4m funding to help identify and coordinate all the available transport resources open to the local community, maximising their use and delivering better transport services and wider benefits to local people.

“The pilots will fund the costs of feasibility studies and other groundwork to identify scope for service integration in individual areas.

“Successful bidders will then submit a detailed plan for delivering that integration to the DfT. Bidding is open to county councils, integrated transport authorities and unitary and combined authorities.”

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006_007_CBW1172_News.indd 7

eventually collapsed as a result of her crimes.

Within months of taking up the full-time post of of�ice manager at the Bentham Development Trust, Anne Yaman began forging signatures on cheques to obtain money for herself and then used internet banking to steal a total of £94,000 between January 2009 and November 2011.

Prosecutor Matthew Bean told Bradford Crown Court that Anne’s offending only came to light in November 2011 when the trust

account.

The court heard that as a consequence of Anne’s acts the trust ceased trading in March 2012, by which time it was mainly involved in providing bus services to the community under the name of The Little Red Bus. Matthew Bean said the freezing of the trust’s bank account led to �inancial dif�iculties for members of staff and 15 part-time employees were made redundant.

Anne, who moved to Seaford in East Sussex, pleaded guilty to

Optare leadership and employees unite

indication of our commitment to the business and criticality of our engagement with employees in delivering ever improving customer service, performance, and productivity improvements.”

The hard work of the negotiating team comprising of Optare business leaders and UNITE the Union shop stewards, was praised by Chris Cooke, Optare Interim HR Director.

Optare has agreed a three-year pay and conditions deal with its operations employees who are represented by UNITE the Union.

Enrico Vassallo, CEO, Optare said: “The agreement is an

on the grounds of serious medical problems.

But this week it emerged that the 64-year-old had herself forged a series of letters from doctors and consultants which exaggerated her health dif�iculties.

Judge Rose jailed Anne for three years for the offences involving the trust and added a further 16 months for the offence of perverting the course of justice by submitting the bogus letters to the court.

Anne was sentenced via a video link to HMPH Bronze�ield in Surrey.

Richard Bedford, UNITE Regional Of�icer, said: “Unite has a proud track record of working with employers to reach negotiated settlements across all industries. The threeyear pay and bene�its deal that Unite has negotiated with bus manufacturer Optare is a testament to our commitment to better communication and joint working.

Optare said the deal formed an excellent platform for working together in the future

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 7 19/01/2015 18:57

14

NEWS › BUSES

Bus budget cuts for Shef�ield Reductions mean SYPTE workforce will be cut by 45% from 2010/11 levels Public transport budget proposals aimed at delivering savings of £7.6m for 2015/16 have been passed by the Shef�ield City Region (SCR) Combined Authority at its meeting on January 5.

The savings come from the Combined Authority transport budget and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE).

The 10% budget reduction will mean public transport changes from April 1, 2015 will include: ● Removal of printed paper timetables funded by SYPTE; ● Reduced levels of cleaning in Interchanges and at bus stops/ shelters; ● Closure of Transport Information Centres at Shef�ield, Meadowhall, Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Interchange; ● Removal of Travel Choices public transport support for schools and businesses; and ● SYPTE workforce reduction of 45% from 2010/11 levels, affecting up to 50 jobs.

The authority said the savings mean that it has been possible

to retain the discretionary concessions for older and disabled people. The 70p child fare and rural, evening and Sunday bus services funded by SYPTE have also been protected by the savings plan.

SCR Combined Authority Chairman, Cllr Sir Steve Houghton CBE, said: “Reductions to local government budgets inevitably affect the level of public transport funding available.

Local authority partners, SYPTE and public transport operators continue to work hard to limit the impact these reductions have on customers.

“We are pleased to be able to avoid reductions to local bus services and concessionary travel. However, it is with regret that the 10% reduction to South Yorkshire’s public transport budget means there must be changes to other front line services.

“We realise that this means some customers may need to change the way they �ind information about bus, tram and train times, and how they buy tickets and apply for passes, and equality impact assessments have been carefully worked through as part of these plans.”

8 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015 008_009_CBW1172_Buses News.indd 8

Length in days of O-licence suspension handed to Rutherford Travel

42.8

MPG figures quoted by Citroen for the 3.0-3.5t gvw range of the Relay minibus

Icomera 4G WiFi for Cardiff Bus and Easy Way Travel

The City of Cardiff Council has been working with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to deliver signi�icant changes in Cardiff’s Digital Infrastructure.

Digital access has been improved for businesses, the public, visitors and now commuters, as part of the Super Connected Cardiff Programme.

The latest development will allow Cardiff commuters and visitors travelling on over 220 vehicles provided by Cardiff Bus and Easy Way Travel the opportunity to use free 4G WiFi. Implementation of this new free service will take place in stages, rolling out across the whole �leet over the next two months and the contract will be delivered by Icomera, which also involves improving passenger information.

The new initiative has been made possible due to funding received

by Cardiff Council as part of its ‘Super Connected Cardiff’ initiative.

In 2013, Cardiff Council secured over £10m of funding from the UK government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport, for the programme, which will see Cardiff’s internet connectivity greatly improved.

Gareth Stevens, Business Development Manager of Cardiff Bus, said: “We have been in discussions with Cardiff Council

The FORS Community Partnership, comprising AECOM, CILT and Fleet Source, has been established to run the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS).

The creation of the partnership follows TfL’s announcement that it has appointed AECOM as concessionaire for the scheme. As well as the day-to-day management of FORS, the partnership will roll out the scheme nationally, making FORS accreditation available to fleet operators across the country.

FORS is an accreditation scheme

which encourages the adoption of best practice industry standards.

The partnership will manage, operate and develop FORS to become the national benchmark for fleet operating standards. A FORS governance board will be established and will work with stakeholders to ensure industry support, while safeguarding the FORS standards and brand.

A period of transition from TfL to the partnership is now in progress, with the partnership taking over the day-to-day running of FORS.

FORS Community Partnership to run Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme

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95

Number of years Whippet Coaches was under the ownership of the Lee family

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Over 220 vehicles operated by Cardiff Bus (pictured) and Easy Way will offer free 4G WiFi. CHRIS NEWSOME

to install WiFi over the last few months and we are delighted to have now made this possible for our commuters.

“Given today’s digital and fast-paced society, installing free WiFi on our buses is a natural progression for us. It’s great to see that Cardiff is making steps to become better digitally connected, which will, no doubt, help the local economy.

“We consistently look for ways in

which we can improve our services for our customers. Hopefully, this will make travelling by bus more attractive to travellers as they will be able to stay up-to-date with information and communicate with friends and colleagues over the internet, something they would be unable to do if driving.”

Asked why Icomera was chosen as the provider Gareth said: “The scheme is funded by DCMS / Cardiff Council and they were one of a number of suppliers who entered the procurement process, and from that exercise Icomera were successful.”

The Leader of the City of Cardiff Council, Councilor Phil Bale, said “The Council is committed to making public transport a more viable and attractive option and this latest development will complement this policy, by making travel by bus a more enjoyable experience.”

Saturday, January 10, 2015 was the last day of Black Velvet Travel operation in Southern Hampshire.

The operator’s owners decided to dispose of the assets of the company, which have been purchased by Xelabus Limited of Eastleigh.

The purchase does not include the Black Velvet Travel Ltd business, but does allow the routes, staff and premises at Chalcroft Business Park to be acquired and

Xelabus took these over from start of operation on Monday, January 12, 2015.

Philip Blair, Managing Director of Xelabus, said: “We are delighted to be able to absorb the routes which operate under contract to Southampton City Council into our network.

“The premises at Chalcroft also provide a second depot for operation of our services in the eastern part of the network.

“We will be monitoring the services and how we can expand the network further over the coming months but we will also be improving the quality of the service and vehicles.”

Xelabus purchases Black Velvet assets

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Bristol to trial geo-fence hybrids Bristol is to pilot new hybrid buses thanks to a £1m grant from the Government to coincide with the city’s year as European Green Capital.

Baroness Kramer, Minister of State for Transport, has announced that Bristol will receive funding to purchase a number of new hybrids which will use geo-fence technology to switch from diesel to electric automatically in low emission zones.

The geo-fence technology works by automatically switching dieselelectric hybrid vehicles to zero emissions once it enters a specific GPS location within the city. The trigger zones will be set on the areas with poorer air quality and Bristol City Council will use the data collected to evaluate the benefits for the city environment along with the operational impacts for the bus service.

Baroness Kramer said: “This ground-breaking trial will make a real difference in improving people’s lives in Bristol. The DfT’s

£1m funding will provide greener buses to help tackle poor air quality across the city. Today’s announcement follows the £58m Green Bus Fund which led to almost 900 new low carbon buses coming into service in England.”

Mayor of Bristol George Ferguson said: “This is perfect timing for Bristol to test such advanced technology as we start our year as the UK’s first European Green Capital which is very much about the health of the city.

“This ‘geo-fence’ technology will enable vehicles to recognise when they enter the areas of the city where we have the most significant air pollution problems and then switch to a green electric mode.”

The Council will launch a competition to select a bus operator in order start the trial before the end of the summer 2015.

The exact area the buses will operate using the geo-fence technology is yet to be decided.

Black Velvet Travel ceased trading on January 10. STEVE HODGSON

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 9 19/01/2015 18:21

NEWS › COACHES SHARE WATCH Industry share prices at the close of the Stock Exchange on Monday, January 19. BAE Systems saw the greatest proportional rise, while Optare saw the greatest proportional drop.

Most figures obtained from www.lse.co.uk

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Beware of break-ins at Babbacombe Coach operators and drivers warned after spate of thefts from parked tourers Coach operators and drivers are being warned to be extra vigilant after a spate of thefts from parked touring coaches has plagued the popular South Devon resort of Babbacombe in Torquay.

Devon & Cornwall Police (DCP) con�irmed there have been several incidents since the New Year: “Overnight on December 30, 2014, a white Jonckheere coach had the driver’s side window smashed outside the Ashley Court Hotel on Abbey Road. A quantity of cash and some foodstuffs were stolen.

“At the same time and location, a Volvo coach owned by Brent Thomas Travel was broken into, with the front offside window smashed. £50 in cash was stolen.

Outside the Seascape Hotel on the same night there were a further two break-ins. Foodstuffs stolen were stolen from a green Scania coach parked at the Seascape Hotel by smashing glass in front door.”

Asked by CBW if any arrests had

Stanley Travel joins the Guild of British Coach Operators Respected County Durham operator Stanley Travel has been accepted into the membership of The Guild of British Coach Operators.

Guild Chairman John Johnson said: “We are delighted to welcome another highly respected and successful operator into the Guild.

I look forward to Andrew and Ian Scott participating fully in the Guild’s activities as we continue to share best practice and showcase the best in coach travel.”

A family-owned business which has been in operation for over 50 years, the �irm trades through three brands – Stanley Taxis, Stanley Coaches and The Bike Bus. With over 60 vehicles and employing more than 100 people, Stanley Travel’s says its aim is to provide the ‘personal touch’ to all of its customers, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Director, Andrew Scott said: “The Guild’s commitment to, and promotion of, like-minded service providers who are

10 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015 010_011_CBW1172_Coach News.indd 10

been made, the DCP spokesman replied: “No arrests have been made in relation to these crimes.

However, there has been an arrest in relation to CR/000072/15 which involves the theft from a white Temsa coach parked in a car park at Shedden Hill Torquay, on January 1 at 0200hrs. Entry was gained via the emergency exit and cash stolen. A 30-year old local man has been charged in relation to this. He was bailed to appear at court on March 2.”

One of the operators affected by the attacks is Darren Swann of Blackpool-based Swann Tours. He told CBW: “We go to Babbacombe regularly. It’s not so much the value of what they take but the cost of repairing the damage they cause – it cost us quite a large sum last year. I’ve taken to putting a dust sheet over the driver’s seat so that if the window is broken, the leather seat doesn’t get torn when the thieves stand on it.

“Hopefully something will be done. I’m glad CBW is highlighting the issue. I know Llandudno isn’t perfect but at least entry to the Builder Street West coach park

has a degree of control over it. Like Southport, Llandudno has a gated compound – something others could learn a lot from. In Torquay the coach park in unfenced.”

Another driver reported on the Coach Drivers North & South forum how the thieves gained access via the continental door.

While nothing was stolen, it was “ransacked and trashed inside.”

There is a common belief among operators and drivers that two individuals are behind the breakins as there are many parallels.

The driver’s window is smashed using, it is believed, a stolen emergency hammer. They then open the door or climb in through the window. Replacement costs are considerable, reportedly being about £1,000 for a Setra and £650 for a Van Hool.

DCP told CBW that “prevention is always better than cure” – and that any items giving an indication of what may be inside should be removed, such as any bags or any empty cups on top of the coffee machine as they may lead thieves the think there are coins in there.

However, one driver revealed a useful tip: “Put cardboard down on the �loor so that if your window gets smashed and they get into your coach, they will step on it and the police will have footprints off it. That came off the police of�icer when they attended my vehicle.”

(L-r) John Johnson, Guild Chairman; Andrew Scott, Director of Stanley Travel; and Ian Scott, also a Director equally dedicated to meeting and providing the highest quality standards resonates acutely with all that we stand for. Wherever possible we aim to achieve accreditations that enable us to actively illustrate our drive and commitment to excellence. As such, it was a natural progression for us to apply for Guild membership.”

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2015, the Guild promotes and markets the services of its members, all of whom commit to meeting the highest quality standards, assured by regular independent audits. Prospective members have to achieve a 100% pass before being accepted into the Guild. www.coachandbusweek.com

19/01/2015 18:22

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NX special February fares

Whittle coach takeover complete

Johnsons of Henley in Arden is now the official new owner of Whittles Coaches of Kidderminster.

Johnsons acquired the historic Whittles Coach brand from EYMS Group, which has owned the company for over 10 years.

The new ownership changed over at midnight on January 11 and the company is now open for business for coach hire, day excursions and coach holidays.

Whittles will continue to operate from the Kidderminster site at Foley Park and the branding of the company will not change.

The new Whittles Holiday and Day Excursions brochures are due out mid-February.

Peter Johnson, Director of Johnsons, commented: “Established for over 86 years in 2015, the Whittles name has

Lucketts Travel invests over £2m in its fleet

Lucketts Travel Group is investing more than £2m in its front line fleet.

Last summer Lucketts Travel Group added two new 53-seat Scania Omni Express executive coaches, each worth £270,000. One is now serving customers using its Coliseum Coaches division in Southampton, while the other is used by Lucketts Travel customers, which has its headquarters in

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(L-r) Whittles coach drivers Gordon Beveridge, Steve Edwards, Peter Mitchell and Andy Daw; John Johnson, Director of Johnsons Coaches; Peter Shipp, Director of EYMS; Peter Johnson, Director of Johnsons Coaches; David Shipp, Director of EYMS; and Whittles coach drivers Clive Cooper, Peter Harris, Gary Cordery and Gary Darlington long stood for top quality coach travel with friendly service and we are determined for this to continue, under the new ownership of Johnsons Coach Travel.

“We are also delighted to announce that we have secured

the services of 16 of their staff, including Dee, Sue and Kerry in the Sales Office, three of the workshop staff and all 10 of the full-time tours driving team.

Whittles’ customers will continue to see their friendly faces the next time they book and travel.”

Fareham.

Now the New Year has begun, Lucketts has acquired a 61-seater Van Hool Altano and a 59-seater Scania Irizar i6, both of which will be used for Coliseum Coaches’ excursions and cruise transfers.

The company is also investing in two Scania Caetano Levante coaches, which will be used from March on the routes the firm operates for National Express – from Portsmouth to Heathrow and Victoria, from Southsea to Bristol, from Brighton to London and from Gatwick Airport to Victoria. Each coach is worth £294,000.

Finally, in April, the company will

welcome a further two Irizar i6 53-seat coaches, which will be used exclusively by the Lucketts Travel holiday and excursion programme based out of the company’s head office in Fareham.

Altogether the total investment is worth £2.3m.

Lucketts director Ian Luckett said: “These new additions to the Lucketts Travel Group fleet are part of a continuous programme of investment that ensures we remain the leading coach firm in our region and underpins our growth plan for the coming years.

“We are committed to growing our business and the investment

National Express is offering thousands coach of seats for £5.

The fares are launched as engineering works on the West Coast Main Line are poised to cause significant disruption for travellers to and from London on a number of dates this February.

People using West Coast Main Line services to get to and from the capital on February 14, February 15 and February 21 through to February 23 will be affected by the works.

This includes people travelling to the capital from Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Blackpool, Milton Keynes and Coventry, amongst other places.

Rail travellers will face up to three changes, with some journeys extended by almost three hours.

National Express has launched thousands of special online ‘Funfares’ for travel throughout February. These are priced at £5 one-way and are bookable at www. nationalexpress.com. we make in our fleet, in the training of our staff and in the technology we use ensures we will continue to be at the forefront of the industry.

These new coaches represent a significant investment and the group’s continuing commitment to its customers, not just in the coaches they see on our roads every day of the year, but in all our staff, the communities we serve and in minimising our impact on the environment.”

Lucketts Travel Group now has more than 100 vehicles in its fleet across its three depots, which carry more than a million passengers each year.

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 11 19/01/2015 18:22

NEWS › BUS FUNDING

Campaign for Better Transport report Martin Abrams, Public Transport Campaigner, Campaign For Better Transport outlines new research carried out on bus funding, along with several reactions from people within the industry New research carried out by Campaign for Better Transport shows that since 2010, local authority funding for bus services has been slashed by 15% (£44m) with more than 2,000 routes being reduced or withdrawn entirely.

Martin Abrams, Public Transport Campaigner, Campaign for Better Transport said: “Across the country, bus services are being lost at an alarming rate. Year-onyear cuts to budgets mean entire networks have now disappeared, leaving many communities with little public transport and in some cases none at all. We often hear from people with heartbreaking stories, who have been effectively cut off from society following cuts to their bus service. They are unable to access jobs, shops or public services, and are left in isolation with little contact with the outside world.” l Half of English local authorities have reduced funding for bus services in 2014/15. North Yorkshire, Cumbria, Herefordshire, Dorset, Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire are making the deepest cuts; l The overall cut in support for buses in 2014/15 is £9m. This brings the total reduction since 2010/11 to £44m – a 15% cut; l Rural areas have been worst hit, seeing average budget reductions of 19% this year; l In 2014/15, nearly 500 bus services were cut, altered or withdrawn, bringing the total to over 2,000 routes since 2010; l 22 Local Authorities have slashed over 10% from their bus funding in 2014/15. Seven

Local Authorities now don’t spend anything on supported bus services; l The overall reduction in Wales in 2014/15 is over £900,000 with 86 bus services having been cut, altered or withdrawn in 2014/15; and l A number of authorities are consulting on further major funding reductions in future years.

For example, Derbyshire County Council is currently proposing to cut over £2.5m from its supported bus funding which may include bus routes through the Transport Secretary’s constituency.

Martin continued: “It’s very worrying that further steep cuts in budgets are threatened next year and beyond. The Government must wake up to the crisis facing buses and urgently introduce new initiatives which recognise the vital social, economic and environmental role buses play.

“The challenge for this and future Governments is to secure investment in buses and ensure rescue efforts won’t be too little too late.”

Campaign for Better Transport is calling on Central Government to support local buses through the following: l Introduce ‘Total Transport.’

‘It’s very worrying that further steep cuts in budgets are threatened next year and beyond. The Government must wake up to the crisis facing buses and urgently introduce new initiatives’

12 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015 012_013_CBW1172_Better Transport.indd 12

Total Transport allows existing resources to be allocated and co-ordinated more efficiently resulting in better services for passengers. It works by bringing together the bespoke transport services commissioned by different public bodies – for example inter-hospital link services, social services transport to take older people to day centres, and transport for children with special needs to and between schools. This allows central and local Government departments to pool resources and expertise to commission and support transport services including buses. Already popular on the continent, Campaign for Better Transport is calling on Government to trial Total Transport here. l Fully fund Concessionary Passes. Nearly 10m people hold concessionary bus passes, helping to tackle social isolation, encouraging healthy active lives, and contributing to local and national economies. The failure of the Government to fully fund the scheme leaves bus operators at a disadvantage which Campaign for Better Transport says must be resolved. At the same time it should standardise and enhance

concessionary travel schemes for younger people, especially those in education, on apprenticeships or out of work. l Establish a Connectivity Fund.

Campaign for Better Transport suggests that a Connectivity Fund should be established to bring together the existing Bus Service Operators’ Grant (BSOG) with additional ‘top slicing’ from 11 other Government Departments that benefit from functional bus networks such as the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department of Health, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and Department for Education, into a ring-fenced pot for local government to support bus services. The Connectivity Fund should aim to provide £500m in bus funding which will pay for itself by reducing the cost of other public services and by supporting economic growth.

Reactions

Bus Users has welcomed the new report from the Campaign for Better Transport.

Claire Walters, Chief Executive of Bus Users said: “Buses underpin so many aspects of our lives, contributing to the economy and connecting people to employment, education and vital services.

This report is a stark reminder that rather than being valued, buses are being treated as an expendable resource.

“Many operators have been working to mitigate the effects of funding cuts by making more mileage commercial rather than supported, and some local authorities have been undertaking their own efficiency savings. But there is a limit to how much can be achieved in this way and future cuts will bite deeper.

“The impact as more and more services are reduced or cut altogether will be devastating, not just on the lives of individuals but on entire communities. It is time policy makers recognised the real value of bus services before we all pay the price.”

Michael Dugher MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, commenting on the Campaign for Better Transport’s report on local bus services, said: “This is more evidence that like with the energy sector, the bus market is broken. On David Cameron’s watch, bus fares have risen by 25% – an increase five times faster than wage growth – and big bus companies have been cutting www.coachandbusweek.com

19/01/2015 17:18

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crucial routes that people rely on to maximise their own pro�its.

“The Competition Commission estimated the failure in competition within the bus market costs the taxpayer £305m each year, but David Cameron has refused to stand up to the bus barons.

“Labour is determined to see passenger power by regulating bus services in better way. We will act fast and legislate to give cities and county regions greater control over local bus services.

This will result in communities being able to determine routes, set fares and integrate and improve bus services.”

Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT), Chief Executive Simon Posner said: “It is disappointing that the report does not credit the commercial bus market for the way operators

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routes fell by just 1.7%. In PTE areas, cuts to routes supported by public funds have been the main reason for bus mileage reductions and the proportion of bus mileage operated commercially has increased from 89% to 91%.

“The bus industry �irmly believes that the way forward lies in successful partnership working between operators and local authorities. As a result, partnership working has seen passenger numbers rise, complaints fall, and has kept fares affordable. With most local authorities anticipating further cuts in budgets after the General Election only commercial bus operations can provide the stability and continuity of service on which people depend.”

Simon Posner added: “It is curious that some people are calling for the return of bus

‘This report is a stark reminder that rather than being valued, buses are being treated as an expendable resource’

have underpinned bus routes for many years, while local authority supported routes have been withdrawn.

“Buses are essentially a ‘local’ service and delivering highquality networks is a shared responsibility between bus operators and local authorities.

When they work together in a strong and lasting partnership real bene�its for the passenger are achieved.

“Just last week we saw a vital bus service in east Hull restored after subsidy cuts had seen the route withdrawn. As a result of partnership working between privately owned East Yorkshire Motor Services and Hull City Council, buses are once again providing passengers with the services they need. This is the commercial bus market doing what it does best – working in partnership to deliver high quality, reliable services that respond to passenger needs.

“It is a fact that 81% of the bus network in England (outside London) is run on a commercial basis with no subsidy from public funds. This proportion has increased from 76% in �ive years. Over that same period local authorities cut 16.5% of the mileage on tendered services while commercially operated www.coachandbusweek.com

012_013_CBW1172_Better Transport.indd 13

services to the public sector, when in fact it is the public sector who are responsible for these cuts.

The focus should be on working together to further improve services for passengers, not arguing about control. Statements calling for a change to the existing regime only serve to dent con�idence in the industry going forward.

“It is important to recognise the bene�its of the commercial market which has stemmed the decline in bus patronage and provided the most important people – our passengers – with greater choice.

Time and again the evidence shows that where bus services are under the control of cashstrapped local authorities, fares are higher (the most expensive urban weekly bus ticket in the country is sold in London), the market is less stable, services are being lost, and passenger satisfaction rates are lower.

“A survey by Passenger Focus of 20,000 bus users from outside London gave an overall satisfaction score of 88%, a �igure any business would aspire to achieve. The latest �igure for London is 83%.

This is a clear demonstration that passengers are more satis�ied when their services and fares are not controlled by a public authority.” ■

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

This year’s South East Bus Festival takes place on March 28 at Kent Showground

2015 ■ January 24 Northampton Transport staff reunion Monks Park Working Mens’ Club, Northampton.

Contact organiser Matt Cooper by email on ntfirstreunion@gmail.com or by phone 07816 116283.

■ January 24 Excursions 2015 Alexandra Palace, London. www.excursions.org.uk

Chester www.albumconference2015. com ■ June 7 Southdown Centenary Rally Southsea Common www.southdown100.co.uk ■ June 21 Welsh Coach Rally National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. For details, call Ashley Lovering on 07814958379.

■ January 29 CPT Annual Dinner Lancaster London Hotel, Lancaster Terrace. Contact Ling Tang on 020 7257 2502 or email lingt@cpt-uk.org.

■ June 28 Wessex Transport Society Bus Rally Lorry park, Ringwood, Hants. Contact Mike Caldicott 01202 293245 or email mikepenny.wts@gmail.Com

■ March 18-19 Young Bus Managers Network Conference Nottingham. www. youngbusmanagers.org.uk

■ July 12 Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Classic Bus Rally & Running Day Toddington, Gloucestershire. www.gwsr.com

■ March 25-27 Busworld Asia, Suzhou International Expo Centre, China. www.busworld-asia.com

■ August 2 Thames Valley 100 Celebrating the centenary of the start of bus services between Reading and Maidenhead by the forerunners of the Thames Valley Traction Company. www.tvagwot.org.uk

■ March 28 South East Bus Festival Kent Showground www.facebook.com/southeast busfestival ■ April 14-16 CV Show 2015 NEC Birmingham 020 7630 2102. Email enquiries@cvshow.com www. cvshow.com ■ April 18-19 UK Coach Rally Alton Towers Resort, Staffordshire 01753 631170. www.ukcoachrally.co.uk ■ April 19 Spring Bus and Coach Gathering (formerly Cobham Rally).

London Bus Museum. 01932 837994

■ August 23 Buses Festival Heritage Motor Museum, Gaydon.

01780 755131 www.busesfestival. com ■ September 5-6 UK Bus Driver of the Year National Final Blackpool.

www.bdoy.co.uk

■ September 9-10 Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle Event Millbrook Proving Ground, Bedfordshire www.

cenex-lcv.co.uk

■ April 23 UK Coach Awards Mercure Piccadilly Hotel, Manchester. www.ukcoachawards.

■ September 30-October 1 Coach & Bus Live 2015 Halls 19 & 20, NEC, Birmingham www. coachandbuslive.com

■ May 3-4 Friends of King Alfred Buses Running Day Winchester

■ October 16-21 Busworld Kortrijk Kortrijk, Belgium http:// kortrijk.busworld.org

■ May 11-13 ALBUM AGM & Conference Carden Park Hotel, near

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

co.uk

www.fokab.org.uk

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 13 19/01/2015 17:19

NEWS › INTERNATIONAL

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Golden Dragon new energy buses Government backing has helped Golden Dragon develop its range of energy-saving and new energy buses CHINA Peng Dongqing, Deputy General Manager of Xiamen Golden Dragon Bus Co says he has personally witnessed the ups and downs of the development of its ‘new energy buses’.

According to Mr Peng, the company started research and development of new energy buses in 2002. In the face of a number of challenges, such as technological backwardness and low degree of customer trustworthiness, Golden Dragon is determined to develop its own eco-friendly vehicles on the back of governments’ constant support.

For the past 12 years, Golden Dragon has accumulated rich experience in the development and application of some key new energy technologies, such as the battery, driveline and control systems, which all have helped the company build its overall competitiveness in this promising area.

In the new round of the development of electrically powered vehicles, Golden Dragon

Urbino electrics for Warsaw POLAND Solaris Bus & Coach is to supply Miejskie Zakady Autobusowe, MZA (Warsaw City Bus Company) with 10 Urbino 12 electrics, the first order of its size for battery buses in the country. Delivery is expected to start in May, concluding by June.

The buses will be fitted with 200kWh batteries and 160kW traction motors.

Batteries will be charged using a conventional plug-in connection and the charger is provided with an option to lower the charging power to 40kW. Construction of the buses offers an alternative to mount another charging system – a pantograph installed on the roof. Included in the specification will be air-conditioning, CCTV and wireless internet access.

Peng Dongqing: “Thanks to our governments’ strong emphasis on the promotion of new energy vehicles, we have been enjoying a very friendly growing environment” says it’s the first to introduce the double electric power source, namely the super-capacitor plus lithium battery. The new power mode successfully solves the power shortage which tends to occur on congested urban roads.

The maturing new technology has become increasingly reliable, which has laid a solid foundation for the further development of Golden Dragon’s new energy bus business.

From hybrid buses, to plug-in buses, then to electrics, China’s

Scania’s Martin Lundstedt to lead ACEA Board BELGIUM The Commercial Vehicle Board of Directors of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has elected Martin Lundstedt as its new Chairman for 2015.

The Commercial Vehicle Board elects a new Chairman for a yearly term, which can be renewed once.

Martin, President and CEO of Scania, follows Wolfgang Bernhard, Head of Daimler Trucks, who took over the chairmanship of ACEA’s Commercial Vehicle Board in 2013, and went on to serve a second term in 2014.

ACEA Secretary General Erik Jonnaert said: “On behalf of ACEA’s Commercial Vehicle Board, I wish to thank Mr Bernhard for his strong leadership. We look forward to continuing this good work with Mr Lundstedt.”

Speaking after his election, Martin said: “I am honoured to drive ACEA’s commercial vehicle activities for the next year, when a top priority for our industry will be to continue to address one of our

14 | COACH & BUS WEEK | Janaury 20, 2015 014_CBW1172_International News.indd 14

new energy bus industry has been grown gradually but with a steady forward pace. Without government financial supports, it would not have been possible to make such progress.

“Thanks to our governments’ strong emphasis on the promotion of new energy vehicles, we have been enjoying a very friendly growing environment and thus have been able to concentrate on technological research and development as well as market

exploration,” said Mr Peng.

While honing its technological competitiveness, Golden Dragon has been sparing no efforts in boosting its customers’ confidence in eco-friendly vehicles. In Mr. Peng’s opinion, China’s bus makers should make more efforts to transform their business operation mode and change their customers’ mindset. Currently, it is quite true that quite a large number of customers still have very little understanding of electrically powered vehicles.

To popularize new energy vehicles, bus makers need to be more innovative in their marketing strategies and help customers fully understand the overall strengths of new energy vehicles in terms of key technologies, overall performances, manufacturing technologies and driving experiences.

Golden Dragon has sold over 3,000 energy-saving and new energy buses, which are now operating in Finland, Netherlands, Norway and other developed countries as well as over 26 cities across China, including Haikou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Ningbo, Hangzhou, Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Harbin, and Kunming.

Martin Lundstedt: “I am honoured to drive ACEA’s commercial vehicle activities for the next year” toughest challenges: the further reduction of CO2 emissions.”

In this context, the CV industry has formulated three recommendations to policy makers: l To take full account of the

complexity of the commercial vehicle market, which cannot be reflected in a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach; l To improve consumer information, thereby further strengthening market forces. This will make the customer the best regulator; l To foster close partnerships between all relevant stakeholders through a fully integrated approach, in order to double the annual potential of CO2 reduction.

Martin joined Scania in 1992 as a trainee. He then worked within the Engine production as Production Engineer, and then as Manager of Engine production and Research and Development, Engines. In 2001 Martin became Managing Director of Scania Production Angers in France and in 2005 he became Head of Product Marketing in Sweden. Martin was appointed Executive Vice President and Head of Franchise and Factory Sales in 2007. In 2012 Martin was made President and CEO of Scania AB. www.coachandbusweek.com

19/01/2015 17:21

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Duoflex Ltd Special deals on re-trims using stock moquette

Tel: 01280 701366 . Fax: 01280 704799 Email: info@duoflex.co.uk . www.duoflex.co.uk

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January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 15

NEWS FOCUS › SMMT MEDIA BRIEFING

Greener future Chairing his last SMMT Bus and Coach Section editors briefing, Adrian Wickens looked at 2014 registrations, but also focussed on several initiatives that underlined how important controlling emissions has become, as Andy Izatt reports The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Bus and Coach Section meets quarterly, providing an important forum for members to discuss issues of common interest and concern. It has a new Chairman, Optare CEO Enrico Vassallo, who succeeds Volvo Buses’ Adrian Wickens who has announced that he’s retiring from his full time job at the end of September. That means that the editors’ briefing which Adrian hosted at the end of the Sections January meeting, something of an annual tradition, was his last.

2014 registrations

Adrian started by going through the registration figures for 2014.

Overall what he described as a steady market for purpose-built vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 8.5 tonnes and above is down 6.65%. The sector showing most optimism was the coach market at 911 registrations compared to 855 in 2013. Once again the figure has been helped by a MoD order for Plaxton Volvos – 63 in 2014 followed 71 in 2013.

The 2014 vehicles were amongst the first order of any size for Euro 6 coaches.

Underpinning the coach market has been continuing orders from the big groups for express vehicles, reflecting the continuing growth of ridership.

National Express now has a fully accessible fleet some five years before the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) deadline for this type of vehicle.

Adrian pointed out that adoption of Euro 6 coaches has been slow, but is growing. There’s still some Euro 5 stock available. If it’s derogated it can be registered up until June 2015, but with the enactment of UK legislation still pending, it’s still possible to certify under IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval) and National Small Series for the time being. It’s actually still possible to register a Euro 4 vehicle although it might be quite hard to find one.

Adrian explained that while truck registrations had been hit hard during the recession years, bus registrations remained much more constant as the big groups continued to order. DDA might have been a factor. All the signs are that the industry will meet all the impending deadlines.

Double-decker registrations remained steady – 1,015 in 2014 compared with 1,026 in 2013.

Around 40% were full hybrids in 2014, more than half being New Routemasters. No distinction is made in the SMMT figures for ‘micro hybrids.’ Scottish green bus fund continues, but with round four of the English Green Bus fund having run its course, fewer low carbon registrations are expected in 2015.

The big groups have placed substantial orders for singledeck buses below 18 tonnes, but they’re not all reflected in the registration figures for the year.

The total for 2014 was 1,230, down from 1,450 in 2013. For single-deckers 18 tonnes or above the figure was down from 270 to

‘Underpinning the coach market has been continuing orders from the big groups for express vehicles reflecting the continuing growth of ridership’

16 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015 016_017_CBW1172_Coach News.indd 16

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We should never forget the link with our public transport heritage.

Looking forward protecting the environment will be an increasingly vital issue. PAUL VAN DER HULKS 231 reflecting reduced orders for heavy weights.

Adrian made the very serious historical point that uncertainty leads to orders for new vehicles being deferred. The impending general election added to austerity which is particularly impacting on rural services, and talk of re-regulation could all undermine confidence. There’s more. Post the general election, how might BSOG and finding of concessionary fares change?

“There’s no evidence that current orders are going to be extended,” said Adrian. “What I’m talking about is the fear that they might. In the 1980s (after bus deregulation and privatisation) it took 11 years for the market to settle down.”

Although they’re not included in the SMMT figures, Adrian pointed out that Irish Republic registrations are relevant because all the manufacturers active in the UK also sell there. In a total annual market that could be expected to be around 400 vehicles, registrations in 2014 were 207, up from 163 the previous year.

Vehicles with a GVW of below 8.5 tonnes are included. Public procurement plays an important part. Despite a fleet reduction, Dublin Bus for example has continued to buy new vehicles.

Fuels and emissions

Big fuel buyers such as the major groups will hedge their fuel, a point possibly lost on Chief

Enrico Vassallo is the SMMT’s new Bus and Coach Section Chairman www.coachandbusweek.com

016_017_CBW1172_Coach News.indd 17

Adrian pointed out that VECTO should encourage the development of more fuel efficient vehicles

‘Uncertainty leads to orders for new vehicles being deferred’ Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander who recently called for Transport for London to cut its fares to reflect the fall in fuel prices at the pumps.

However, Adrian highlighted some political initiatives with a positive impact. The Office of low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), for example, announced in April 2014 that at least £30m is being made available for an ultra low emission bus scheme.

Then there’s the Department for Transport’s support for renewable fuels. Since April 2014, gaseous transport fuels benefit from a guarantee that the current fuel duty differential will continue until 2024.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson is pushing to have every municipal vehicle and all Transport for London contracted buses in the capital running on a B20 biodiesel blend by 2020. London has taken a detailed look at biodiesel, trials have been undertaken and there’s a proposal to build a refinery that would be able to supply enough locally produced fuel to meet the target.

The SMMT is hosting a ‘commercial vehicle air quality debate’ on February 11. It’s keen to point out that commercial vehicles are part of the solution, not the problem. Euro 6 emission

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reductions, for example, represent a “spectacular advance,” noted Adrian. Based on Transport for London’s route 159 test cycle at Milbrook a Euro 6 bus represents an 85 fold reduction in NOx emissions compared to its Euro 5 equivalent.

While the focus on reducing harmful emissions has moved from PM to NOx, there are some very potent greenhouse gasses that still aren’t regulated at all.

N2O (laughing gas) is one.

Low emission zones are increasingly being used by local authorities to define levels and enforcement. It’s a relatively inexpensive policy tool. The SMMT has put out a detailed response to the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) proposed for London and it would like to see a harmonisation of standards.

Currently proposed is that petrol cars need to be Euro 4, but diesels should be Euro 6. The Euro 5 New Routemaster has been exempted because of its reportedly low NOx performance. Whatever the standard, it should be universally applied says the SMMT. Currently under development is VECTO (Vehicle Energy Consumption Calculation Tool), a European Commission computer simulation package based on real world data that will ultimately cover all segments of transportation.

An internet-based service, the first stage covering long distance trucks is expected to go live in 2018. Buses and coaches could potentially follow in 2019/20. A huge amount of trial work has already taken place. Legislation is being formulated to make reporting data mandatory. For haulage, this is expected in 2020/21.

Using data supplied by OEMs and suppliers, VECTO calculates the expected energy consumption of different vehicle configurations using 10 different mission profiles. Users can select different configurations from different manufactures to see metrics such as fuel consumption and CO2 generated as g/tonne-km, g/ passenger-km and average speed in the cycle used.

The full impact may be a decade away, but Adrian pointed out that VECTO should encourage the development of more fuel efficient vehicles and will help operators make choices in their procurement. It will also be the measuring tool used by regulators. n

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 17 19/01/2015 18:19

OPERATOR UPDATE › WHIPPET COACHES

Whippet – a family business no more…

Whippet Coaches managed 95 years of ownership by the Lee family but the business was sold at the end of last year to Tower Transit. Steven Knight speaks with Peter Lee

Peter Lee, representing the third generation of the Lee family to have managed Whippet Coaches

T

o many, the news in November 2014 that the Lee family had sold Whippet Coaches to an international company came as a surprise. Five years earlier the company had celebrated its 90th anniversary and prided itself on being both family-owned and serving the local community.

Background

So what happened? I had spoken with Peter Lee a couple of times since the sale and it was obvious that he had sold the business and walked away with some sadness.

First and foremost he is a busman who led by example, and as I met him for a coffee he was chatting away to his former drivers in St Ives Bus Station. It was obvious he was missing the daily cut and thrust of running a business with over 50 vehicles but also that he misses the interaction with people. Peter always preferred a face to face approach with the staff, rather than lots of notices/letters, which in a familyrun business can be easily achieved. Maybe that is why driver recruitment and retention was never a problem for the family-run �irm.

As the paperwork for the sale of Whippet 18 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015 018_020_CBW1172_PeterLee.indd 18

Perhaps the most detailed Whippet livery was the version shown on East Lancs-bodied Volvo B7TL FE51RAU www.coachandbusweek.com

19/01/2015 10:48

‘It’s about not just providing a service. It’s about being an integral part of the local community. It’s about pride in the job’ Coaches – the name disguising the fact that local bus work was a major part of the business – was finalised on Friday, November 14, 2014, Peter made sure he was at the depot and personally spoke to every driver, engineer and member of the admin team there to tell them the business had been sold and to thank them for their part in supporting him in the success of the business.

Peter admitted that it was an “emotional and draining few hours,” but he would not have done it any other way.

The big question was why had the business been sold? It was actually expanding, having just won a National Express contract, so the reality was that it was not in trouble.

Peter Lee was a third generation of the family to run the business, which started in 1919 with a former American ambulance which had been converted into a coach. It developed into a business running local bus services, as well as seasonal and regular coach services. Peter joined the business full-time in 1982 and took over managing the business from his father Arthur during the 1990s.

Why sell now?

So why sell now? “It was purely the dynamics within the family,” he explained. “Due to family age and illness I was left to virtually run the business single-handedly and there was no succession plan in place.”

Whilst he has had a holiday since stepping down and according to his wife has some decorating to do, he admitted that he will need to start to look for a new job as he is not yet of retirement age.

The Australian deal

So how did the deal with Transit Systems come about?

“I was first approached by Tower in 2006 and the dialogue has been on and off since then.

Maybe, had the credit crunch not hit at the end

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of the last decade a sale may have occurred sooner.” The fact that it didn’t meant the Lee family was able to celebrate 90 years in the industry in 2009.

Peter was somewhat vague when I asked him if he had been offered the chance to stay on with the new owner.

Two months on there has been no real outward signs of change, even the reference to the family-run business remains on a number of vehicles. The only nod to the new order is the on-going application of fleet numbers on the buses and coaches. In fact, Transit Systems has been completely quiet about its acquisition.

As we sat in the window of a Tea Shop in St Ives, Peter looked up every time a bus came into view and frequently acknowledged the drivers.

The look on his face said it all and reinforced how much he misses being part of the bus industry.

Asked what his biggest achievements have

Huntingdon operations there following the sale of the old Huntingdon depot for redevelopment.

Peter also highlighted the operation of an intense contract to British Rail in April-May 1992 during the electrification of the East Coast Main Line, which required nearly 40 vehicles, many of which were hired in by Whippet, including from fellow family-run business Delaine. “This was by far the biggest single invoice I ever sent out!

“Post 2000, we also concentrated on the local market to cement the business as being part of and serving the local community.”

Busway

One area that Peter didn’t mention as an achievement was that of being a provider of services on the prestigious Cambridgeshire Busway. Whippet currently operates Busway route C linking Somersham with Cambridge.

‘Due to family age and illness I was left to virtually run the business single-handedly and there was no succession plan in place’ been, Peter replied: “Adapting the business so that it remained competitive following deregulation in 1986 and also taking the decision to invest in a brand new depot at Swavesey, which we moved into in 2009.

“Our previous site alongside the A14 at Fenstanton was essentially a lorry garage that was not best suited for modern engineering and environmental requirements.”

In a bizarre turn of events the Fenstanton site has continued as a bus depot, having been sold to Stagecoach East, which based its Busway and

It is a minority operation with Stagecoach running all other services. Both operators have protection of a five-year ‘exclusivity’ access to the Busway which opened on August 7, 2011.

“I don’t know what will happen when that

Plaxton-bodied Volvo B7RLE AE59EHP in full Busway livery but relegated to non-Busway work due to the delays in completion and opening of the Cambridgeshire Busway. The delays were damaging to the business, says Peter Lee

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 19 19/01/2015 10:47

OPERATOR UPDATE › WHIPPET COACHES ‘exclusivity’ ends,” said Peter.

Whilst now describing the Busway as a “great asset,” Peter shares the views of Stagecoach East Managing Director Andy Campbell that the local authorities need to do more to provide effective priority measures on roads when buses leave the dedicated Busway. “Traffic congestion on these roads can have a massive impact on Busway services and more emphasis has to be given by the local authorities on non-Busway roads to ensure the services remain attractive and competitive against the private car.”

Peter further enthused about the Busway, saying: “It’s been more successful than I ever thought given that a number of promised developments, including that at Northstowe, have still not been done.”

That was not always his view of the scheme, which was initially plagued with construction delays. “It was inevitable that there would be delays but it was very costly for the Whippet business. We had bought four new vehicles and produced a robust business plan but there was no Busway to use them on. It was costing us money and we did consider our legal position.”

Proving that there is room for humour in the modern bus industry, the Whippet dog logo on one side of the recovery vehicle was lying on its back – in need of some tender loving care

Unlike many operators of varying sizes, Whippet also had its own recovery vehicle

A successful family business

I then asked Peter what he believes makes a family-run company successful.

“It’s about not just providing a service.

It’s about being an integral part of the local community. It’s about pride in the job,” he explained.

“We gave drivers a regular vehicle so they looked after it as if it was their own and gave them regular duties so they would get to know the passengers.

“Whippet is essentially a provider of rural bus services. The nature of rural services means for many of the passengers the bus provides them with the only opportunity to get out and about. It is important.

“It’s important for those links to remain but it has to be in a cost effective way. In the modern era cross-subsidising services is considered a ‘no-no,’ whereas in the past it might have been a way to keep some marginal services operational.”

Unlike fellow family-run operator Delaine, which has a much smaller fleet and now concentrates on bus work only, buying new vehicles every year has not been the strategy for Whippet, which has tended to look towards mid-life vehicles ousted by the big groups in the knowledge that they have received consistent standards of maintenance.

Peter does believe there is a crossover where the business becomes too big for local/ family operation and he considered family-run Whippet to have reached that crossover point.

So what about competition, which Whippet has had to deal with on several occasions over the years.

“Competition is healthy and makes you continually review what you are doing – but it helps to understand who your competitor is,” said Peter. “We competed with United Counties and then Stagecoach on the Huntingdon to Cambridge corridor. Then Stagecoach had to divest its Huntingdon operation in 1996 when it bought Cambus Holdings. Huntingdon was sold to Premier Buses and then to Sovereign, 20 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015 018_020_CBW1172_PeterLee.indd 20

The later version of the Go Whippet livery used a single colour with vinyl graphics as shown by a Plaxton President-bodied Volvo B7TL before being offloaded to Cavalier Contracts, which in 2008 was taken over by Stagecoach.

“It was difficult to keep track on how these competitors were performing with the changes of ownership that had taken place.

“Understanding who your competitor is and what they are planning can be very time consuming and distract from managing the business day-to-day.”

Peter considered that Stagecoach’s takeover of Cavalier in 2008 would potentially have had the most damaging effect on the Whippet business, but there was retrenchment on rural services by Stagecoach which saw the jewel of the takeover as gaining Cavalier’s access to the Busway and not local services.

Peter said he was pleased that he had steered the business through tough times and ensured it remained competitive. One of his final projects was negotiating the contract deal with National Express for the 101 service.

“Further investment was needed to take the business through the next phase of its evolution and Tower are in a position to do that,” he added.

Retirement of the dog

We ended the interview on a lighter note and I asked Peter why he put the dog into kennels?

Historically a stylised whippet dog adorned the side of buses and coaches for many years but in 2009 was effectively ousted. “It was not a conscious decision, but merely one of economics.

“The whippet on our vehicles was signwritten and to apply it meant a longer downtime for vehicles when they were painted.

It was for the same reason that we went for a single colour livery – we could get the vehicle back in service quicker than previously and we also moved to vinyl decals but by then we had ‘retired’ the dog.” n www.coachandbusweek.com

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p21_CBW_1172 19/01/2015 17:18 Page 21

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mobileonboard.com January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 21

Y R E L L GAFLEET › WHIPPET COACHES

Fascinating fleet variety Gareth Evans looks back at some of the vehicles operated by Whippet Coaches, including scenes from more recent times, as well as the past. All photographs by David Bell

C

ambridgeshire operator Whippet has run a fascinating fleet of vehicles over the years. The fleet has tended to standardise on particular types at a given time, such as the Scania Metropolitans, Leyland Atlantean and more recently, Volvo and Scania running gear. Small batches of vehicles have been acquired from larger operators, seeing out their lives in the Cambridgeshire countryside. The firm has also been no stranger to buying both new coaches and buses over many years, notably some being double-deckers.

Acquired new in 2001 was this East Lancs Vyking-bodied Volvo B7TL. ‘FE51RAU’ is seen here passing Round Church Visitor Centre on Bridge Street, Cambridge. Of note to model bus collectors, this vehicle was modelled by Corgi. Since the Tower Transit acquisition, the bus has been allocated fleet number WD402 At the end of March 2013, Whippet purchased a quartet of East Lancs Esteem-bodied DAF SB220s from Stagecoach in Sheffield, reintroducing DAF as a marque to the fleet several years after the last DAF coach was sold. This bus, ‘W481MKU’ was numbered 26110 when it was in the Stagecoach fleet, although it is currently out of service at Whippet

Whippet was once an enthusiastic operator of Van Hool coaches, being used on everything from local services and private hires to trips to seaside destinations. One such example was this Alizee-bodied Volvo B10M ‘J669LGA’ in Cambridge, which is pictured leaving Drummer Street bus station in Cambridge. This coach was new to Park’s of Hamilton 22 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015 022_025_CBW1172_Whippets Gallery.indd 22

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Providing a reminder of the firm’s Cambridgeshire Guided Busway journeys is Plaxton Centro-bodied Volvo B7RLE ‘AE59EHR.’ It is seen here working route C, which links Somersham with Cambridge, via St Ives. New to Whippet in September 2009, this bus was acquired by Rotala-owned Diamond Bus in November 2011

In 1995 low floor buses were still a bit of a novelty. Whippet operated two of these extremely rare tri-axle CVE Omnis.

The other was registered ‘M58SDC’

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January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 23 19/01/2015 18:52

Y R E L L GAFLEET › WHIPPET COACHES A number of the Whippet vehicles carry cherished registration numbers – a prime example being ‘H13WCL.’ This Wright Access Floline-bodied Scania L94UB was new to APOCA Parking of Sunburyon-Thames, London in May 1999, where it was registered ‘T354JWA.’ The destination refers to a village 10 miles south of Cambridge

Whippet ran several Scania Metropolitans at one time, acquiring examples from Reading, London, Tyne & Wear and Kingston Upon Hull City Transport. The example pictured here was one of the latter, where it was numbered 436. Believed to be preserved, this bus was the only Metropolitan to become an open topper

24 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015 022_025_CBW1172_Whippets Gallery.indd 24

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TOP: Alexander ALX400-bodied Volvo B7TL ‘SK52URV’ was previously operated by London United, where is was numbered VA299. It is now number fleet no.WD405 MIDDLE: A very interesting vehicle once operated was ‘D850AAV.’ The Willowbrook-bodied Leyland Atlantean started off life as a left hand drive bus for Baghdad. It is understood that the bus also has the distinction of being the last service Atlantean registered new. During its time with Whippet, it was rebuilt including moving the staircase and the addition of a Plaxton coach front panel BOTTOM: A scene from the late 1970s at Whippet’s then home at Fenstanton. Northern Counties-bodied Leyland Atlantean ‘HFL672L’ was new to Whippet in March 1973, passing to Delaine in January 1984. Also new to Whippet was Roe-bodied Leyland Atlantean ‘LEW971P,’ which was acquired at a time when Leyland would not build oneoffs, so this vehicle was tacked on to the back of a West Yorkshire PTE order. Also seen here is 1957-built Metro Cammell-bodied Leyland Titan ‘KCH114,’ which was new to Trent, where it carried the fleet number 771. Former Leicester Leyland Titan PD3A ‘248AJF’ can just be seen on the left

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January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 25 19/01/2015 18:52

FACE TO FACE › TOM LAVERTY

33 years

of coach driving

Jade Smith talks to Tom Laverty about his recent retirement from Robinson Kimbolton and his career spanning 33 years of driving coaches

J

ust a short bus ride away from the CBW of�ice in Peterborough is the coach park where I met with Tom Laverty during his rest break. Along with a colleague in another coach, he had just driven a group of schoolchildren to the city centre for them to see a pantomime, and was relaxing in his coach when I arrived.

Both coaches were immaculate inside and out, with the distinctive Robinson’s livery making them stand out from the other vehicles in the lot.

It was immediately apparent that Tom is a straight-talking yet kind man. He welcomed me aboard and made sure I was comfortable in his home-away-from-home.

Smoking on coaches was allowed back then as well. We used to do a lot of trips to horse racing places like Newmarket, so the passengers used to bring on loads of newspapers and would be puf�ing away on their cigarettes. Only the back half of the coach was for smoking, but you can’t separate smoke from the front of a coach, so it tended to get very smoky throughout the vehicle.

There was no air-conditioning on coaches back in those days. All we had was little blowers which just blew hot air in.

Within the industry I think quite a lot has changed since I �irst started. It seems to be more holiday-orientated now, with lots of coach companies doing their own different holidays, but when I started there wasn’t many – it was

Origins

CBW How did you get into the industry?

Tom Laverty (TL) I started in coaches in 1981.

I was working for a taxi company and they decided they were going to invest in a minibus.

Obviously, I didn’t have a license for one, so they put me through my test in a 16-seater Ford Transit minibus.

CBW How did your interest in coaches change?

TL Well the �irst time I thought about getting into coaches was when the taxi �irm got the minibus. Since then I really got into coaches – I enjoyed taking people out so I thought: ‘I’m going to go for a large coach.’ Once I’d passed my test nine months later I stayed with that �irm for 13 years. After that, I moved on and I’ve been with about four different companies in the 33 years I’ve been driving coaches. It’s just something I’ve really enjoyed doing.

I’m actually retired now, since October 23 this year, but I’ve still got my license and I’m �it to drive, so when the company is stuck now and again they give me a call and if I’m free, I come over and help them out, which is the reason I’m out today.

Changes

CBW How have things changed since you �irst started in the industry?

TL They’ve changed quite a bit. When I �irst started a lot of the coaches I was driving didn’t have power searing for a start, so you had to do a lot of vehicle manoeuvring.

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Tom with Robinson’s Scania Irizar i6 and Volvo Vanhool Alizee

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‘In the first 10 years I was in the job I was hardly ever home, mainly because I didn’t want to go home – I enjoyed it that much’ basically just Shearings as the main one doing holidays then. Now, everyone seems to be doing it. I think it’s quite a thriving business now.

CBW Tell us about your current role.

TL Well I’m retired now so I just come in and help when I’m needed, which isn’t very often.

I retired because I wanted to be retired, but obviously I’ve got a lot of free time on my hands so if I can help out at any time then I will.

I wouldn’t want to come back full-time – I worked over my time anyway. I’ll be 67 in February so I had worked 18 months over my time. However, I enjoy it a lot so I’ll keep going for as long as possible.

Now is the time where it’s best to slow down

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a bit and spend a bit more time at home.This job means you have to spend a lot of time away, not always away on tour, but the hours are unsociable. You have to work nights, weekends, and because of the driving regulations now you may have to work a weekend and then have a few days off in the week, which is not always convenient. I enjoyed it so much it never really bothered me. In the �irst 10 years I was in the job I was hardly ever home, mainly because I didn’t want to go home – I enjoyed it that much.

Preferences

CBW What is your favourite coach type?

TL This coach here is an Irizar i6-bodied Scania and this was my regular coach when I was full-

time. I used to drive this all the time and I had it from new when the company bought it about 18 months ago. It was a demonstrator coach but we were the �irst owners of it. I’ve looked after it since the company has bought it. It’s a 53-seater with a toilet, two TVs, air-conditioning and automatic transmission – it’s quite a nice coach.

The automatic transmission makes things a lot easier, especially in London. I wasn’t expecting to have this coach today because I’m not fulltime anymore so I can’t expect to get the coach I want, but it turned out that the chap’s not there today so they gave it to me.

Before this coach was bought I had a Van Hoolbodied Volvo B12, with 53 seats and automatic transmission. That’s still a nice coach – it’s still with the company. This Scania is the �lagship

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 27 19/01/2015 19:00

FACE TO FACE › TOM LAVERTY ‘I don’t really mind what I drive to be honest – I enjoy doing driving regardless of the vehicle I’m in’

Tom loves being behind the wheel and that Volvo is the one down from it.

The company has about 11 coaches and they used to have six full-time drivers until I left, so they’ve got �ive now. The rest is made up of parttime drivers. They do the local schools from Kimbolton – that’s the main contract there.

I don’t really mind what I drive to be honest – I enjoy doing driving regardless of the vehicle I’m in.

CBW What’s your least favourite coach type?

TL Going back to the early days, Ford used to make a coach with an engine which was inside the vehicle next to the driver’s seat and you had to climb over it to sit down. The gearstick was terrible – really �loppy – you never knew if you were going to get it in gear or not. You would touch it and it wouldn’t be �irm, it would be here, there and everywhere. So that was the only coach I didn’t really like.

Most of the coaches they make nowadays are really nice with power steering and airconditioning. This one has even got electric

doors on the sides so you don’t have to go out and open them to put luggage in – you just push a button and up they go.

CBW What are your favourite journeys/ destinations?

TL I used to like going to castles and stately homes, like Chatsworth House and Blenheim Palace. With coach drivers, it’s a perk where these places will let you in free of charge and you get a free meal voucher. You can go and wander around and see what everyone else has paid for.

Years ago I enjoyed doing to the Blackpool Lights – that was a big event. You would either go up there on a two-man job for a day trip, or you’d be up there on your own for a weekend trip. It was always windy and wet but it was nice for the time of year. I used to go up there and have a roam around the lights. It used to take hours to go there. The lights weren’t switched on until about 1900hrs, then you’d be queuing up to get onto the Front, then at 2300hrs you

‘Cleanliness is a big factor – you don’t want to take your passengers to a dump or a greasy spoon.

I’d probably go to a greasy spoon myself, but not necessarily for the passengers!’

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might be just getting to the other end – it was that bad.

CBW Your least favourite journeys/ destinations?

TL In the early days it used to be seaside trips.

More people have got cars now, so a lot of coach companies don’t go to the seaside as much as they used to. Robinson’s certainly doesn’t offer those services as much now as it did 20 or 30 years ago. They could be long days at the seaside and some of the seaside places you went to were alright, but others you didn’t really want visit, just because some of the actual towns were quite dirty or cheap and tacky.

CBW What is your favourite service station?

TL I’ve been in quite a few in my time. I used to go to Bournemouth quite a lot, and on the trip we would always stop at Chieveley services just outside Newbury. It was always nice and clean and the coach parking was good there.

Cleanliness is a big factor – you don’t want to take your passengers to a dump or a greasy spoon. I’d probably go to a greasy spoon myself, but not necessarily for the passengers!

Imparting knowledge

CBW Do you have any advice you would give to anyone wishing to follow in your footsteps?

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FACE TO FACE › TOM LAVERTY

Robinson Coaches’ Scania Irizar i6 coach

‘If you’re prepared to work hard it can be a very rewarding job. You meet all sorts of people – from vicars to hen and stag nights.

That was in the early days though, we don’t do them now’

TL You have to be committed if you want to do this sort of job, because of the unsociable hours, so you need to make sure that that’s what you want to do. Obviously, there’s a variety of work you can do.

You can just do contracts, schools or then there’s the touring side of it which is really for a single individual. If you’re doing touring all the time, you’re never at home and that doesn’t do your marriage much good.

If you’re prepared to work hard it can be a very rewarding job. You meet all sorts of people – from vicars to hen and stag nights.

That was in the early days though, we don’t do them now. Back then we used to do lots of hen and stag nights, but in the last 20 years they’ve disappeared.

We get about a bit. Once you’re on the road, provided you’re doing your job properly, no-one will bother you and you’re your own boss really.

Just take care of the passengers, make sure

they’re well looked-after as that’s your first priority. They’re trusting you with their lives so you have to be on top of your game.

If you can put up with unsociable hours then it’s a good job to be in – I’ve enjoyed it anyway.

Since I started I’ve never thought for a minute about doing anything else. I have worked for two or three different other companies over that period of time, but I’ve always been driving coaches. I think it’s a bug that gets to you, once you’ve started doing it.

Even though I’m retired now, when I’m out and about I have a look at the coaches that go past – so you always take an interest. I’ve been up and down motorways for years now and if I saw a coach with just it’s livery and no name on it I could probably tell you which company it was that owns it – I’ve seen that many.

What I like is when I take a group out and they’re getting off, they say what a nice journey they’ve had or pay you compliments – it makes you feel good that they felt safe with you. You can even get people say ‘I felt really safe with you driving’ and that really goes a long way.

CBW Any final thoughts?

Despite being retired, Tom keeps his hand in as a casual driver 30 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015 026_030_CBW1172_Kimbolton.indd 30

TL When I finished in October I was presented with a watch engraved with ‘Happy Retirement’ from Robinson’s and it was inscribed with the date I retired. They also took me to a buffet lunch at the local in Kimbolton and there were a few speeches made, which was very nice.

Even when I’m not driving, I don’t live too far away from Robinson’s – about 25 miles away – so I still keep in touch with the drivers.

They were going out to their Christmas outing to Peterborough Dogs and they invited me along with them. So, although I’m not full-time anymore I’m still part of them. They make me feel welcome every time I come back. n www.coachandbusweek.com

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PROFILEINSIDE › AIRLINKS TRACK AIRPORT › MERLIN SERVICES

Who’s championing the industry?

Merlin questions whether local authorities are playing their part help to keep buses moving, never so important as car use rises and the industry is increasingly scrutinised

B

elated Happy New Year!

I will not bore you with my crystal ball gazing for the forthcoming General Election because others are doing this. Most of the likely outcomes will be unsatisfactory or unworkable, given the inadequate calibre of virtually all of the participants.

I will just pose the rhetorical question – is it fair that politicians get off so lightly for their general ineptitude, other than if they have been found fiddling their expenses which does seem to ignite the British populace?!

I scoured the pages of the first CBW of the year to see what other industry professionals’ concerns were current.

The list was practically the same as mine. As ever, there was no shortage of the usual bus industry optimism that we will somehow get by in the face of all adversity as we always do. Perish the day that this might disappear!

However, I’m surprised that nobody mentioned the significant drop in the price of fuel, which I have mentally valued at about 28p per litre on petrol at garages I pass frequently. I have noticed a very serious increase in traffic levels in many places I regularly travel through, particularly at peaks and during weekends.

I ventured to ask what was happening to passenger loadings at a couple of these locations. Two embarrassed replies were received that the situation was indeed biting and numbers falling.

As I suspected, the only driver of cost consciousness in private motoring is the regular cost of fuel.

Marketing messages about the comparison costs of the use of car and bus for commuting that have been successfully employed in the

Merlin: ‘I bet not one reader can say they’ve not suffered from uncoordinated roadworks with multiple sites simultaneously on the same routes’ past are now starting to look rather thin when current fuel prices are used. It is of course apparent that cars also seem to be being used for more optional journeys for the same reason.

Whether you are an operator which buys fuel at the best price you can on the open market and therefore are currently enjoying the quicker benefits of the price reduction, or an operator with fuel hedged for a year at a time with a probable long wait to see your benefit, there is a potentially significant passenger loss seemingly kicking in.

I would predict that it will not be the same serious threat in London because the logistics of car driving in the capital are already more suitably constrained, but it will of course be something else for the opponents of deregulation to bang on about in the usual mistaken way if the numbers elsewhere fall more sharply.

I have no pills to offer as a solution, especially as the government has so noticeably turned its back on the

‘The most cogent argument which we as an industry have to fall back on is the congestion busting one’

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climate change arguments (because ‘we mustn’t upset the motorist’), but I do not think that I would have put the fares in Leeds up recently when the over-simplistic views of the passengers would have been to expect a decrease to mirror what they would consider a significant cost reduction.

We must always remember that a very significant number of our customers have a car available for their journey, but choose to travel by bus, usually because of the price of fuel and parking and its availability, as well as convenience.

The most cogent argument which we as an industry have to fall back on is the congestion busting one and quicker journey times that result from priority measures. However, here we stumble up against the Traffic Management Act 2004, which has never been fully implemented.

It falls to Local Authorities (LA) to manage the networks through the appointment of a Traffic Manager.

As not one LA has ever had its performance challenged under that Act nor been threatened with a Government-appointed Traffic Manager to improve its poor performance, Central Government might like to think that the LAs are doing their jobs.

I bet not one reader can say that they have not suffered from uncoordinated roadworks with multiple sites simultaneously on the same routes or interworking ones, or works and diversions which have not started on time or have finished early and not had the temporary lights removed. All in contradiction to the notices that you as an operator have put up on your stops and shelters which then made you look stupid and attracted complaints. The inflexible Highways Agency has often been one of the worst offenders.

Even the Traffic Commissioners know and understand this, but regrettably have no powers against the LAs. Indeed I have twice persuaded a TC to write to the offending councils which they have done but also been totally ignored!

If the bus industry is to be judged by ideological politicians and in some cases, box ticking officers with no practical skills who serve them, then it has the right to fight back. CPT could coordinate this battle for its members by naming and shaming to Central Government all the worst offenders which do not wish to work in energetic partnership to resolve these issues which we aspire to.

Starting no doubt with Liverpool, the list would sadly be quite long.

Talking of CPT, I kept thinking over the Christmas period that what should be being done as a matter of urgency was to call an emergency meeting to agree to appoint an articulate, charismatic, super quick and lateral thinking industry spokesperson to spearhead the campaign to damage limit (everybody keeps telling me we cannot win outright) the misguided and unaffordable political ideology of today.

This person needs to bray from the rooftops and beaches to Westminster circles and town halls, and in some accessible way to our customers as well, all the arguments and good news stories we have at our disposal until we get listened to. After all, opponents of deregulation have been doing the opposite of this for a quarter of a century, despite having illogical and fallacious arguments which are not backed by sound financial data either!

The road haulage industry has recently gone crying to George Osborne that they cannot get driving staff and got an audience, whilst we in the bus industry accept that getting skilled staff just now is an increasing problem and try to work at it. I bet now if I were to ask if CPT had been thinking and working on parallel lines to my thoughts that I would be greeted with a deafening silence.

The clock is ticking fast... n www.coachandbusweek.com

19/01/2015 10:49

p33_CBW_1172 19/01/2015 17:32 Page 33

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January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 33

LEGAL NEWS › RUTHERFORD’S TRAVEL

Two-week suspension for Rutherford’s Travel Operator told to get its house in order during the suspension or face more severe action in the future Following a Public Inquiry (PI) in front of Nick Denton, the Traffic Commissioner (TC) for London and the South East of England, the standard international PSV O-licence held by George Rutherford Bell, trading as Rutherfords Travel, was suspended for 14 days with effect from 0001hrs on January 1, 2015 to 0001hrs on January 15, 2015.

Two undertakings were also recorded against the licence.

George Bell, who is the Transport Manager for the operator, will also attend a two-day Transport Manager CPC refresher course by March 31, 2015.

For the second undertaking, an independent audit of the operator’s compliance systems for maintenance and drivers’ hours and the effectiveness with which those systems are implemented will be carried out by a suitable independent body by March 31, 2015.

Background

Rutherfords Travel is authorised to operate 10 vehicles. George Bell is both the operator and the Transport Manager on the licence.

The operator’s main business is school contracts, but it also does some private hire work. The licence was issued in June 1992.

A PI was held in March 2009, following an unsatisfactory fleet inspection. A Deputy TC curtailed the licence from its (then) 18 vehicles to 13 and attached a number of undertakings.

DVSA report

In October 2014, the TC received a report from DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) Traffic Examiner Emma-Jane Morris, stating that on March 21, 2014, she had stopped a 49-seater coach being driven by owner/operator George Bell at Gatwick Airport.

Her check of Mr Bell’s tachograph charts revealed previous offences of failure to use a tachograph chart and several instances of missing mileage. Mr Bell argued that the instances of missing mileage came from occasions when he had driven the vehicle in a private capacity as its owner – not for hire and reward.

In a subsequent analysis of tachograph data for the months of February and March 2014, Ms Morris discovered that although mixed EU and UK domestic rules driving took place in most weeks for at least two drivers (George and Susan Bell), proper records of the drivers’ hours of work were not being kept for those weeks.

The logs which were provided simply recorded what kind of work drivers did on a day (EU, UK domestic or rest). Each day had only one of these three possible entries recorded against it. Several of the entries were inaccurate – recording ‘rest’ on a day when a tachograph chart showed driving, or recording UK domestic duties when a tachograph chart showed EU scope driving. There were over 620 missing kilometres for vehicle ‘YN05HAA’ during the two-month period.

Key Points

The Public Inquiry

In the light of Ms Morris’ report, the operator was called to PI. Mr Bell was also called up in his capacity as Transport Manager,

DVSA Traffic Examiner The company’s records were n n Emma-Jane Morris stopped in poor order, making it a Rutherford’s Travel coach at difficult to decipher which drivers Gatwick Airport, which was being driven by owner/operator George Bell. The vehicle was found to have tachograph discrepancies and missing mileage.

George Bell said he had not used the tachograph when the vehicle was empty, as he was using it ‘as a private car.’ He was repositioning it, not transporting passengers. The TC showed that this interpretation of the rules was incorrect.

n

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Ms Morris further reported that she had had difficulty in arranging an interview with George Bell. She cancelled an initial appointment on July 28, 2014 at short notice because of personal health issues.

Thereafter, Mr Bell’s solicitor Philip Brown had told her that Mr Bell would be unavailable during August because of the holidays and during September because it was the school term. He stated that Mr Bell would not be available for interview until the end of October.

Ms Morris challenged this claim and an interview took place on September 29, 2014.

In that interview Mr Bell stated that drivers used a tachograph record for all mixed work and that virtually all of the instances of missing mileage were accounted for by him driving the vehicle as a private car. Most of the journeys in question had been positioning journeys – repositioning the vehicle from one operating centre to another at the end of a journey or overnight.

were undertaking which work.

Work was not properly recorded when drivers carried out both European and UK work in the same week.

While the TC took a dim n view of George Bell’s attitude, he stopped short of

taking action against repute because he felt the operator had been poorly informed. However, he made it clear that standards needed to improve or the licence would be revoked.

George Bell mistakenly did not keep tachograph records when he was driving an empty vehicle to consider his professional competence and good repute. Mr and Mrs Bell were also called to parallel driver conduct hearings.

The PI took place on December 4, 2014 in Eastbourne. Present were George and Susan Bell, represented

by Philip Brown. Also present was the operator’s transport consultant, Dennis Nye. For DVSA, Emma-Jane Morris and Giles Dennison, both traffic examiners, attended.

Shortly before the inquiry, the TC received a submission from AMD solicitors. The points made included: l Most of the operator’s business related to private hire work, which was carried out ‘at least once a month;’ l While DVSA had requested the log for February and March, it had not requested the diary, in which document the operator lists the work undertaken by each driver. The TC questioned why the operator had not, therefore, volunteered the diary to DVSA, but nevertheless found the records www.coachandbusweek.com

19/01/2015 10:15

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kept within it to be inadequate; l The letter ‘D’ in the log denoted ‘duty,’ not ‘domestic’ as assumed by the Traffic Examiner, though the TC argued that it could represent either duty or domestic interchangeably, regardless of the intention, and; l The operator, while keeping a record, accepted that DVSA may not have regarded it as sufficient to comply with the regulations relating to EU/‘mixed’ work, the implication being that the operator was technically compliant, although not keeping his records in the way favoured by DVSA. Giving evidence, the operator’s transport consultant Dennis Nye said that mixed UK domestic and EU rules driving was a complex area. The TC highlighted Article 6.5 of EU Regulation 561/2006, which sets out the record-keeping requirements for drivers in a week in which they perform an EU rules journey.

The article reads: ‘A driver shall record as other work any time spent as described in Article 4(e) www.coachandbusweek.com

034_036_CBW1172_Legal News.indd 35

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as well as any time spent driving a vehicle used for commercial operations not falling within the scope of this Regulation, and shall record any periods of availability… since his last daily or weekly rest period. This record shall be entered either manually on a record sheet, a printout or by use of manual input facilities on recording equipment.’

The TC said: “In my view, the article is crystal clear about what needs to be done. Time spent on UK domestic rules driving is to be recorded as ‘other work’ in any week in which EU driving takes place. That record can be entered onto a record sheet, a tachograph print-out, or manually entered onto a tachograph chart or a digital recording system.

“I accept that DVSA specifies that UK domestic driving should be recorded on tachographs, and this does go beyond the strict requirements of the regulation, but the essential point, which both Mr Brown and Mr Nye missed in their submissions, is that neither

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“I took him to Articles 1 and 4(a) of the EU Regulation, which stipulated that ‘carriage of passengers by road’ included unladen journeys.”

Mr Bell’s logs nor his diary (nor the combination of the two) fulfilled the requirements of the EU Regulation. The information recorded in them was so sparse and certainly did not record the time in hours spent by drivers on UK domestic driving or any other type of work.

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“Further, Mr Bell produced in evidence the records that he is now keeping, and these proved inadequate too. He now records in a log the hours he spends driving his vehicles under UK domestic rules, but he is still failing to record all the time he spends on all other types of work: walk-round checks, maintenance, his duties as Transport Manager (which must be considerable with a fleet of 10 vehicles) and his duties as the licence holder. His records are still very far short of what they need to be for him to be compliant and neither he nor his advisers appeared to be aware of this.

“Mr Nye, in evidence, said it was very difficult for Mr Bell to predict when a driver might need to carry out an EU journey in a week and therefore keep a detailed log of ‘other work.’ I reject that assertion.

It is plain from the February and March logs produced by Mr Bell that EU rules driving takes place in almost every week. It is therefore entirely predictable that proper records of other work should be kept, as an EU journey is highly likely to arise in any one week. In any case, much of the private hire type work, such as school trips to swimming pools or airport trips, would be booked in advance.

“During the PI, Mr Brown appeared to resile somewhat from his submission and accept that Mr Bell had not been keeping, and was still not keeping, proper records as required by the EU Regulation.

This was a different position from the one originally asserted by both himself and Mr Nye – that Mr Bell had kept records which were legally compliant but not in the format desired by DVSA. “I asked Mr Bell how he could consider that driving a 49-seater coach was akin to driving a private car. He replied that a coach came under the definition of ‘heavy motor car’ in UK legislation. I further asked him why he thought that positioning journeys in his coach were exempt from drivers’ hours rules because they were private journeys. Mr Bell said that he thought that as he owned the coach and was driving empty and not for hire and reward, these journeys were outside the scope of both UK and EU rules.

“I took him to Articles 1 and 4(a) of the EU Regulation, which stipulated that ‘carriage of passengers by road’ included unladen journeys. Ms Morris pointed to a number of days on which Mr Bell had performed a journey under EU rules and

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 35 19/01/2015 19:01

LEGAL NEWS › RUTHERFORD’S TRAVEL had then taken the chart out and driven on with the vehicle empty, supposedly as a private journey.

Mr Brown accepted that Mr Bell’s interpretation had been mistaken and that he should have continued to use a tachograph to record such journeys.

“I asked Mr Bell why he was still not recording other work (including UK domestic driving) properly, when he had been advised by Ms Morris at the interview on September 29 what needed to be done. He replied that he had not yet got around to executing the improvements needed.

“I asked Mr Bell why he had not been more co-operative in agreeing an interview date with DVSA, seeking to delay being interviewed by three months, on the grounds that he was on holiday in August and busy during term time. That seemed to exclude any possible date. He said that he had been irritated by the short notice of cancellation of the original date, which had been inconvenient and expensive for him. Ms Morris explained the personal health reasons for the late notice, and I was satisfied that the cancellation was beyond her control and unforeseeable.

“Susan Bell, giving evidence, said that she was now using tachograph charts for all her driving, although no evidence was provided. She rarely did any ‘other work’ apart from UK and EU rules driving, as she just helped out with the driving side of things.

“Concluding, Mr Brown accepted that Mr Bell had not kept adequate records. He now knew that he should not have taken his chart out at the end of EU journeys and continued driving as a ‘private’ journey. He had started to make improvements but needed to go further.

“Mr Brown recognised that some form of regulatory action might be taken by the TC but submitted that any such action should take place in the school holidays and should not affect the operator’s ability to carry out its school contracts. He asked that any action against the PCV driving entitlement of Mr and Mrs Bell should coincide with any action against the licence.”

Findings

The TC found that the operator had failed to fulfil his undertaking and comply with rules relating to drivers’ hours and tachographs, and failed to make or keep adequate records of the time he

Traffic Commissioner for London and the South East, Nick Denton, said George Bell should have had a better understanding of the Drivers’ Hours regulations, since he is a Transport Manager spent on UK rules driving and other work. He also failed to ensure that Mrs Bell and one other driver did so.

The TC said that Mr Bell still does not comply with the relevant legal requirements, and has persisted in a ‘wholly unwarranted interpretation’ of private use.

“Clearly, vehicle movements which are carried out on a day on which an EU journey has been or will be performed and which are made necessary by the commercial use of the vehicle cannot possibly be described as private use,” he explained.

“I find that Mr Bell has been less than co-operative with the enforcement authorities, and that this has harmed his repute in my eyes. In addition, Mr Bell’s whole attitude throughout the PI gave me cause for concern. Several times he stated that ‘I can’t see what I am here for’ and that ‘I haven’t done anything wrong.’ He appeared for much of the PI to be in a state of denial about his failure to comply. To some extent this may be the result of the poor advice he appears to have received, but a professionally competent Transport Manager should know what records are required in a week in which an EU rules journey is performed and should know what does and does not constitute a private journey.

“I did not come away from the PI at all reassured that Mr Bell

Conclusion

Making his decision, the TC said: “It is clear that the operator has exercised insufficient and ineffective control of drivers’ hours and that Mr Bell as Transport Manager has been and still is ignorant of the relevant drivers’ hours rules which apply to his business model of mixed EU and UK domestic driving. Because of his lack of meaningful records, it is impossible to tell how serious or numerous any drivers’ hours offences such as insufficient rest or excessive driving might be.

“Mr Bell has also been far too slow to effect the necessary improvements to compliance after the stop in July 2014 and the subsequent interview with DVSA. Even today his records are inadequate. I therefore conclude that the operator’s shortcomings come in the ‘moderate’ category, but at the higher end of that category given his ongoing non-compliance and relative paucity of mitigating

“I did not come away from the PI at all reassured that Mr Bell appreciates that he has fallen short of the requirements, that he knows what he has to do to improve or that he has the resolve to do it.”

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appreciates that he has fallen short of the requirements, that he knows what he has to do to improve or that he has the resolve to do it.”

Against the negative findings, the TC did note that Mr Bell had committed to going on a refresher course and to arranging an independent audit, and that Mrs Bell had taken steps in the right direction by starting to record all her driving on a tachograph chart.

elements which constitute actual improvements rather than good intentions for the future.

“I have therefore decided on a two week suspension, not all of which will be timed to take place in the holiday period.

This is to send the operator a strong warning signal that he has fallen significantly short of my expectations of a compliant operator and that he needs to make the required improvements quickly if he wishes to continue to hold an O-licence. He should use the two-week suspension period to devise and institute a proper record keeping system and ensure that all drivers likely to do mixed UK and EU driving know what is expected of them.

“I have considered Mr Bell’s good repute as both operator and Transport Manager. On balance, I have decided – just – not to take this away, although his truculent attitude at the PI did him little favour with me. This is largely because I have given him the benefit of the doubt in that the nature and extent of the drivers’ hours offences (as opposed to the record keeping offences and wrongful recording of some journeys) is largely unknown. He may also have been poorly advised – but if he is to continue to act as a Transport Manager, he must undertake to attend a refresher training course by the end of March.

“He will have to work hard to rebuild my trust in him. He should be under no illusion about the likely result if he fails to grasp this final opportunity to put things right – loss of his good repute and revocation of the licence.

“I realise that no powers exist for me to prevent Mr Bell’s vehicles from being used under another O-licence during the period of suspension. But the point of the two-week suspension is for him to step back from the daily grind of running a business and work to improve his knowledge of the rules and create the right record-keeping systems. This objective will not be met if vehicles and possibly drivers are sub-contracted out to another operator.

“It would be greatly preferable, if Mr Bell wishes to sub-contract his school run work, for another operator to take over the work entirely for the two-week period and not involve Mr Bell’s vehicles or drivers. This is one of the ways in which Mr Bell can start to rebuild my trust in him (or damage it yet further).” n www.coachandbusweek.com

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699493-1172-EVM 19/01/2015 15:02 Page 1

The essential read for Minibus Operators

January 2015

MINIBUS 2015 brings higher expectations

A

ccording to of�icial �igures compiled by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, total minibus registrations in December reached 322 units which represents a drop of just over 15% on December 2013. The total registrations for the year were 3,912 which is a drop of just 2.8%. As new replacement models for the sector previously served by the Mercedes-Benz Vario are now coming to market, the signs for improvement in 2015 are positive.

There are also signs of growing interest in electric vehicles, particularly among those providing services for local authorities with ambitions to meet improved air quality targets and reduce their carbon footprints. The stumbling block for most would-be users of electric vehicles remains the high initial cost and remote opportunity

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039_CBW1172_MINIBUS_Opener.indd 39

There are signs of improvement for the years ahead. EVM’s products, one of which is seen here, are a popular choice for operators of all sizes

of a strong residual value. While lower running costs and reduced maintenance are highly attractive incentives, prospective purchasers will need to make sure the costs can be fully amortised over the life of the vehicle – or over the duration of any contracted service.

The conventional diesel power unit is far from dead.

Developments are increasing ef�iciency while reducing emissions and its new LPG-fuelled power unit is a staggering 20% more economic than the current option. Other manufacturers are no doubt pursuing similar advancement in operating economy.

The key to success will be in ensuring developments are both reliable and cost effective for customers.

Martin Cole MINIBUS Editor

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | 39 19/01/2015 10:59

THE BIG PICTURE Cornish operator OTS Falmouth, based at Lamanva, recently took delivery of a new Euro 6 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Classic 22-seater minibus from EVM’s sales office in Horsham, West Sussex. The specification of the vehicle includes a 516 Cdi 163bhp engine with seven-speed G Tronic automatic transmission. The Crete 80 seats inside feature three point seatbelts and are finished in virtual leather. The operator was very happy when it came down to Horsham to collect the new vehicle, quoting EVM’s ability to deliver exactly what they were after in a short time frame. The picture was taken at Argal Reservoir, part of the South Western Lakes Trust, which is promoted as a local beauty spot near Penryn.

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19/01/2015 11:23

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19/01/2015 11:23

MINIBUS › NEWS

Guidance on CT state aid DfT document provides reminder over funding potentially giving CTOs competitive advantage over commercial operators The Department for Transport has issued new guidelines on EU State Aid rules for local authorities or any other body that distributes funding when making payments to Community Transport Operators (CTO).

It says the term ‘Community Transport Services’ (CTS) is not defined in law, describing CTS as “a generic description capable of being applied to a very wide range of different services.”

However, it says the term is most usually applied to services involving the provision, both by and for the benefit of a particular local community, of some form of transportation facility or service.

The service may benefit that local community as a whole, or a particular section of that local community (such as the disabled or infirm).

The DfT is keen to stress that the purpose of the guidance is not to restrict local authorities’ freedom to make decisions, but rather to highlight the existing State Aid rules. Compliance with the rules is a legal requirement.

In addition, compliance may assist local authorities in ensuring that public money is being used efficiently and to meet genuine local needs.

Acknowledging that the State Aid rules are complex, DfT says the question of whether or not

New numbers at expanded Minis to Midis

Doncaster-based Minis to Midis, supplier of the Turas range of mini and midi coaches as agent for Brian Noone Ltd., has announced

a particular grant to a particular organisation might constitute State Aid can be considered only on a case by case basis, i.e. based on the facts of that particular case. Relevant factors may include such matters as: the amount of public financial support being provided; the particular forms of CTS in respect of which that support has been given; and the nature of any other activities being carried out by the organisation concerned and identification of the particular economic markets in which the organisation is active.

DfT says community transport organisations should be required to keep accounts that enable the local authority to verify the organisation’s costs and revenues of operating the supported CTS and ensure that the grants and revenues received are not being used to cross-subsidise other services or activities.

Accordingly, where the organisation’s activities are not limited to providing the supported CTS, it will need to put in place internal accounting mechanisms to ensure that such accounts are available and are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Local authorities should ensure that public funding which they provide in any form whatsoever in support of CTS is not used by the beneficiaries to crosssubsidise commercial activities.

Therefore, they must ensure new contact numbers, including a new Direct Parts Line.

This follows the permanent relocation of the sales and parts departments to the respected dealerships’s showroom address Unit 8, Guildhall Industrial Estate, Sandall Stones Road, Doncaster DN3 1QR. Additional office space and parts

42 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | January 20, 2015 042_044_CBW1172_Minibus_News.indd 42

that where the undertaking also carries out activities falling outside the scope of the Service of General Economic Interest (SGEI), only the costs related to the SGEI are covered by public funding. The costs related to the SGEI may include all the direct costs incurred in operating the SGEI and an attributable part of costs common to both the SGEI and the other activities.

For example, beneficiaries which receive public funding in the form of vehicles must in principle not use these vehicles to provide transport services procured by local authorities in competitive tenders. However, if the CTO uses the vehicle provided for the SGEI also for other activities – for instance, 50% for the SGEI and 50% for the other activities – only 50% of the cost of the vehicle can be subsidised by the local authorities.

Otherwise such beneficiaries would have had an unfair competitive advantage over private non-subsidised commercial operators participating in these tenders.

The guidance also deals with de minimis aid, covering the sums and timeframe involved.

Read the guidance at www. gov.uk/government/ publications/community-transportoperator-funding-eu-state-aid-rules.

DfT intends to keep these Guidelines under review. Any suggestions as to how these Guidelines could be improved can be provided to: buses@dft.gsi.gov.uk.

storage has been created and an extra undercover vehicle display area will also be added shortly.

The accounts department remains at the company’s registered office.

Linda Trees has joined the team to assist with reception and administration duties. Alan White told CBW that two further

Seat Classic for AMK

AMK Chauffeur Drive has taken delivery of new EVM Classic equipped with 22 seats.

It is based on a Euro 6 MercedesBenz Sprinter 516 Cdi with a 163hp engine and seven-speed 7G-Tronic automatic gearbox.

Founded in 1973, AMK has become one of the largest, independent minicoach operators in the UK, managing a fleet of more than 140 vehicles and employing a workforce of 200 experienced personnel.

The new EVM minibus retains the original front windscreen and factory-fitted side windows with heat-insulated tinted glass.

Passenger entry is via a plugtype electric door with manual emergency release and exterior lock facility and three stage entry step with LED strip lights.

Original 270-degree opening hinged rear doors were also retained and two brushed aluminium luggage racks with strip lighting, blue LED night lights and individual service units were installed.

In addition to the In-Dash airconditioning, a Mercedes-Benz saloon air-conditioning system with seven directional outlets was mounted in centre roof cowling.

Saloon heating with heater booster was also added.

An Audio 10 upgrade was provided for the radio/SD/USB unit which is also Bluetooth ready.

Passengers are accommodated on 22 Comfort Class seats with three-point seatbelts and aisle-side folding armrests.

Body moulded side skirts in matching vehicle colour and colour coded bumpers and side mouldings were also specified. appointments are planned by the spring.

The new numbers are: Main number and Sales: 01302 892060 (four lines); Parts Direct: 01302 892062; and Fax: 01302 887130.

For more information, visit www.ministomidis.com.

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19/01/2015 19:02

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Broadway Cars & Minibuses opt for EVM Classic Get Carter, A 17-seat EVM Sprinter Classic has joined the line-up at West Berkshire’s Broadway Cars & Minibuses for 2015. Serving the area around Thatcham and Newbury, it will be employed on a range of duties.

The Classic is based on a Euro 6 Mercedes-Benz five series Sprinter, equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox. It features a sliding side entrance to the saloon, in addition to the standard front passenger entrance door and EVM’s threestage entry steps with LED strip lighting and stainless steel inserts.

Original hinged rear doors were retained and there is a reasonably large luggage space behind the rear row of seating.

Overhead luggage racks finished in brushed aluminium include strip lighting, blue LED night lights and individual passenger service units.

The standard Sprinter windscreen was retained and grey-tinted stepped, curved,

get X-Clusive

Seats are fixed back units finished in automotive trim with three-point belts double glazed side windows installed. Mercedes-Benz airconditioning and a saloon heater were installed in the saloon and there is also Tempmatic In-Dash air-conditioning for the cab area.

Seats are fixed back units finished in automotive trim and equipped with three-point

seatbelts.

Broadway Cars & Minibuses also opted for an Audio 10 radio/CD upgrade, which is Bluetooth ready, plus the external enhancements of an X-Clusive bodystyle kit with colour-coded bumpers, side mouldings, front grille and EVM’s chrome pack.

Avantgarde joins Ashford Mini Buses Ashford Mini Buses has taken delivery of a Euro 6 Sprinter Avantgarde from EVM. It is based on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 516 Cdi with a 163bhp engine and sixspeed manual gearbox.

Passenger access is via the original front entrance door with three-stage entry steps incorporating LED strip lighting, stainless steel inserts and illuminated AMB Travel logo.

The standard windscreen has been retained and stepped, curved, double glazed side windows, tinted in privacy grey, and installed.

Original rear doors open to reveal a saloon partition, boot pedestal and raised rear floor combined with a full depth drop boot with lighting for upper and lower areas.

Full length brushed aluminium luggage racks provide additional storage space and feature strip lighting, blue LED night lights and individual passenger service units.

A Parrot Asteroid Smart media system with a 6.2-inch touch screen display was specified

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042_044_CBW1172_Minibus_News.indd 43

The smart entrance and cab area and this is compatible with the Integrated reversing camera. A 19-inch monitor, recessed in the roof has USB/SD input slots and is linked to the Parrot system via HDMI cable. A PA system with hand microphone was also added.

Passenger accommodation includes 16 executive 110 reclining seats with three-point seatbelts,

folding arm rests to aisle side with leather cushioned finish and additional soft foam. They are upholstered in two-colour real leather.

Ashford Mini Buses also opted for the X-Clusive body moulded side skirts, colour coded bumpers, side mouldings and front grille with EuroLiner wheel trims.

Newcastle upon Tyne’s Get Carter Luxury Mini Bus Travel has acquired a Euro 6 X-Clusive Sprinter from EVM. Based on a Euro 6 MercedesBenz 516 Cdi, it has a 163bhp engine and a seven-speed 7G-Tronic gearbox.

The operator specialises in minibus hire services, covering school contracts, airport / rail transfers, wedding car hire, chauffeur-driven car hire, stag and hen parties and city tours and any other services requiring minibus travel. The family-run business is located close to Newcastle Airport and has been operating since 1999.

Get Carter’s new EVM benefits from kerbside appeal The latest addition to the fleet retains has stepped, curved double-glazed side windows tinted in privacy grey and a coach rear incorporating a full-depth drop boot.

A panoramic roof with extra-wide glass panels was also fitted.

Passenger entry is via a plug-type electric entry door with manual emergency release and exterior key lock facility and integrated three stage entry step with LED strip lights and stainless steel inserts.

Two full length brushed aluminium luggage racks feature strip lighting and blue LED night lights with individual passenger service units.

In-Dash air-conditioning plus an Eberspächer saloon air-conditioning system and saloon heating with heater booster ensure complete climate control.

A Sound 15 upgrade was selected for the radio/USB/SD system with a 17-inch monitors front and rear with DVD player incorporated in dash. A PA system with hand microphone and onboard WiFi were also installed.

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | 43 19/01/2015 11:00

MINIBUS › NEWS

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Renault Tra�ic and Master Passenger versions ready to order Prices for both models range from £20,145 to £31,254 Order books are now open for the new Renault Tra�ic and Master Passenger with �irst deliveries expected in the UK imminently.

The Tra�ic Passenger range starts at £20,145 excluding VAT, while pricing for the Master Passenger begins at £22,100 excluding VAT. The Tra�ic Passenger is available with short (3,098 mm) or long (3,498 mm) wheelbases, four 1.6-litre dCi turbodiesel engines – depending on version – and a choice of ‘Business’ or ‘Sport’ trim levels. All versions have three rows of three seats, although buyers have the option of deleting the third row to increase load capacity.

Sport models are also available with two individual front seats as a no-cost option.

The Master Passenger is sold as a six-seat Combi, nine-seat Combi, 17-seat Minibus and Trabus Glazed Panel Van. They are powered by four different versions of the 2.3-litre dCi turbodiesel engine, one of which offers the convenience of Renault’s Quickshift robotised semi-automatic gearbox. ‘Business’ trim is standard on all models, which gives DAB Radio, CD, USB and Bluetooth connectivity as well as ESC (Electronic Stability Control) with Grip Xtend, Hill Start Assist and Trailer Swing Assist.

The six-seat Combi has a 3,182 mm wheelbase, for the nine-seat Combi this is extended to 3,682 mm, while for the 17-seat Minibus the wheelbase is even longer at 4,332 mm. The Trabus Glazed Panel Van is offered in medium- and longwheelbase formats.

There are 17 versions of the All-New Tra�ic Passenger – 11 with Business trim and six with Sport.

Business models are available with 90 hp, 115 hp and ENERGY 120 and 140 hp versions of the 1.6-litre dCi engine, giving fuel economy of between 42.8 and 49.6 mpg (combined cycle), with CO2 emissions ranging from 149 to 174 g/km. All engines apart from the dCi 90 are available with Sport trim.

Standard equipment includes

Renault’s new 17-seat Master three rows of three seats, with the third row removable; a driver’s seat with armrest and both height and lumbar adjustment; a rakeand reach-adjustable steering wheel; electric front windows, with one-touch operation on the driver’s side; a DAB radio with USB and AUX sockets; a trip computer; electrically adjustable heated door mirrors; two large sliding side doors; heating elements and a wiper for the tailgate glass; Electronic Stability Control with Hill Start Assist and Grip Xtend; anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake Force Distribution; tyre pressure monitoring; and remote locking with deadlocks.

Sport versions add metallic paint; a body-coloured front bumper, door rail, tail-light column and door mirrors; a Brilliant Black logo surround and premium chrome grille; automatic headlights and wipers; the Renault MediaNav touchscreen multimedia and

The new Renault Trafic Passenger

44 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | January 20, 2015 042_044_CBW1172_Minibus_News.indd 44

navigation system; Bluetooth; manual air-conditioning; a premium dashboard with a smartphone dock; a leathertrimmed steering wheel; front fog lights; rear parking sensors; and cruise control with a speed limiter.

Business models are trimmed in Muscade upholstery and have 16-inch steel wheels, while Sport versions have Java upholstery and 17-inch Cyclade alloy wheels.

The New Master Passenger range consists of three six-seat Combi models, powered by 110, 125 and ENERGY 135 hp 2.3-litre dCi engines; two nine-seat Combis with the 125 and 135 dCi engines; two versions of the 17-seat Minibus with a 150 hp dCi engine; and two versions of the Trabus Glazed Panel Van, both with the 150 dCi engine. The six-seater Combi 125 dCi is �itted as standard with the Quickshift transmission, which is also available with the 17-seat minibus. Fuel economy

is between 34.8 and 44.1 mpg (combined cycle), with CO2 emissions of 166 to 212 g/km.

Standard equipment includes a DAB radio and CD player with Bluetooth and a USB socket; a trip computer; driver’s seat height and lumbar adjustment plus an armrest; steering wheel height adjustment; electric front windows; one sliding side door on the left; electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors; Electronic Stability Control with Hill Start Assist, Trailer Swing Assist and Grip Xtend; anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake Force Distribution; remote locking; and the Renault Anti-Intruder Device.

Items speci�ic to Combi models are adjustable headrests, deadlocks, six cargo anchorage points and two ISOFIX child-seat mounting points. Minibus variants have an exterior electric side step and side marker lights; a dual split underseat storage compartment and pivoting seatback table; a 12volt power socket on the D-pillar; a digital tachograph with CAN interface; an engine limiter; two 2 kg foam �ire extinguishers; an access rail; central overhead lighting and gangway lighting; individual spotlights; and an overhead storage rack above the seats.

Trabus models also have deadlocks, rear anchorage points, the speed limiter and side marker lights. Combi and Trabus models have Kaleido dark grey upholstery, while the Minibus has Funaia blue and orange upholstery.

www.coachandbusweek.com

19/01/2015 11:00

699951-1172-Eberspacher 15/01/2015 08:36 Page 1

MINIBUS FIRST DRIVE › NEW CITROEN RELAY A Relay conversion by Advanced Vehicle Builders

Citroën Relay Enterprise

T

he New Citroën Relay, �irst revealed at the Commercial Vehicle Show last year, has seen signi�icant enhancement through a thorough development process. Its looks have been refreshed while retaining the model’s identity, but the key changes are designed to make the vehicle far more robust.

Basic speci�ication models are now equipped to a much higher level as standard and the popular Enterprise versions include some attractive extras for around an additional £800.

In its panel van form, Citroën claims the Relay range has class-leading payloads and

46 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | January 20, 2015 046_050_CBW1172_Minibus_Citroen.indd 46

Martin Cole puts the new L3H2 (long wheelbase high roof) 130 Enterprise through its paces and �inds a vehicle representing a real step forward in the longstanding model’s development

load space practicality with square-sided load compartments; wide load decks; and the lowest load deck heights. All of this relates to improved interior space for a minibus conversion and easier access for passengers. The manufacturer

has also extended service intervals and claims up to 15% more fuel ef�icient engines alongside lower emissions. The warranty package is for two years’ unlimited mileage or an option of three years or 100,000 miles – whichever comes �irst.

www.coachandbusweek.com

19/01/2015 11:01

‘Despite a myriad of changes and enhancements, the Relay still retains a very familiar feel’

Relay dash and controls are tidy with easy to read instrumentation

Revised cab area is comfortable and practical

Electric mirror adjustment and window controls

Visual changes on the Relay include a restyled front with large, high-mounted headlights which incorporate daytime running lights. A new grille and corporate chevron design ensure the model is distinctive. A notable improvement is the inclusion of a multi-section front bumper to minimise accident repair costs.

Citroën also looked at beefing up the highstress areas such as door hinges and it is certainly noticeable – the rear door hinges are stronger and far more substantial. Sliding side door rails have been reinforced and re-designed runners installed to improve durability.

The body has also been given multipoint reinforcement to improve its rigidity. Citroën claims this has also led to a reduction in noise.

Much of the improved payload capacity is said to have come through the use of high tensile steel in the body construction which is stronger and lighter than the previous material. Payload for the L3H2 model is 1,525Kg. Repositioned shock absorbers in stronger mountings also contribute to lowering transmission of road noise while enhancing the ride quality.

Changes to the braking system are also said to have reduced noise while improving braking performance.

front passenger are height adjustable for a comfortable fit. Large mirrors offer extremely good rearward vision and the general view for the driver is good – although limited on the nearside at angled junctions – care is required with positioning at such intersections.

Dials and the digital display screen are clear and easy to read and the data displayed offers a continuous check on the driving range left according to how much fuel is in the tank. The display unit also houses a multi-function trip computer. A DAB radio is standard equipment offering USB connection and Bluetooth – linked to steering wheel-mounted controls. Enterprise specification adds an MP3 compatible CD player.

As with all Relay models, it comes with a builtin Teletrac telematics system incorporating Smartnav satellite navigation system and Trackstar stolen vehicle tracking. Operators may sign up to the optional Fleet Director management system which is a low-cost fleet management package linked to the capabilities of the onboard telematics. Smartnav makes use of Trafficmaster’s national live traffic data, so when a driver inputs a destination, it checks the route and will advise on any reported delays and offer an alternative if one is available.

Trackstar continually reports its position to a satellite and, in the event a vehicle is stolen, its whereabouts can be identified quickly and a recovery initiated.

The centre console in the Enterprise model also houses a five-inch LCD touchscreen for controlling a number of media functions. It links to a reversing camera system and rear parking sensors. The colour image of the immediate area behind the vehicle is overlayed with guide

Driver comfort

Teletrac Smartnav display now in colour

www.coachandbusweek.com

046_050_CBW1172_Minibus_Citroen.indd 47

Relay’s revised cab area is attractive and remains practical. Seats are covered in a durable dark grey cloth with red flecks and they are quite comfortable. The driver’s seat is fully adjustable and the steering column is adjustable for rake and reach to accommodate most drivers. A suspension seat is an option.

Seatbelts for the driver and nearside

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | 47 19/01/2015 11:01

MINIBUS FIRST DRIVE › NEW CITROEN RELAY

A rear three-quarter view of the Advanced Vehicle Builders Relay

Relay engine compartment housing the 2.2 litre four cyclinder diesel unit lines enabling the driver to position the vehicle accurately and safely.

Windows are electrically operated and the mirrors are electrically adjustable and heated.

Driveline

Citroën claims fuel economy has improved by up to 15% thanks to its advanced HDi diesel engine technology. This also means a reduction in emissions. Typically, Relays in the 3.0-3.5t gvw range deliver combined cycle fuel economy of up to 42.8mpg and under-200g/km CO2 figures.

The L3H2 test vehicle produces 195g/km CO2.

The engines are all based on a single 2.2-litre four cylinder diesel unit with power options of 110, 130 or 150bhp. An e-HDi version of the 130bhp unit can be specified which is fitted with a start/stop system and sees emissions reduced to 175 g/km CO2. This gives a one mile per gallon improvement. The 3.5t L3H2 130 has a combined cycle figure of 38.2mpg which rises

to 39.2mpg with the e-HDi unit. The engine is rated as Euro 5B+. In keeping with Citroën policy, it will not move to Euro 6 ahead of the compliance date.

The company believes its continual research into reduced emissions means by the time it is required to switch it will be able to offer Euro 6 with the most up-to-date technology and lowest in-class emissions.

Other operating cost reduction features include extended service intervals of up to two years or 30,000 miles.

All the above power options are mated with a fully synchromeshed six-speed manual gearbox.

No automatic option is listed.

On the road

Despite a myriad of changes and enhancements, the Relay still retains a very familiar feel. The steering seems to be slightly more heavily weighted but it retains the nimble agility of its predecessors and the sensation could be due to

48 | COACH & BUS WEEK MINIBUS | January 20, 2015 046_050_CBW1172_Minibus_Citroen.indd 48

New Relay with Advanced Vehicle Builders’ interior the choice of tyres or suspension modifications.

The ride felt much firmer but with no load in the vehicle I would expect it to be much less harsh with a complement of passengers aboard.

Overall – it has a more rugged feel and handles very well. The taut feel to the new model means it has little tendency for body sway when cornering.

The 130bhp engine develops a lot of torque (320Nm @ 2,000rpm) and means it pulls strongly from low rpm. Therefore, it does not need to be revved very hard and it is extremely flexible – so gear changing is minimised and cruising becomes pleasurable and less stressful.

Short shifting of the gears is all that is necessary to achieve brisk acceleration and at 60mph in sixth gear the engine is doing just under 2,000rpm. Changes are smooth and positive, and the gearbox is ideal for enacting block changes with ease. The driver’s seat is comfortable and supportive, with plenty of adjustment and the steering column can also be adjusted

www.coachandbusweek.com

19/01/2015 11:01

703253-1151-GM Coaches 14/08/2014 15:33 Page 1

MINIBUS FIRST DRIVE › NEW CITROEN RELAY easily and quickly to the most comfortable position. Enterprise specification models come with cab air-conditioning for additional driver comfort.

While there is undoubted merit in the installation of a lane departure warning system, particularly for long haul operations where a driver could become tired, it does become an irritation on minor roads. Narrow roads don’t give much leeway for movement and the system, which has an audible buzzer in addition to warning lights on the display screen, sounds frequently if a white line is crossed at more than 37mph without the indicator having been activated. As many side roads are still dotted with potholes any avoiding action sets the system off. On narrow lanes without any road markings at all, it still activates itself occasionally – probably due to changes in the colour of the road surface or perhaps reflective wet patches.

I’m not too sure passengers would be impressed by the continual sounding of an alarm buzzer for no apparent reason. On wider trunk roads, dual carriageways or motorways it does not become an issue as any warning is likely to be valid.

Braking is very smooth with no tendency to grab – which makes the Relay pleasant to drive in urban traffic. All models are fitted with ESC systems as standard – in addition to ABS and Emergency Braking Assistance.

The basic Relay 130 L3H2 panel van, with VAT is priced £25,205, with the Enterprise model £800 more at £26,005. For the extra £800 you get cab air-conditioning, rear parking sensors, cruise control with variable speed limiter, perimetric/volumetric alarm system, MP3

Relay’s luggage space with rear seat row removed compatible CD player and a five-inch colour touch screen. Other significant Relay options include tyre pressure sensors (£90 + VAT) and additional LED front lighting (£150 + VAT). Rear air suspension is available on selected models for £990 plus VAT. Those seeking more power could opt for the Relay 150bhp model which adds a further £800 to the price. It delivers 360NM @ 2,000rpm.

Option Packs for standard base vehicles

Stanford Coachworks Relay conversion for Burnt Tree

include: l ‘Look Pack’ with LED daytime running lights, front fog lights and full wheel trims; l ‘City Pack’ with rear parking sensors, reversing camera and electrical folding/heated door mirrors; l ‘Comfort Pack’ which includes auto rain sensitive wipers, auto air-conditioning, suspended driver’s seat and leather steering wheel; l ‘All-Road Pack’ with Intelligent Traction Control and under body protection; and l ‘Safety Pack’ with Lane Departure Warning System, passenger air bag and tyre pressure sensors.

Summary

Citroën’s new Relay represents a step forward in the model’s development. It can offer a generously sized saloon area for up to 16 passengers and more than adequate performance to compete favourably in short or long haul operations.

It is unlikely there will be much change to this platform when the shift to Euro 6 compliance is taken. As this is likely to add some weight to the Relay, it will eventually cancel out some of the current payload advantage Citroën has achieved. It is also likely to add cost to the basic platform.

In the meantime, Relay remains a practical cost-effective alternative in the marketplace which is economic on fuel and delivers low emissions. n

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p51_CBW_1172 19/01/2015 14:25 Page 51

2003 Setra 315 GTHD

1998 Volvo B10M Enigma

1992 Setra 215 HD

2009 Iveco Library Bus

49 recliner seats with retractable seat belts, magazine nets, foot rests, individual tables, DVD + 2 monitors, centre toilet, centre power door, boiler, dash fridge, air con, Eminox exhaust 2015, Mercedes 6 cylinder engine, Merc 6 speed box, test September 2015.

49 recliner seats with retractable belts, DVD + monitor, centre toilet and door, Volvo engine, ZF gearbox, test until August 2015.

53 seats, MAN engine, MOT Nov 2015.

Euro 5, superb example, as new, all keys and manuals, only 29,000 miles warranted, direct council, viewing on site in Manchester.

£37,500 + VAT o.n.o.

£15,000 + VAT o.n.o.

£5,000 ono

£25,000 o.n.o.

07730 486708 paul.watson9@btconnect.com

07730 486708 paul.watson9@btconnect.com

Call Ken – Belle Coaches 01728 830414/07887 898425

Tel: 0161 223 3882 juliej@stoodley.co.uk

2003/03 Mercedes Sprinter 413 CDI UVG Treka

2002/02 Mercedes 814 Vario Plaxton Beaver 2

2008/08 LDV Maxus 3.5T 95 LWB (euromotive) Welfare

17 seater, welfare/accessible, Sprintshift, front entry, power door, COIF, tacho, MOT, 160,000kms, very good all round order.

29 seater, automatic, tacho, big MOT, power door, 283k.

6 seater, internal AMF-Bruns chair lift, full tracking, Eberspacher, AVS, A/C, 103K.

£7,450 + VAT

£11,950 + VAT

£6,495 + VAT

B&L Coaches 0208 363 8572 or 07971 785390

B&L Coaches 0208 363 8572 or 07971 785390

B&L Coaches 0208 363 8572 or 07971 785390

2012 Mercedes Benz Sprinter

2009 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 515

New Mercedes Benz Sprinter Grand Tourer

2009 Mercedes Benz Sprinter Minicoach

Automatic, graphite grey, power door, panoramic roof & windows, privacy glass, coach rear end, large drop boot, 16 leather seats, 15 monitor + DVD player, Euroliners, 3 point seat belts, air con front & rear, 100,000 miles, coolbox, MOT Oct 15.

Manual gearbox, 252,000 miles, white, manual entry door, double rear doors, large drop boot, full draw curtains, 16 moquette seats, air con front & rear, luggage racks.

7 speed G Tronic auto, power door, panoramic saloon side windows and windscreen, powered elevating boot door, large boot and side lockers, 19 leather seats + driver + courier, air con.

16 moquette seats, automatic, manual entry as well as saloon sliding door, luggage racks, full drawn curtains, double rear doors, monitor/DVD.

£47,500 + VAT

£25,000 + VAT

£POA

£28,500 + VAT

EVM Direct – 0845 5205160

EVM Direct – 0845 5205160

EVM Direct – 0845 5205160

EVM Direct – 0845 5205160

www.coachandbusweek.com

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 51

p52_CBW_1172 19/01/2015 14:26 Page 52

Call Gemma Ireland Tel: 01733 293247 E: gemma.ireland@coachandbusweek.com

VEHICLES

2002 52 reg Volvo B12B Jonckheere Mistral 50

2009 Iveco Beulas

7HO

ZF auto, 53 seats, air-con, monitor, radio, fridge, alloy wheels, RPC/LEZ compliant, MOT February 2015, taxed Sept 2014, good condition.

£28,000 + VAT

55 seats on 2 axles, LEZ Compliant, 12.7m, 1 owner since new, full exec, MOT March 2015, in daily use, choice of 2. £78,500 +VAT ono

Diamond Coaches 01243 870010 / 07711 868976

Travelsure 01668 219291 / 07919 215905

1998 Mercedes Sprinter

2004 Iveco Beulas

15 seats, front entry, Mellor conversion, MOT 16/5/14, very good condition, with tail lift.

£ 3,700

1998 Iveco 40 / 10 15 seats, front entry, MOT 22/8/14, very good condition.

£ 2,500

1995 Iveco 49 / 10 19 seats, front entry, power door, MOT 13/1/15, very good condition.

£ 3,000 Kingdoms Tours Ltd

2004 Dennis Tridents

9 seater, tax till Jan, will have new MOT, 190,000 miles, runs well, front and rear air-con, tow bar. £3,500 + VAT

Cummins ISC Euro 3 engines, LEZ compliant, DDA compliant, Alexander ALX400 bodies, dual door 67 seats or single door 77 seats.

Hailstone Travel Ltd 0845 388 3848

£34,500 ono + VAT

Nigel McCree

01884 252646 / 07702 626542

2006 Transit Tourneo

Auto, 51 seat executive coach, WC, DVD, A/C, drinks boiler, fridge, etc, in exceptional condition for age, MOT July 2014.

Tel 01249 742000/07717 768315

£POA

EnsignBus 01708 865656

Dennis ‘R’ Series Plaxton Panther

Optare Solo Slimline

TWO LEFT

Choice of 2 remaining Coaches from 8.

Mercedes engine, 3 point seat belts, low floor, wheelchair access and tacho. Sale due to loss of contracts.

53 reclining seats, 3 point seat belts, courier seat, plug entrance door, double glazing, air conditioning, radio/PA/CD audio, DVD and monitor, AS-Tronic transmission, intarder, LEZ compliant.

£POA

£20,000

Tel: 01823 653000 Moseley in the South

gillandersabbeycars@yahoo.co.uk

1997 Volvo B12R Jonckheere Monaco

2000 DAF SB3000 VanHool Alizee T9

71 reclining seats including lap belts, leather headrests and footrests, courier seat, manual crew door, powered centre entrance door, air con, radio/PA/cassette, DVD and monitors, toilet compartment, servery unit, fridge, two lower saloon tables, Telma retarder, cruise control.

53 Royal class reclining seats in half leather, courier seat, plug entrance door, double glazing, air con, radio/PA/CD, DVD and monitor, fridge, luggage rack locker doors, parallel lift luggage locker doors, cctv, LED running lights, alloy wheels, LEZ compliant (euro 4pm), automatic.

£POA

£POA

Tel: 01823 653000 Moseley in the South

Tel: 01823 653000 Moseley in the South

52 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015

2003 Volvo B12M Jonckheere 48 x 3 point belted seats, 1 crew seat, can be 53 or 55 easily.

Air conditioned. Full service history. Saloon mounted w/c.

Rear conti door.

£32,000 + VAT ovno Direct from Shearings Holidays fleet

Tel: 01805 938036 Mob: 07817 542113 Email: nigel@nigelmccree.com Insurance Insurance Stock updated weekly on the website:

www.nigelmccree.com SHORT OF CASH? RE-FINANCE YOUR VEHICLES WITH US – CALL 07808 856390

www.coachandbusweek.com

p53_CBW_1172 19/01/2015 14:27 Page 53

www.coachandbusmarket.com

VEHICLES Scania Irizar Century K114

Ford Transit 17 seat minibus

2005 Sunsundegai

2009 Levante

Full executive specification, ZF automatic, based on Volvo B12M, 49 reclining seats, moquette trim, crew seat, air con, sunken mid WC, DVD, radio & PA, air-suspension driver’s seat.

National Express specification, disabled access lift, Alcolock, automatic, reclining seats with leather trim, air con, washroom, powered lockers, radio & PA, air-suspension driver’s seat.

Immaculate condition throughout, in-dash air conditioning, recent new clutch and flywheel.

£60,000 – 4 AVAILABLE

£89,000 – 2 AVAILABLE

£11,500

Lewis Coaches Ltd 02476 449944

Lewis Coaches Ltd 02476 449944

keith.cabincoaches@gmail.com

Cabin Coaches Tel: 07725 252402

2005 Volkswagen

1999 MAN Marcopolo 18.310

2006 Citroen Relay

2006 VW LT35 TDi

6 speed manual, ideal 70 seater conversion vehicle, recent new gear cables and recon gearbox, no MOT but 95% prepared, unfortunately it has four misted side windows.

Wheelchair accessible, 17,500 miles, one previous owner, MOT Apr, Eberspacher heater, Ricon walk-thru tail lift.

Wheelchair accessible, 64,000 miles, one owner, FSH, white with grey interior.

Choice of four vehicles.

Low floor disabled access vehicle, suitable for wheelchair-bound and able bodied passengers.

53 seats (no toilet) ZF auto. 480,000 km. Good tyres, good condition, ready for work. LEZ Eminox exhaust, recent service. Sale due to purchase of another coach.

£46,000

£8,500 + VAT

£7,800 + VAT

Lewis Coaches Ltd 02476 449944

Wilkins Travel 01639 852600 wilkinstravel@hotmail.co.uk

Crystals Coaches Ltd Tel: 07971 000111

Crystals Coaches Ltd Tel: 07971 000111

Volvo B10M

Volvo B10M

Volvo B10M

Volvo B7R

55 seats, two available. £POA

53 seats, several M reg coaches available. £POA

57 seats. £POA

55 seats. £POA

Howard Snaith - 01830 520609 howardsnaith@btconnect.com

Howard Snaith - 01830 520609 howardsnaith@btconnect.com

Howard Snaith - 01830 520609 howardsnaith@btconnect.com

Howard Snaith - 01830 520609 howardsnaith@btconnect.com

2002 Scania Irizar K114

Ford Tourneo Custom 300L

2003 Dennis Dart

2006 Volvo B12M

£6,000 – 2 AVAILABLE

£POA

Cummins/Allison, Plaxton Pointer body, 47 seats with 45 belted, test 30th June 2015, immaculate throughout, more pictures available.

NOW £37,000

94bhp, 8 leather seats + driver, 6 speed gearbox, air con, electric mirrors & windows, central locking, alloys, parking sensors, auto lights, park pilot, auto start/stop, heated front seats, Bluetooth, heated screens, cruise control.

Kingdoms Tours Ltd 01884 252646 / 07702 626542

Blythswood Motors 0141 889 9730

Whitegate Travel Tel 01606 786833 / 07841 110426

01884 252646 / 07702 626542 Kingdoms Tours Ltd

2006 ADL East Lancs Esteem

2001 Scania L94UB Wright

2004 Dennis Enviro 300 Service Bus

2013 Volkswagen Transporter

25 seats, automatic, air con, manual front and back destination, electric middle ramp, CCTV cameras, assault screen, LEZ compliant.

44 seats, automatic ZF gearbox, LED front, side & rear destination, front manual ramp.

8 seats, manual gearbox, air conditioning, 3 point inertia seat belts, plain silver with no previous livery. £21,500

Ventura Sales 01342 835206

49 exec, W.C., A.C., 7 speed C-Shift, MOT 21/5/15, excellent condition.

£POA

£12,500 + VAT

51/53 seat executive, WC, AC, auto, Berkoff LEZ, MOT 12/11/14, excellent condition.

NOW £65,000

£POA

£12,995

44 seats, automatic gearbox, LED front, side & rear destinationm front manual ramp, DDA compliant, MOT until May 2015. £24,995

Ventura Sales 01342 835206

Ventura Sales 01342 835206

Ventura Sales 01342 835206

www.coachandbusweek.com

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 53

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Call Gemma Ireland Tel: 01733 293247 E: gemma.ireland@coachandbusweek.com

VEHICLES 1999 Dennis Dart SLF

2006 Volvo B12B Plaxton Panther

2012 Volvo B9R Caetano Levante

2001 Mercedes 814D

33 seats + 19 standees, MOT July 2015, choice of 3.

DDA spec with front wheelchair lift, 49 seats with 3-point seatbelts, rear saloon toilet.

48 seats, rear saloon toilet.

£14,950 + VAT

27 seats with 3-point belts, RPC, manual, MOT April 2015.

£6,995 + VAT

£45,000 + VAT

£150,000 + VAT

Andy.Bates@chalkwell.co.uk Tel: 01795 423982

Contact Neil on 0131 554 5413 neil.bailey@edinburghcoachlines.com

Contact Neil on 0131 554 5413 neil.bailey@edinburghcoachlines.com

Andy.Bates@chalkwell.co.uk 01795 423982

2001 Setra 315 GTHD

2011 61 plate Sitcar Marlin

Mercedes Sprinter

2005 Scania K114 Berkhof Axial

49 seats, full executive, Merc V8, LEZ compliant, MOT Apr 2015 .

33 seat + guide, finished in Moquette and leather, carpeted, A/C, PA & DVD, MOT Oct 2015, 123k kms

£28,000 ono

£85,000 + VAT

16 highback coach seats + driver, side sliding door, 6 speed gearbox, luggage pen, courier seat, air con, electric windows, central locking, steering wheel controls, electric side step, Ad Blue tank, digital tacho, Bluetooth.

Call Ken – Belle Coaches 01728 830414/07887 898425

Grange Travel – 01474 357743 info@grange-travel.co.uk

£POA

12.8 metre, 55 seat executive, automatic, air con, centre sunken WC, clean & tidy. £50,000 + VAT

Blythswood Motors 0141 889 9730

Nigel McCree - 07817 542113

2011 Volvo B9 Plaxton Panther

1998 Bova Futura FHD

2009 Scania PB Irizar ZF

2002 Volvo B12M VanHool T9

Manual, 12.2m, 70 Cogent seats + driver + courier, curtains, air conditioning, 3 point belts, double glazing, MOT Aug 2015, mileage 742,541 km.

Automatic, 49 seats + courier + driver, centre sunken WC, continental door, fridge, air conditioning, radio/ PA, CD player, twin monitors, double glazing, curtains, alloy wheels, 350,000km, new MOT.

Manual, 12.2 metre, 49 seats + courier + driver, power entrance door, centre sunken WC, lap belts, luggage rack locker doors, fridge, boiler, radio/PA, DVD, monitor, air conditioning, new MOT.

Automatic, 12.8m, 61 seats + courier + driver, power entrance door, 3 point seat belts, rear continental door, radio/P/A, CD player, air-con, LEZ compliant, MOT September 2015, 157,519 km.

£POA

£POA

£POA

£POA

Moseley Distributors Ltd Tel: 01236 750501

Moseley Distributors Ltd Tel: 01236 750501

Moseley Distributors Ltd Tel: 01236 750501

Moseley Distributors Ltd Tel: 01236 750501

2008 Mercedes Sprinter 311 CDI

2000 Mercedes Vario 614

2005 Mercedes Sprinter 413 CDI

2004 Mercedes Sitcar Beluga

24 seater, power door, private plate, manual, 3 point belts, low mileage, wood dash kit, very good condition, drives great, long PSV MOT, COIF.

16 seat luxury minicoach, air con, mood lighting, London compliant, PSV MOT, COIF, extended rear, huge boot, in superb condition, one owner, loads of history, alarm, reverse sensors etc, top spec vehicle, panoramic windows, ready to go staight to work.

29 seater plus courier, arm rests, seat belts and reclining seats, A/C, entertainment/PA system, excellent example of year.

£15,000 + VAT – MAY PX

£8,000 + VAT – MAY PX

£12,500 + VAT

£POA

01404 47502/07790 966667 parnell-coaches@supanet.com

01404 47502/07790 966667 parnell-coaches@supanet.com

01404 47502/07790 966667 parnell-coaches@supanet.com

Cannon Bus 07436 536259 wcannon@btconnect.com

2008 LDV Maxus 3900 2.5CDI

2009 Ford Transit T430 2.4TDCI

2010 Ford Transit T430 2.4TDCI

2012 Ford Transit T430 2.2TDCI

105PS, 17 seat Minibus, twin side doors, CD Player, electric mirrors & windows, power steering, remote locking, Certificate of Conformity.

100PS rwd 17 seat minibus, digital tachograph, side door, CD Player, electric windows, power steering, remote locking.

115PS rwd LWB 17 seat minibus, side door, electric windows, CD Player, power steering, remote locking, six speed gearbox, digital tachograph.

135PS rwd LWB 17 seat minibus, side door, electric windows, CD Player, power steering, remote locking, six speed gearbox, digital tachograph.

16 seat front entry luxury coach, PSV, COIF, electric windows, Elite Conversion, forced air, rack lights etc, rear seats on quick release tracking, like new inside and out, drives superb, 120K miles, digi tacho.

£4,500 (Guide price)

£9,500 (Guide price)

£11,500 (Guide price)

£12,500 (Guide price)

www.auctioneers.co.uk Tel: 01685 377818

www.auctioneers.co.uk Tel: 01685 377818

www.auctioneers.co.uk Tel: 01685 377818

www.auctioneers.co.uk Tel: 01685 377818

54 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015

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VEHICLES

2000 MAN VanHool EOS 90

Mercedes Benz UNVI Touring

48 reclining seats plus courier, WC/washroom, double glazed windows, forced-air ventilation, radio/CD and PA system, clean condition, MOT Jan, 640,000 kms.

Atego chassis, air suspension, 41 Esteban Ergos seats with 3 pt belts, in Holdsworth moquette, courier seat, air con, double glazed, radio/CD/PA, large luggage capacity, new test.

£21,500

£POA

Coachtraders - 01501 744000

2001 MAN Neoplan

12 months MOT & 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.

2005 (55 reg) Mercedes Vario 814 LWB

2004 Mercedes Sprinter 311D Traveliner LWB

19 reclining seats, quality conversion, air-con, large boot, LEZ compliant Euro 4, 281,000km, FSH, owned from new, MOT Nov 2015.

16 seats, LEZ compliant, 161,000km, PSV MOT Sept 2015, analogue tacho, good reliable coach in good condition.

£18,950 + VAT

£6,595 + VAT

Coachtraders - 01501 744000

Rainham Coach Co Ltd, Kent 01634 852020/07850 657653

Rainham Coach Co Ltd, Kent 01634 852020/07850 657653

1996 DAF VanHool SB3000

1996 Scania Van Hool K113CRB

New Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 516cdi

49/53 seats, excellent condition inside and out, viewing highly recommended.

49/53 seats, excellent condition inside and out, viewing highly recommended.

19 seats, power door, panoramic d/g windows, in-dash A/C, saloon forced air, large luggage space, bulkhead and deep drop boot, UK chassis, 3 yr unlimited mileage warranty. £POA

£12,000

£9,000

Buckley’s/Swift Travel Contact Richard 01302 770379

Buckley’s/Swift Travel Contact Richard 01302 770379

2003 Mercedes 614D

2002 Scania Irizar Century

2002 Volvo B7R Plaxton

2010 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 515cdi

15 seats or 6 wheelchairs, wheelchair lift, MOT May 2015.

49 re-trimmed seats, toilet, air-con, auto, MOT May 2015.

UNVI Vega conversion, 16 seats, large d/g windows, A/C, saloon forced air, large boot space, deep drop boot, 190k miles, good condition, new test, can re-paint at extra cost. £24,950 ono + VAT

£25,000 + VAT

Contact Gary – 07930 377051

Coachtraders - 01501 744000

£4,750 + VAT

£37,500 + VAT

53 seats plus courier, automatic, A/C, used only on tour work, removable vinyls, seat belts, available with new test. £39,000 Call Anthony Kelly

Andy.Bates@chalkwell.co.uk Tel: 01795 423982

Andy.Bates@chalkwell.co.uk Tel: 01795 423982

PAB Tours – 0113 320 0780 ant@pabtours.com

2011 VW Crafter CR50 TDI L MAXI H-R

2006 Ford Transit 430E

2007 LDV Maxus LWB EHR 15STR

2011 Vauxhall Vivaro Combi LWB Tecshift

16 seats, front entry, luggage racks with blown air and reading lights, show curtains and large boot area. £28,495 + VAT

16 seats, side loading door, 3 point seat belts, rear emergency exit, radio/cassette, tachograph, MOT till Oct 2015. £5,495 + VAT

14 seats + driver, digital tacho, 3 point seatbelts, headrests, side loading door, COIF at cost. £4,995 + VAT

Very well maintained, massive boot via lift up tailgate rear, bodywork in very good condition for mileage. £11,995 + VAT

UK Minicoaches – 01902 631507 sales@ukminicoaches.co.uk

UK Minicoaches – 01902 631507 sales@ukminicoaches.co.uk

UK Minicoaches – 01902 631507 sales@ukminicoaches.co.uk

UK Minicoaches – 01902 631507 sales@ukminicoaches.co.uk

1993 Volvo B10M Plaxton Premier

2002 Scania VanHool K124

57 plate Iveco Daily 50c15 Iris Bus

1988 DAF MB230 Plaxton

53 seats, automatic, very good condition for year, currently in dry storage, additional vehicle also available. £2,750

49 seats, automatic, good condition for year, removable vinyls, choice of 3, only one remaining. £8,950

49 exec, W.C., A.C., 7 speed C-Shift, MOT 30/9/14, excellent condition.

NOW £39,000

3.0 TD, 6 speed manual gearbox, one owner, service bills, PAS, E/W, LWB, power front door, 12 high backed seats plus driver, 1 year’s MOT, tracked flat floor, Ratcliffe underfloor tail lift, tacho, internal heating, 44,000 miles.

0113 320 0780/0035 386 8138165 Anthony ant@pabtours.com

Kingdoms Tours Ltd 01884 252646 / 07702 626542

Tel: 07800 837501

www.coachandbusweek.com

£12,950

Coachtraders - 01501 744000

PAB Tours – 0113 320 0780 ant@pabtours.com January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 55

p56_CBW_1172 19/01/2015 14:29 Page 56

Call Gemma Ireland Tel: 01733 293247 E: gemma.ireland@coachandbusweek.com

VEHICLES 1996 Scania Irizar Century

1994 Volvo B10M Plaxton Premier 350

1999 Volvo B7R Plaxton Prima

2010 VDL Futura FHD 127.365PR

67/70 seats, luggage racks, curtains, 3 point belts, reading lights, power door, double glazing, ZF automatic gearbox, DVD monitor, tinted windows, Telma Retarda, air conditioning, underfloor lockers.

49 reclining coach seats, lap retractable belts, N/S/R floor mounted toilet, ZF auto, tachograph, power door, aisle carpet, radio/CD, air con, newly retrimmed seats, curtains, new repaint in white, double glazed.

70 re-trimmed coach seats, 3 point seat belts, luggage racks, forced air ventilation, reading lights, 6 speed manual, Telma retarda, 174,969 kms, radio/ cassette, excellent condition.

53 reclining seats, seatback tables, courier seat, plug door, double glazing, air con, radio/AP/CD audio, DVD and monitors, centre sunken toilet, water boiler, fridge, continental exit with powered door, Webasto, reverse camera, cruise control, digitacho, retarder, automatic.

£17,500 + VAT

CHOICE OF 2 – £9,000 + VAT

£25,000 + VAT

£POA

Drew Wilson Coach Sales 0141 248 5524

Drew Wilson Coach Sales 0141 248 5524

Drew Wilson Coach Sales 0141 248 5524

Tel: 01823 653000 Moseley in the South

1998 Dennis Dart ALX200

2000/2001 X/Y Reg Volvo B7TL’S

2006 BMC Falcon

2001 Y Reg Tridents

37 seats or 33 plus 1 wheelchair, manual ramp, Cummins engine, Allison auto gearbox, power door, new MOT, very tidy.

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

Why pay more for less.

FROM £20,000 + VAT

40 seats, low floor bus, Cummins engine, MOT January 2015, ideal vehicle for school bus conversion, in daily use. £11,950 +VAT ono

£4,500 + VAT

Drew Wilson Coach Sales 0141 248 5524

Cummins C series engines, Voith gearboxes, Plaxton President bodies, 78 seats.

Why pay more for less.

FROM £18,000 + VAT

EnsignBus 01708 865656

Travelsure 01668 219291 / 07919 215905

Low Floor Euro 6 Sprinter 516 or 519

2012 Mercedes Benz Sprinter

2011 Volkswagen Crafter

2006 Mercedes Benz Vito 111 CDI

Maximum seating capacity of 22 mixed between seating/standing and wheelchair, multiple drop box combinations for luggage storage.

Auto gearbox, silver, power door, panoramic privacy glazing, glass roof and front window, coach rear end, 16 leather seats, 15 monitor + Pioneer multimedia system, wi-fi, cctv, 220 volt inverter, indash & saloon air con, 73,000 miles.

16 seats finished in moquette, manual, white, large boot, double rear doors, panoramic windows, curtains, emergency exit in saloon, 63,500 miles.

8 seats, 202,000 miles, twin sliding saloon door, large boot, 6 speed manual, in-dash & saloon air con, MOT March, clean & tidy vehicle, been very well maintained.

EnsignBus 01708 865656

£POA

£57,500 + VAT

£28,500 + VAT

£4,800

EVM Direct – 0845 5205160

EVM Direct – 0845 5205160

EVM Direct – 0845 5205160

EVM Direct – 0845 5205160

2006 Volvo B12M

2008 Iveco Eurorider Beulas Cygnus

WANTED MERCEDES COACHES 1999 to present year,16 to 35 seats, finance settled, with or without MOT, accident damage etc.

£POA

EnsignBus 01708 865656

53 seats + courier, 3 point seat belts OR 49 reclining seats with ONE wheelchair position, plug door, air con, wheelchair lift & access, radio/PA/CD, DVD & monitor, fridge, continental door, driver’s safe, cruise control, digital tachograph, integral retarder, automatic.

CONTACT TIM FOR AN IMMEDIATE DECISION

I-shift, 12.8m long, Hanover LEDs, centre wheelchair lift, rear toilet and server, LEZ and DDA compliant.

£POA

Tel: 01404 47502 / 07790 966667 Email: parnell-coaches@supanet.com

2008 VDL Futura FHD 127.365

2006 Volvo B12M VanHool Elizee T9

53 reclining seats with leather headrests, seatback tables, courier seat, plug entrance door, double glazing, air con, radio/PA/CD audio, DVD and monitors, centre toilet, water boiler, fridge, continental exit, Webasto, reverse camera, cruise control, digital tacho, retarder, automatic.

49/53 reclining seats with leather headrests, courier seat, in-swing entrance door, air con, centre sunken toilet, continental exit, fridge, radio/PA/CD player, DVD with monitors, reverse camera, navigation system, ‘i’ shift, retarder, alloy wheels, digital tachograph.

Tel: 01823 653000 Moseley in the South

2006 Volvo B12M Plaxton

2007 Mercedes 515 Sprinter

Auto, CD/radio, electric windows & mirrors, remote locking, automatic glass door, Webasto a/c & heating system, custom boot area, service history, MOT May 2015, local charity run bus.

£POA

£POA

53 reclining seats, 3 point belts, air con, WC, TV etc, PLS lift, tracking for 4 wheelchairs, MOT Oct, this coach can be painted in to your livery.

Tel: 01823 653000 Moseley in the South

Tel: 01823 653000 Moseley in the South

£87,500 + VAT o.n.o.

£8,995 + VAT

Tel Adrian – 07717 768315

Colin Hill – 01579 382826

56 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015

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VEHICLES

1996 Dennis Lance

2003 (53) Volvo B12M

2000 Dennis Dart

2000 Neoplan Starliner N513 Tourer

47 belted seats, excellent condition, long or new MOT, excellent reliability, choice of three vehicles, 2nd owner from new, ex Brighton and Hove.

51/53 seat executive, WC, AC, Berkoff, LEZ, MOT 12/11/14, excellent condition.

NOW £44,000 – MAY CONSIDER PX

Low floor, seating capacity 30 including driver. £3,500 + VAT

60 leather seats, comfort shift, resprayed, PSVD & seatbelt cert, toilet with hand dryer, sink, 3 x TVs, satnav, DVD, fridge, air con, electric sunroof, alloys.

01884 252646 / 07702 626542 Kingdoms Tours Ltd

Tel: 01291 625449 chepstowclassic@btconnect.com

Call Carl on 00353 86857 0885

1998 Dennis Javelin Caetano Cutless

2002 Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer 10.1m

2003 Dennis Trident Alexander

27 seats + 30 standees, Hanover LED. £8,500 + VAT Southdown PSV 01342 711840 email: bussales@southdownpsv.co.uk www.southdownpsv.co.uk

62 seats + 20 standees, Cummins euro 1V / ZF. £15,500 + VAT – CHOICE Southdown PSV 01342 711840 email: bussales@southdownpsv.co.uk www.southdownpsv.co.uk

2009 (59) ADL Enviro 200 8.9m

1996 Caetano Optimo

£POA

Peakes Coaches – 07773 793239

Volvo Double Decker

77 seats, full MOT until June 2015. £3,500 + VAT

Recent 70 seat conversion (not Cogent), manual gearbox, 11 months MOT, ideal contract vehicle, excellent fuel economy, sale due to fleet upgrade.

Possible px for 33 seater or newer coach.

£15,000 + VAT

0115 940 4466

Wilkins Travel 01639 852600 wilkinstravel@hotmail.co.uk

2002 Bova Futura

2002 Iveco Beaulas

DAF engine, air conditioned, twin monitors, DVD, toilet, boiler, fridge, Eminox-LEZ, 49 seats, green cloth trim, manual gearbox, ready to go, MOT March 2015.

£24,000 NO OFFERS

Automatic gearbox, air conditioned,

• 18 seats

twin monitors, DVD, toilet, boiler, fridge,

• MOT January 2015

£40,000 + VAT

£25,000 + VAT

L.J. Edwards Coach Hire 07974 369570 / 01323 440622

L.J. Edwards Coach Hire 07974 369570 / 01323 440622

29 seats + 17 standees, Cummins euro 4, Mobitec destination, fully DDA compliant, CCTV cameras, 12 months MOT. £59,750 + VAT Southdown PSV 01342 711840 email: bussales@southdownpsv.co.uk www.southdownpsv.co.uk

2003 Volvo B12M Jonckheere Euro 3

59 plate Ford Transit

2009 Iveco Plaxton Panther

1998 DAF SB3000

48 x 3 point belted seats + crew, air con, saloon mounted WC, rear continental door, MOT November 2014. £POA – NO REASONABLE OFFER REFUSED

17 seats, full MOT until September 2015, great runner and clean inside. £7,950 + VAT

ZF auto, 61 seats, Euro 5, A/C, 3 point seat belts, crew seat, reverse camera, huge locker space, Webasto, good condition, MOT April 2015.

13 berths sleeper coach, static AC/heating, 240v, normal band bus stuff, towbar, MOT Feb 2015, good condition for age.

Nigel McCree - 07817 542113

2002 Volvo B12B Berkhof Axial

46/50 reclining blue/red patterned seats, white re-spray, air con, toilet, Webasto, fridge, TV/DVD, PA, new MOT. £25,000 + VAT

01245 401541 / 07792 627364 www.coachandbusweek.com

49 seats, Euro 3, MOT March 15.

• Good runner

£3,500 + VAT

L.J. Edwards Coach Hire 07974 369570 / 01323 440622

£00,000 + VAT

£9,500 + VAT

0115 940 4466

01487 843333 / 07834 97751 david@sunfunholidays.co.uk

01487 843333 / 07834 97751 david@sunfunholidays.co.uk

2007 Ford Transit LWB

Volvo B12B Sleeper

2002 MAN Ayats Bravo 1

ZF auto, 14 berth sleeper, Euro 4 LEZ, static AC/heating, 240v, alloy wheels, normal band bus stuff! MOT June 2015, good condition for age.

16 Berth sleeper, static A/C heating, 240v, TV/DVD, toilet, normal band bus stuff, MOT July 2015.

Wheelchair accessible, 40,000 miles, FSH, blue with grey interior.

Choice of two vehicles.

£12,000 + VAT

£19,500 + VAT

£29,500 + VAT

Crystals Coaches Ltd Tel: 07971 000111

01487 843333 / 07834 97751 david@sunfunholidays.co.uk

01487 843333 / 07834 97751 david@sunfunholidays.co.uk

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 57

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Ensig

DOUBLE DECK E 2008 57 PLATE OPTARE VERSAS Cummins Euro 4 6 cylinder engines, Allison gearboxes, Mobitech destinations, DDA and LEZ compliant, 11 metres long, 37 seats.

These buses can be seat-belted

LEZ COMPLIANT

2004 DENNIS TRIDENTS

Cummins ISC Euro 3 engines, LEZ compliant, DDA compliant, Alexander ALX400 bodies, dual door 67 seats or single door 77 seats.

2003 MERCEDES 814 VARIO

2005 55 PLATE OPTARE SOLO M880

2002 02 PLATE DENNIS TRIDENTS

1999 MINI POINTER DART

33 seats, manual gearbox.

Cummins engine, 28 seats, new MOT.

Cummins ISC Euro 3 engines, Plaxton bodies, DDA and LEZ compliant, 78 seats.

8.8m, Cummins 6BT / Allison, 29 seats.

2000 VOLVO B7TL

2000 SUPER POINTER DART

Voith gearbox, Euro 2, 80 seats, painted white, new MOT.

2003 53 PLATE DENNIS DART SLFs

Voith gearbox, Cummins Euro 2 6BT, 11.3M, 41 seats.

2002/3 DENNIS DARTS

10.1m, Cummins ISC Euro 3 engines, 36 seats, LEZ and DDA compliant.

Cummins Euro 3 / Allison, Plaxton Pointer bodies, dual door, 30 seats, DDA and LEZ compliant, can be converted to single door.

2005 MERCEDES 814 VARIO

1994 M REG VOLVO B10M

33 dual purpose seats with belts, manual.

ZF automatic, Alexander PS body with 63 seats and belts.

OPEN TOP BUSES A SPECIALITY - B

Juliette Close, Purfleet Industrial Pa Telephone 01708 865656 Fax: 01708 86 Visit our website for current sto

704845-1172-Ensign_Layout 1 19/01/2015 14:30 Page 2

nbus

K ER SPECIALIST 1997 VOLVO OLYMPIAN Volvo Euro 2 engine, Voith gearbox, Alexander RH part open top, 74 seats.

2001 Y REG TRIDENTS Cummins C series engines, Voith gearboxes, Plaxton President bodies, 78 seats.

1999 T REG DENNIS TRIDENTS

£18,000 + VAT

Cummins C series engines, ZF gearbox, East Lancs bodies, 74 seats, long MOT’s

2010 OPTARE SOLO SLIMLINE

Cummins Euro 5 engine, 28 seats, Mobitec LED’s. 8.8m long slimline, long MOT.

2007 ENVIRO 200

Cummins Euro 4 , Voith gearbox, East Lancs body, 9.4m, 26 seats, DDA and LEZ compliant.

2001/2002 DENNIS TRIDENTS

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.

2001 & 2002 DENNIS TRIDENTS

ISC Euro 3 engines, DDA and LEZ compliant, Alexander ALX 400 bodies, 62 seats dual door or can be upseated and converted to single door.

2000 X REG VOLVO B7TLs

Euro 2, LEZ compliant, Plaxton President , CCTV, dual door 62 seats or single door 74 seats. £9,000 + VAT

2003 DENNIS DART SLF

Cummins ISB Euro 3 engine, Caetano body, 27 seats, dual door, single door option available.

2005 NEOPLAN SKYLINER

89 seats, air-con, toilet, MAN engine, ZF gearbox.

1996 VOLVO B10MA ARTICULATED COACHES

2004 SCANIA K114IB ZF automatic, LEZ compliant, 49 seats, air-con, toilet

ZF automatics, 71 seats.

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

701915-1169-DrewWilson 12/01/2015 17:36 Page 1

DREW WILSON coach sales

2003 MERCEDES VARIO 614D 24 coach seats, 3 point belts, luggage racks, forced air ventilation, reading lights, large drop well boot, curtains, aisle carpets, manual, slam door, new paint, 418,273 kms. £13,000 + VAT

2000 DENNIS JAVELIN 49 seats, 3 point belts, luggage racks, reading lights, forced air heating, MOT April, 154,243kms.

2001 DENNIS DART MINI POINTER 28 seats, 1 wheelchair, automatic, luggage racks, front destination.

2000 MERCEDES HISPANO 49 seats, semi auto, lap retractable belts, centre toilet, forced air heating, reading lights, TV monitor, 542,190kms.

£5,000 + VAT

£10,000 + VAT

£22,000 + VAT

1994 TOYOTA CAETANO OPTIMO 3 GL 22 coach seats with belts, power door, manual box, new paint in white, current MOT.

2002 IVECO MAXIM 29 coach seats, lap retractable belts, crew seat, power door, manual gearbox, forced air, reading lights, curtains, radio cassette. £19,950 + VAT

2004 OPTARE SOLO 18/20 seats plus 2 wheelchairs, wheelchair ramp, 3 point seatbelts, automatic, tacho, Mercedes engine, choice of 4. £17,500 + VAT

2003 VOLVO B12M JONCKHEERE MISTRAL 50 leather coach seats, manual, 3 point belts, curtains, rear toilet, Cd/radio, monitor, forced air heating, reading lights, power door. £42,000 + VAT

1997 SCANIA IRIZAR CENTURY 51 reclining seats, toilet, lap retractable belts, crew seat, comfort shift, double glazing, tinted windows, power door, air con, repainted in white, tidy condition, 199,039kms. £9,000 + VAT

2002 MERCEDES SPRINTER 16 seats OR 6 seated and 3 wheelchair, slam door, manual, cd/radio, 3 point belts.

1994 MERCEDES VARIO 711D Autobus conversion, 19 seats, curtains, radio/cd, lap belts, slam door, manual.

1998 MERCEDES 0404 HISPANO CARROCERA 49 seats + crew seat, lap belts, luggage racks, TV monitor, centre toilet, reading lights, forced air heating, automatic.

£4,000 + VAT

£3,000 + VAT

£18,000 + VAT

2006 MERCEDES VARIO 814D OPTARE NOUVELLE SR 29 coach seats, 3 point seatbelts, large boot, air con, luggage racks, forced air, power door, new MOT, genuine 22,6000 km, absolutely mint condition inside and out. £34,000 + VAT

1998 DENNIS JAVELIN PLAXTON PREMIERE 320 70 coach seats, Cummins engine. MOT March 2015, 417,119kms, radio cassette, 6 speed ZF manual gearbox, power door, double glazed, tinted windows, tidy retrimmed interior. £23,500 + VAT – PX CONSIDERED

1999 MERCEDES 612D VAN CONVERSION 16 seats with belts, Unwin tracking, electric wheelchair lift, manual gearbox, MOT 09-2015.

1995 VOLVO B9M VAN HOOL ALIZE 36 reclining seats, rear floor mounted toilet, manual, double glazed, tinted windows, power door. New MOT, rear servery, air conditioning. £12,000 + VAT

1999 DENNIS JAVELIN PLAXTON PREMIER 350 70 reclining seats, lap belts, centre toilet, boiler and servery, 6 speed ZF gearbox, luggage racks, forced air, reading lights, power door, very tidy, 843,751kms, new MOT. £12,000 + VAT

1998 DENNIS DART ALX300.

37 seats or 33 plus 1 wheelchair, 292,643 miles, manual ramp, seat-belted, Cummins engine, Allison auto gearbox, power door, new MOT, very tidy £4,500 + VAT

2005 MERCEDES VARIO 814D 24 seats + crew seat, KVC conversion, manua, 241285 kms, 3 points belts, rear boot, fully trimmed interior, full body skirt kit, immaculate condition. £18,000 + VAT

1998 DAF SB3000 PLAXTON PREMIERE 320 51 recliners, ZF automatic gearbox, curtains, double glazing.

2006 MERCEDES BEAVER 2 814D 33 coach seats, automatic, luggage racks, WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE, 3 point seatbelts, power door, SIdE LIFT, Purmo heating, destination front, side and rear. £25,000 + VAT

1989 VOLVO B10M VAN HOOL 57 seats with lap retractable belts, luggage racks, reading lights, forced air heating, manual, crew seat, power door.

121,446kms, new test, new retrim, repainted in white. £5,000 + VAT

2002 TOYOTA OPTIMO 23 reclining seats, power door, analogue tacho, radio/cassette, luggage racks, forced air heating, reading lights, MOT’d. £14,950 + VAT

1999 MERCEDES 814D 32 coach seats with 3 point belts, curtains, aisle carpet, luggage racks, reading lights, forced air heating, power door, manual gearbox. £17,500 + VAT

£4,000 + VAT

£3,000 + VAT

£12,000 + VAT

CHOICE OF OVER 350 VEHICLES • OPEN 7 DAYS 08.00-18.00

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.DREWWILSON.CO.UK Tel/Fax: 0141 248 5524 • Mob: 07764 200444 • Email: drew@drewwilson.co.uk Mob: 07827 325474 • Email: graham@drewwilson.co.uk

702678-1172-Moseley Dist 19/01/2015 10:13 Page 1

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The

Stafford Bus Centre Specialist Bus & Coach Sales

VEHICLES AVAILABLE FOR SHORT AND LONGER TERM HIRE

www.staffordbuscentre.com

Tel: 01782 791774 07803 222552 staffordbus@btconnect.com

FORD TRANSIT FACTORY 16/17 SEAT BUS 59 reg with 38K miles, tacho, new COIF and PSV MOT £12,950 Also 10 reg £13,950 Others also available

BLUEBIRD AMERICAN SCHOOL BUS 2000 W reg Fitted from new with 60 high back coach seats, fully repainted and long MOT, ready to go.

"What a machine for little money" £6,950

ADL ENVIRO 300 2002 reg Currenty fitted out as exibition / classroom, very low miles, very good condition, see website for details £17,950

MERCEDES SPRINTER 616 CDI 56 & 06 reg 24 seats and full DDA spec 1 and 2, manual gearbox, very rare £18,950

MERCEDES 814D VARIO PLAXTON BEAVER 2 2001 Y reg 29 bus seats with belts, full body overhaul where needed and repaint into white, long or new test £9,950

LEYLAND OLYMPIAN TRI AXLE 1993 but reg’d in UK 2004 Fitted with 87 belted seats and 28 standing, Nov 15 MOT. £9,950

MERCEDES 814 VARIO PLAXTON BEAVER 2 2004 54 REG. Fitted with 20 seats on tracking, and up to 10 wheelchairs, SOLDgearbox, power door, PSV, COIF and MoT, manual destination etc. long wheel base so could go to 32 seats. £14,950 IVECO DAILY 45 15 LWB HIGH ROOF 2005 55 REG. 16 seats wheelchair accessible with power door, new MoT £5,950 DENNIS DART PLAXTON SUPER POINTER. 47 fully belted D L seats, ideal for schools SO £9,450 DAF PLAXTON PREMIER 1996 PP. Fitted with 55 seats, automatic gearbox, new MOT upon sale £9,950

VW CR50 WITH STANFORD CONVERSION 2007 07 REG. Very expensive and high spec conversion by Stamford who are recognised as the best in the industry, fitted with 14 high back seats with 3 point belts, Palfinger hideaway tail lift and capacity to carry up to 9 passengers and 2 wheelchairs, it has only covered just over 60k miles from new and is in outstanding condition, all paperwork and spare keys, ready to go £17,950

ADL ENVIRO 300 2006 56 REG. SLF BUS - dual use options, with 60 x 3 point belted seats, SOLuseDon bus services or school contracts.

PHONE FOR SPEC AND PRICE DENNIS DART CAETANO CUTLASS. Step entrance with 38 LD contracts etc. £3,450 SOschool seats and 3 point belts. Ideal FORD TRANSITS 15-17 seats, available for short term rental. Rent for one week, month or year. Up to you.

Always available.

Phone for details MERCEDES 413D SPRINTER 2004 04 REG. Extra long body D boot, COIF and long OLheight with 16 seats and hugeSfull MoT. £11,950

The

Stafford Bus Centre Specialist Bus & Coach Sales

OPTARE SOLO M850 2000 W REG. One remaining with 23/25 coach seats with ramp, DDA etc £4,950 VDL SB180 2010 59 REG Cummins 6 ISB engine with MCV evolution body, only 20k miles £POA

VEHICLES AVAILABLE FOR SHORT AND LONGER TERM HIRE

www.staffordbuscentre.com

Tel: 01782 791774 07803 222552 staffordbus@btconnect.com

RENAULT MASTER TRI AXLE BUS WITH CRAZY LOW MILES OF ONLY 20,000, BUILT TO CARRY 16 SEATED PASSENGERS OR UP TO 7 WHEELCHAIRS, POWER ENTRANCE DOOR, TACHOGRAPH, MANUAL FOLD OUT REAR RAMP, REVERSING CAMERA, NO EXPENSE SPARED WHEN BUILT, FULLY REPAINTED INTO WHITE AND MOT TO MARCH 2015, CAN BE PSV WITH COIF IF REQUIRED

£14,950 62 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015

www.coachandbusweek.com

703666-1164-Moseley Beulas 17/11/2014 15:27 Page 1

Beulas Mythos 13.2m / 13.7m / 14.4m Super high – 3.78m + air conditioning MAN RR4 chassis 440bhp / 480 bhp

MOSELEY (PCV) LTD Elmsall Way, Dale Lane South Elmsall Pontefract West Yorkshire WF9 2XS

Tel: 01977 609000 Fax: 01977 609900 enquiries@moseleycoachsales.co.uk www.moseleycoachsales.co.uk

703478-1171-Ben Weaver 12/01/2015 08:59 Page 1

BEN WEAVER PSV

2007 07 MERCEDES 816 33 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE BUS 4.25 turbo diesel, 5 speed manual gearbox, silver, cerificate of initial fitness, analogue tachograph, PSV, Ratcliffe underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for 10 wheelchairs, electric b-fold front door, 172,000 kilometers/107,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT or PSV, fully serviced to RTA standards, 1 month nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 24,995 + VAT

PSV

2006 06 PLATE MERCEDES BENZ 616CDI SPRINTER LOW FLOOR ACCESSIBLE SERVICE BUS 2.7CDi turbo diesel 160ps engine, 6 speed automatic, double electric front access plug entry doors, rear emergency exit door, fold out wheelchair access ramp, low floor with tracking for upto 3 wheelchairs, COIF for 15 seated plus 1 wheelchair or 13 seated plus 3 wheelchairs, analogue tachograph, PSV tested, ex local authority owned, 147,000 miles, very good condition, supplied with 12 months PSV, fully serviced to RTA standards, 1 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £17,995 + VAT CHOICE OF 2

PSV

2010 10 PLATE FIAT DUCATO MAXI 40 3.0 JTD 160PS KSF FREEDOM STEP ENTRY LOW FLOOR WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 3.0 turbo diesel 160ps euro 5 engine, semi automatic, 1 local authority owner from new, rear air suspension to allow easy access for wheelchairs, COIF for 16 passengers, PSV, digital tacho, fold out rear access ramp, low entry side step, tracking for up to 6 wheelchairs, full size side entry door, panoramic glass, 49,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 22,495 + VAT

PSV

2010 10 PLATE FIAT DUCATO MAXI 40 3.0 JTD 160PS KSF FREEDOM STEP ENTRY LOW FLOOR WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 3.0 turbo diesel 160ps euro 5 engine, semi automatic, 1 local authority owner from new, rear air suspension to allow easy access for wheelchairs, COIF for 16 passengers, PSV, digital tacho, fold out rear access ramp, low entry side step, tracking for up to 6 wheelchairs, full size side entry door, panoramic glass, 50,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 22,495 + VAT

PSV

2010 10 PLATE FIAT DUCATO MAXI 40 3.0 JTD 160PS KSF FREEDOM STEP ENTRY LOW FLOOR WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 3.0 turbo diesel 160ps euro 5 engine, semi automatic, 1 local authority owner from new, rear air suspension to allow easy access for wheelchairs, COIF for 16 passengers, PSV, digital tacho, fold out rear access ramp, low entry side step, tracking for up to 6 wheelchairs, full size side entry door, panoramic glass, 54,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 22,495 + VAT

PSV

2006 06 PLATE MERCEDES BENZ 616CDI SPRINTER LOW FLOOR ACCESSIBLE SERVICE BUS 2.7CDi turbo diesel 160ps engine, 6 speed automatic, double electric front access plug entry doors, rear emergency exit door, fold out wheelchair access ramp, low floor with tracking for upto 3 wheelchairs, COIF for 15 seated plus 1 wheelchair or 13 seated plus 3 wheelchairs, analogue tachograph, PSV tested, ex local authority owned, 166,000 miles, very good condition supplied with 12 months PSV, fully serviced to RTA standards, 1 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £17,995 + VAT CHOICE OF 2

PSV

2008 57 PLATE VOLKSWAGEN CRAFTER FRONT ENTRY WELFARE BUS 2461cc TDI turbo diesel 161ps, 6 speed automatic gearbox, white, rear air conditioning, underfloor rear wheelchair lift, fully tracked, tracking for upto 6 wheelchairs, digital tachograph, electric front entry plug door, AVS electric side entry step, CD player, electric mirrors, rear blinds, currently fitted with 13 seats but 8 more can be to make 21 seats inc driver, 92,000 kilometers/57,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 16,995 + VAT

2004 54 MERCEDES 814 PLAXTON BEAVER 2 33 SEAT WELFARE BUS 4.25 turbo diesel, 5 speed manual gearbox, yellow/green, COIF, analogue tachograph, PSV, Ratcliffe underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for 10 wheelchairs, electric bi-fold front door, destination boards, 492,000 kilometers/307,000 miles, VGC, supplied with 12 months MOT or PSV, fully serviced to RTA standards, 1 month nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 14,995 + VAT

PSV

PSV

2008 08 PLATE NEW SHAPE MERCEDES SPRINTER 311CDI LWB 11 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2200 CDi turbo diesel 110ps, 6 speed manual gearbox, white, Frank Guy conversion, Ricon internal rear wheelchair lift, tracking for 3 wheelchairs plus 8 passengers, uplift skylight, CD player, electric mirrors, currently fitted with 10 passenger seats but 4 more can be added to make 14 passengers, 172,000 miles but looks and drives like 72,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 13,995 + VAT

PSV

2005 05 MERCEDES VARIO 814 16-24 SEAT WELFARE BUS 4.25 turbo diesel, 5 speed manual gearbox, Frank Guy conversion, green, Certificate Of Initial Fitness for 16 passengers, analogue tachograph, PSV, PLC Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for 8 wheelchairs, electric bi-fold front door, fold-out side access step, 169,000 kilometers/105,000 miles, ex local authority owned, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to RTA standards, 1 months parts and labour warranty £ 12,995 + VAT

PSV

2005 55 PLATE MERCEDES BENZ 614 VARIO 20 SEAT MINICOACH Onyx conversion, analogue tachograph, certificate of initial for 19 passengers, PSV’D, electric plug front entry door, coach style velour seats, overhead luggage racks, large boot, uplift skylight, waiting for full respray, can be painted into any colour of your choice, supplied with 12 months PSV, fully serviced to RTA standards, 1 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 11,995 + VAT

BEN WEAVER commercIals

2008 58 PLATE FORD TRANSIT XLWB JUMBO HIGH ROOF 11 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2.4 turbo diesel 115ps, 6 speed manual gearbox, frozen white, tracking for up to 5 wheelchairs, currenlty fitted with 8 passenger seats but can be made up to 16 passnger seats, 65,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 13,995 + VAT

PSV

2007 07 PLATE IVECO DAILY 50C15 AUTOMATIC FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR MINIBUS 3000cc turbo diesel, automatic, COIF, digital tacho, PSV, electric front entry plug door with fold out step, Ricon internal rear wheelchair lift, tracking for 6 wheelchairs, flat floor, fitted with 10 seats but additional seating can be added, remote central locking, electric windows, CD player, LEZ compliant, ex local authority owned, 76,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 12,995 + VAT

PSV

2007 07 PLATE IVECO DAILY 50C15 AUTOMATIC FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR MINIBUS 3000cc turbo diesel, automatic, COIF, digital tachograph, PSV, electric front entry plug door with fold out step, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for 6 wheelchairs, flat floor, currently fitted with 10 seats but additional seating can be added to make into 16 passenger seats, LEZ compliant, ex local authority owned, 121,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 11,795 + VAT

2003 03 MERCEDES VARIO 814 33 SEAT WELFARE BUS 4.25 turbo diesel, 5 speed manual gearbox, currently yellow, waiting for white respray, Certificate of Initial Fitness for 30 seats, currently fitted with 28 seats, analogue tachograph, PSV, Ricon underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for 10 wheelchairs, electric bi-fold front door, Leicester Carriage Builders conversion, 230,000 kilometers/144,000 miles, very good condition, supplied with 12 months MOT or PSV, fully serviced to RTA standards, 1 month nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 13,995 + VAT

2005 05 MERCEDES 814 25 SEAT WELFARE BUS 4.25 turbo diesel, 5 speed manual gearbox, Frank Guy conversion, blue, certificate of initial fitness for 16 passengers, analogue tachograph, PSV, PLS Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for 8 wheelchairs, electric bi fold front door, fold out side access step, 150,000 kilometers/93,000 miles, ex local authority owned, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to RTA standards, 1 months parts and labour warranty £ 13,495 + VAT

PSV

2007 07 PLATE IVECO DAILY 50C15 AUTOMATIC FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR MINIBUS 3000cc turbo diesel, automatic, COIF, digital tachograph, PSV, electric front entry plug door with fold out step, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for 6 wheelchairs, flat floor, currently fitted with 10 seats but additional seating can be added to make into 16 passenger seats, LEZ compliant, ex local authority owned, 97,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 12,495 + VAT

PSV

2007 07 PLATE IVECO DAILY 50C15 AUTOMATIC FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR MINIBUS 3000cc turbo diesel, automatic, COIF, digital tacho, electric front entry plug door with fold out step, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for 6 wheelchairs, fitted with 9 seats but additional seating can be added, remote central locking, electric windows, CD player, LEZ compliant, ex local authority owned, 100,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 12,495 + VAT

PSV

2000 W REG MERCEDES VARIO 814 AUTOBUS NOUVELLE 2 29 SEAT MINICOACH 4.25 turbo diesel, white, Certificate of Initial Fitness, PSV'd until 12th November 2015, analogue tachograph, large rear boot, 588,000 kilometers/367,000 miles, very clean tidy bus that can go straight to work, supplied fully serviced to FTA standards £ 11,495 + VAT

2005 55 PLATE MERCEDES SPRINTER 416CDI 16 SEAT FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2200 CDI turbo diesel 160ps, 6 speed Sprintshift automatic gearbox, red, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, fully tracked, tracking for upto 6 wheelchairs, 107,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 10,995 + VAT

Gower Street, Sheffield, S4 7JW Tel: 0114 275 7076

www.minibuses.co

703478-1171-Ben Weaver 12/01/2015 09:00 Page 2

commercials PSV

2006 06 PLATE VOLKSWAGEN LT46 13 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2.5 TDI, silver, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for up to 3 wheelchairs, electric plug side entry door with electric access step, digital tachograph, certificate of initial fitness, PSV, LEZ compliant, 104,000 miles, very good condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 8,795 + VAT

PSV

2004 54 PLATE IVECO DAILY 65C15 25 SEAT WELFARE BUS WITH TACHOGRAPH COIF AND PSV 2800cc turbo diesel, white, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for up to 8 wheelchairs, currently fitted with 22 passenger seats, 2 more can be added, analogue tacho, Certificate of Initial Iitness for 22 passengers, PSV, overhead luggage storage 1 local authority owner from new 93,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 month nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 7,995 + VAT

PSV

PSV

2005 05 PLATE VOLKSWAGEN LT46 16 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2.5 TDI, white, Ratcliffe underfloor rear wheelchair lift, fully tracked throughout, tracking for up to 6 wheelchairs, COIF, PSV, electric plug side entry door, analogue tacho, LEZ compliant, 66,000 miles, one local authority owner from new, very good condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 month nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 8,495 + VAT

PSV

PSV

2003 53 PLATE MERCEDES SPRINTER 413CDI 17 SEAT FRONT ENTRY WELFARE MINIBUS 2200 CDI turbo diesel 130ps, 6 speed sprintshift automatic, UV Modular conversion, Ratcliffe underfloor rear wheelchair lift, fully tracked, currently fitted with 8 seats but 9 more can be added, tracking for upto 6 wheelchairs, COIF, PSV, LEZ compliant, CD player, 2129,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 8,295 + VAT

2004 54 PLATE IVECO DAILY 65C15 25 SEAT WELFARE BUS WITH TACHOGRAPH COIF AND PSV 2800cc turbo diesel, white, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for up to 8 wheelchairs, currently fitted with 22 passenger seats, 2 more can be added, analogue tacho, Certificate of Initial Fitness for 22 passengers, PSV, overhead luggage storage, LEZ compliant, 1 local authority owner from new 93,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 month nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 7,995 + VAT

2005 55 PLATE IVECO DAILY IRIS 45C13 13 SEAT FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS Analogue tachograph, electric front entry plug door with low access step, Ricon internal rear wheelchair lift, tracking for upto 4 wheelchairs, 189,000 kilometers/118,000 miles excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 7,495 + VAT

2003 53 PLATE MERCEDES SPRINTER LWB 313CDI WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2.2 CDI turbo diesel 130ps, silver, Ricon internal rear wheelchair lift, tracking for up to 5 wheelchairs, LEZ compliant, 132,000 miles, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 month nationwide parts and labour warranty. £ 7,495 NO VAT

LEZ

2006 06 REG IVECO DAILY 40C14 13 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 3000cc turbo diesel 140ps, 6 speed manual gearbox, white, COIF for 12 passengers, analogue tacho, current PSV expires 3rd April 2015, tracking for 4 wheelchairs, Ricon underfloor rear wheelchair lift, LEZ compliant, fold out side door, access step, 4200kgs gross vehicle weight so can be driven without a d1 licence, 151,000 kilometers/94,000 miles, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 7,495 + VAT

PSV

PSV

PSV

CHOICE OF TWO 2005 54 PLATE VOLKSWAGEN LT46 17 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2.5 TDI, white, Ratcliffe underfloor rear wheelchair lift, fully tracked throughout, tracking for up to 6 wheelchairs, COIF, PSV, analogue tachograph, LEZ compliant, 187,000 kilometers/116,000 miles, 1 local authority owner from new, very good condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 month nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 7,495 + VAT

PSV

2003 53 PLATE IVECO DAILY IRIS 40C13 15 SEAT FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS Analogue tachograph, certificate of initial fitness, PSV, 2.8 turbo diesel 6 speed manual gearbox, white, panoramic glass, front entry door, Ratcliffe underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for upto 6 wheelchairs, LEZ compliant, 166,000 kilometers 103,000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 6,495

PSV

2004 04 PLATE FORD TRANSIT 17 SEAT WELFARE MINIBUS White, 2.4 turbo diesel 125 ps, 5 speed manual gearbox, Chassis Developments conversion, COIF, PSV, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for up to 6 wheelchairs, 1 ex local authority owner from new, LEZ compliant, currently fitted with 8 seat seats but more can be added to make up to 16 passenger seats, 144,000 miles, very good condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 5,695 + VAT

2002 02 PLATE (ON PRIVATE REG) MERCEDES SPRINTER 411CDI 17 SEAT MINIBUS/MINICOACH 2.2CDi turbo diesel, 5 speed manual gearbox, silver, certificate of initial fitness, analogue tachograph, PSV, overhead storage with reading lights and forced air, curtains, sunroof, CD player, 313,000 miles, good condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 6,995 + VAT

2003 53 PLATE IVECO DAILY 65C15 16 TO 23 SEAT WELFARE BUS WITH TACHOGRAPH COIF AND PSV 2800cc turbo diesel, metallic light green, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for up to 8 wheelchairs, currently fitted with 16 passenger seats, 6 more can be added to take 22 passengers, analogue tachograph, COIF, PSV, overhead luggage storage, 132,000 kilometers/82,000 miles, very good condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 month nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 6,995 + VAT

PSV

2004 53 PLATE IVECO DAILY 65C15 16 TO 23 SEAT WELFARE BUS WITH TACHOGRAPH COIF AND PSV 2800cc turbo diesel, metallic light blue, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for up to 8 wheelchairs, currently fitted with 10 passenger seats, 6 more can be added to take 22 passengers, analogue tachograph, COIF, PSV, 214,000 kilometers/134,000 miles, very good condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 month nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 6,495 + VAT

2003 (03) IVECO DAILY 65C15 23-25 SEAT WELFARE BUSES Analogue tacho, PSV, COIF for 22 passengers, PSV, 2800cc turbo diesel, white, Access underfloor rear chairlift, tracking up to 8 wheelchairs, 1 local authority from new, excellent condition, 12 months PSV and MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 month nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 6,495 +VAT

PSV

2003 53 PLATE VOLKSWAGEN LT35 11 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2.5 TDI, blue, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, fully tracked throughout, tracking for up to 3 wheelchairs, ex local authority owned, 51,000 mile,s very good condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 month nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 6,295 + VAT

2002 52 PLATE VOLKSWAGEN LT46 16 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2.5 TDI, white, Ricon underfloor rear wheelchair lift, fully tracked throughout, tracking for up to 6 wheelchairs, certificate of initial fitness, PSV, analogue tachograph, panoramic glass, LEZ compliant, 226,000 kilometers/141,000 miles,1 local authority owner from new, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 month nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 5,795 + VAT

2004 04 IVECO DAILY 45C11 16 SEAT FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS White 2800cc turbo diese,l 6 speed manual gearbox, Ricon internal rear wheelchair lift, tracking for up to 4 wheelchairs, LEZ compliant, ex local authority owned, 147000 kilometers 92000 miles, very good condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 4,995 + VAT

2003 03 REG IVECO DAILY 45C13 11 SEAT FRONT ENTRY LONG WHEEL BASE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2800cc turbo diesel white, white, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for up to 6 wheelchairs, tachograph, LEZ compliant, currently fitted with 11 seats but can be made upto 17, 200000 kilometers, 124000 miles, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 month nationwide parts and labour warrantry £ 4,795 + VAT

PSV

2002 02 PLATE IVECO DAILY IRIS 40C13 17 SEAT FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS 2.8 turbo diesel, 6 speed manual gearbox, white, certificate of initial fitness, analogue tachograph, PSV, panoramic glass, electric front entry plug door, Access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for upto 6 wheelchairs, LEZ compliant, 150,000 kilometers 95,000 miles, very good condition, supplied with 12 months PSV or MOT, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 1 months nationwide parts and labour warranty £ 4,995 + VAT

All vehicles supplied with 12 months MOT/PSV, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards and 1–3 months nationwide parts and labour warranty

705876-1172-Heatons 19/01/2015 14:35 Page 1

HEATONS MOTOR CO. WIGAN

53 Bickershaw Lane Abram, Wigan Lancashire WN2 5PL

THE NORTH WEST’S PREMIER MINIBUS SALES, S WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

59 PLATE PEUGEOT BOXER MWB

D L O

S

09 IVECO 50C15 17 SEAT

Only covered 48,316 miles, one charity owner, complete flat floor, lots of Unwin tracking, full length cant rail, power door, front low step entry, external fully automatic cassette tailift, plant on panoramic tinted windows, totally showroom condition inside and out. £19,995 LEZ

Unmarked stunning silver metallic, features 8 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, M1 tested Innotrax flooring, full carpet-lined, SLD with electric side step, external Ratcliffe fully automatic tailift, good quality conversion, totally showroom condition inside and out.

LEZ £11,995

2012 IVECO 50C17 IRISBUS

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

PSV’d

Only covered 3,036 miles, yes only, totally like new, 12 highback seats on NMI quick release, lots of Unwin tracking, complete flat floor, power door side entry, automatic, external PLS fully automatic cassette tailift, panoramic tinted windows, stunning silver metallic, tacho. £29,995 LEZ

57 PLATE CITROEN RELAY LWB

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

Ultra low miles – yes only 13,483, features 8 highback passenger seats with 3 point belts, Unwin tracking, Ricon internal fully automatic Clearway tailift, SLD with cassette step, can only describe as new inside and out, totally immaculate. £15,995 LEZ

59 PLATE VAUXHALL MOVANO CDTI

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

Only covered 15, 446 miles, features 8 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, full carpet lined, Ricon internal Clearway tailift, SLD with AVS cassette step, looks and drives like new in every way, excellent value for money. £16,995 LEZ

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

Only covered from 32,655 miles, 8 highback passenger seats with 3 pointbelts, lots of Unwin tracking, SLD with cassette step, climate control, automatic transmission, look and drive superb these are new stock. £11,995

LEZ

57 MERCEDES SPRINTER 309 MWB

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

2010 RENAULT MASTER LWB

Only covered 48,000 miles, lots of Unwin tracking, 8 highback passenger seats, Ricon internal fully automatic Clearway tailift, SLD with cassette step, full electric pack, stunning silver metallic, excellent value. £14,995

LEZ

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

2010 RENAULT MASTER LWB

Only covered from 38,783 miles, 8 highback passenger seats with 3 pointbelts, lots of Unwin tracking, SLD with cassette step, climate control, automatic transmission, look and drive superb these are new stock. £11,995 LEZ

2010 RENAULT MASTER LWB

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

Only covered from 33, 965 miles 8 highback passenger seats with 3 pointbelts, lots of Unwin tracking, SLD with cassette step, climate control, automatic transmission, looks and drive superb, these are new stock. £11,995 LEZ

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

2010 RENAULT MASTER LWB

Only covered from 36,575 miles, 8 highback passenger seats with 3 pointbelts, lots of Unwin tracking, SLD with cassette step, climate control, automatic transmission, looks and drive superb these are new stock. £11,995 LEZ

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

59 PLATE RENAULT MASTER LWB

Only covered 34, 308 miles,11 highback seats with 3 pointbelts, lots of Unwin tracking, SLD with cassette step, Rolac ramp with air suspension, automatic transmission, totally immaculate in everyway. £14,995 LEZ

2010 PLATE IVECO 50C15

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

Only covered 39,774 miles, with 15 highback passenger seats all on Unwin tracking, complete flat floor, powerdoor front low step entry, panoramic tinted windows, external fully automatic cassette tailift, automatic transmission, COIF’d, totally showroom condition inside and out.

LEZ £21,995

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

09 MERCEDES SPRINTER 311 MWB

08 RENAULT MASTER LWB

Covered 57, 828 miles, 8 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, SLD with cassette step, external Ratcliffe fully automatic cassette tailift, totally showroom condition inside and out, excellent value. £17,495

10 highback passenger seats in coach moquette, lots of Unwin tracking, Ricon internal Clearway tailift, SLD with side step, destination pod, these must give fantastic value for money. £6,995

LEZ

59 PLATE MERCEDES SPRINTER 515 LWB

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

PSV’d

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

Only covered 42,696 miles, 16 highback passenger seats, Unwin tracking, SLD with side step, external fully automatic tailift, digital tacho, full carpetlined, good quality conversion totally showroom condition inside and out excellent value. £19,995 LEZ

05 MERCEDES VARIO 814 MELLOR COACHBUILT

PSV’d

24 highback passenger seats in moquette, 3 pointbelts, complete flatfloor, powerdoor front entry, external fully automatic cassette tailift, 12 months PSV test, ready to work, excellent value. £11,995

LEZ

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

07 PLATE MERCEDES SPRINTER 515 CDI

PSV’d

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

Only covered 40,653 miles, features 16 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, SLD with cassette step, external Ratcliff fully automatic cassette tailift, totally showroom condition inside and out. £18,995 LEZ

07 RENAULT MASTER LWB

Covered 96,000 miles, 8 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, Ricon internal Clearway tailift, SLD with cassette step, looks and drives superb, excellent value. £7,495 LEZ

705876-1172-Heatons 19/01/2015 14:35 Page 2

Tel: 01942 864222 Phil 07715 231694 • Wayne 07818 031725

See all our stock on our website: www.heatonsmotorco.co.uk ALL PRICES PLUS VAT

We guarantee quality vehicles, right prices, no pressure sales. Come and have a coffee while you browse at your leisure. Junction 23, M6 or 20 miles from Manchester/Liverpool airport

S, SUPPLYING NATIONWIDE FOR OVER 40 YEARS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

PSV’d

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

06 IVECO IRIS BUS

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

55 MERCEDES VARIO 814

28 highback passenger seats with 3 pointbelts, lots of Unwin tracking, powerdoor front low step entry, covered 62,000 miles, full air conditioning, 9 months PSV test, ready to work. £17,995

PSV’d

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

09 PLATE RENAULT MASTER MWB

08 RENAULT MASTER LWB

Only covered 49,913 miles, features 8 highback seats, lots of Unwin tracking, Ricon internal fully automatic Clearway tailift, twin SLDs with cassette steps, totally showroom condition inside and out. £15,995

LD

LEZ

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

10 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, covered 72,000 miles, external fully automatic cassette tailift, excellent condition inside and out, fantastic value. £6,995 LEZ

2010 FORD TRANSIT 430

PSV’d

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

SO

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

07 LDV MAXUS LWB HIGHROOF

Only covered 51,000 miles, full electric pack, totally showroom condition inside and out, will come newly COIF’d and with 12 months PSV test. £12,995 LEZ

D L O

S

PSV’d

LEZ

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

05 IVECO 50C13

PSV’d

05 IVECO IRISBUS 50C13 MINIBUS

PSV’d

PSV’d

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

D L O

S

16 highback passenger seats on Unwin tracking, powerdoor front low step entry, panoramic tinted windows, one council owner, 10 months PSV test, exceptionally clean inside and out, ready to work. £6,995

56 IVECO IRISBUS

LEZ

58 PLATE MAN AYATS ATLANTIS

53 seat full executive coach, covered 246,378 klms, half leather belted reclining seats, 2 screen Blaupunkt entertainment system, centre toilet with hostess cabinet and drinks dispenser, Thermobus climate control, alloy wheels, exceptionally clean coach inside and out. £64,995 LEZ

LEZ

59 FIAT SCUDO MULTI JET

Only covered 60,000 miles, one owner, 8 passenger seats with 3 point belts, twin SLDs, m1 category, electric windows, totally showroom condition inside and out. £7,995 LEZ

06 MERCEDES VARIO 814

PSV’d

LEZ

Covered 90,135 miles, 16 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, powerdoor front low step entry, external fully automatic cassette tailift, one council owner, immaculate inside and out, 12 months Class V MOT, excellent value. £8,995 LEZ

28 passenger seats plus 47 standees, wheelchair accessible, destination, accessibility DDA compliant, exceptional condition inside and out, this must represent good value. £19,995

8 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, internal fully automatic tailift, SLD with cassette step, exceptionally clean inside and out, excellent value. £6,995

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

05 IVECO IRISBUS

58 OPTARE TEMPO HYBRID SERVICE BUS

55 PLATE RENAULT MASTER LWB

15 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, powerdoor front low step entry, Plant on panoramic tinted windows, external cassette tailift, one council owner, PSV tested, ready to work. £7,495

16 highback passenger seats on Unwin tracking, only covered 86,250 miles, powerdoor front low step entry, panoramic tinted windows, PSV tested, ready to work. £7,995

LEZ

Only covered 48,295 miles, 8 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, external fully automatic cassette tailift, SLD with cassette step, stunning unmarked silver metallic, represents good value for money. £16,495 LEZ

115ps 6 speed, only covered 35,000 miles, 7 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, twin SLDs, Ricon internal fully automatic tailift, totally showroom condition inside and out, excellent value. £10,995

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

12 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, SLD with side step, Ricon Clearway fully automatic tailift, destination pod, very clean inside and out, COIF’d, excellent value. £6,995

09 PEUGEOT BOXER LWB

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

09 RENAULT TRAFFIC SWB CDI

16 highback passenger seats on Unwin tracking, powerdoor front low step entry, external fully automatic cassette tailift, Plant on panoramic tinted windows, one council owner from new, COIF’d, PSV tested, excellent condition inside and out. £8,995 LEZ

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

Only covered 98,000 miles, 24 highback seats with 3 point belts, lots of Unwin tracking, PLS fully automatic internal Clearway tailift, powerdoor front low step entry, tacho, excellent UVG Modular coachbuilt body, PSV tested, showroom condition inside and out, excellent value. £16,995

59 MERCEDES SPRINTER 513 CDI

PSV’d

16 highback passenger seats, lots of Unwin tracking, SLD with cassette step, external PLS fully automatic cassette tailift, tacho, COIF’d, one owner from new. £17,495 LEZ

702756-1172-Taylors 19/01/2015 12:08 Page 1

702534-1171-Connaught_Layout 1 10/01/2015 09:24 Page 1

Brand New coach-built Mercedes 516 CDi Euro 6 Ferqui Soroco 19 high back reclining seats, 3 point belts, AC, DG, reading lights, power door, tow-bar and boot.

Brand New Coach-built Mercedes Atego Ferqui F5 34, 36 or 38 high back seats, 3 point belts, air conditioning, double glazing, reading lights, power door, curtains, large boot. Orders now being taken.

Brand New coach-built Mercedes 516 CDi Euro 6 Ferqui Soroco 16 high back reclining seats, 3 point belts, AC, DG, reading lights, power door, and large boot.

2013 Mercedes 516 CDi Soroco 16 high back leather seats, 3 point belts, AC, DG, DVD system, power door, large boot, metallic paint, balance of manufacturers warranty.

2011 Mercedes Benz 516 CDi Sprinter 16 high back leather trimmed seats, 3 point belts, air conditioning, forced air, reading lights, large boot, metallic paint, low mileage.

2010 Mercedes 516 CDi Soroco 16 high back seats, 3 point belts, AC, DG, forced air, reading lights, power door and large boot.

D L O

S 2010 Mercedes 515 CDi Soroco 19 high back seats, 3 point belts, AC, DG, forced air, reading lights, power door, metallic paint and boot.

2008 58 Reg Mercedes 816 Unvi Riada 29 high back seats, 3 point belts, AC, forced air, reading lights, power door and large boot.

2007 57 Reg Ford Transit 16 high back seats, 3 point belts.

2007 57 Reg Mercedes Soroco 16 high back leather trimmed seats, 3 point belts, AC,DG, forced air, reading lights, power door, large boot.

2006 56 Reg Mercedes 413CDi Soroco 16 high back seats, 3 point belts, AC, forced air, reading lights, curtains, power door & large boot.

1999 S Reg Mercedes 814 Plaxton Beaver 33 seats, 3 point belts, power door, manual gearbox, new test.

Steve Peach Tel: 01405 814064 Mob: 07836 551020 Email: info@connaughtpsv.co.uk Web: www.connaughtpsv.co.uk

p70_CBW_1172 19/01/2015 15:10 Page 70

EUROCOACHES

Marchant’s Coaches of Cheltenham Spa have the following Buses & Coaches for sale: 2004 Mercedes Citaro 43 seats MOT 20/11/15 ............................................................£28,000 ono 2002 Mercedes Citaro 41 seats MOT 1/6/15 ........................................................... £21,000 ono

K12 EUR Volvo B12B Caetano Enigma 2005 MoT Nov-15, 707k, 49 seats, LEZ, automatic gearbox Price £45k + VAT •••••• K11 EUR Volvo B12B Caetano Enigma 2005 MoT Nov-15, 713k, 49 seats, LEZ, automatic gearbox Price £45k + VAT •••••• TAX 1X Volvo B12M Sunsundegui Sideral 2003 MoT Sep-15, 462k, 49 seats, LEZ, manual gearbox Price £35k + VAT •••••• R7 EUR Volvo B12B Sunsundegui Sideral 2004 MoT Sep-15, 513k, 49 seats, LEZ, automatic gearbox Price £40k + VAT •••••• K7 EUR Mercedes Setra S315 GTHD 2003 MoT Feb-15, 756k, 48 seats, LEZ, manual gearbox Price £35k + VAT •••••• K6 EUR Mercedes Setra S315 GTHD 2003 MoT Nov-15, 401k, 48 seats, LEZ, manual gearbox Price £35k + VAT •••••• K3 EUR Mercedes Setra S315 GTHD 2005 MoT Aug-15, 659k, 48 seats, LEZ, automatic gearbox Price £55k + VAT •••••• K10 EUR Mercedes Setra S415 HD 2004 MoT Apr-15, 680k, 48 seats, LEZ, automatic gearbox Price £50k + VAT •••••• K8 EUR Volvo B12M Vanhool Alizee T9 2005 MoT Mar-15, 525k, 49 seats, LEZ, automatic gearbox Price £65k + VAT •••••• OO 7056 Mercedes Setra S315 GTHD 2000 MoT May-15, 706k, 48 seats, manual gearbox Price £25k + VAT Part Ex for newer ••••••

07970 096 262 70 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015

2001 Optare Solo Mercedes 29 belted seats + 2 tip ups MOT 2/2/15 (will MOT) ......£15,000 ono 2001 Plaxton Cheetah manual 25 seats MOT 14/9/15 ...............................................£14,000 ono 2000 Volvo B10M manual Van Hool 57 seats MOT 24/8/15 .....................................£28,000 ono 2000 Volvo B10M manual Plaxton Paragon 57 seats MOT 21/3/15 (will MOT) .......£28,000 ono 1999 Volvo B10M manual Plaxton Premiere 57 seats MOT 4/6/15 .............................£25,000 ono 1998 Volvo B10M manual Plaxton Excalibur 48 seats MOT 12/2/15(will MOT) ........£16,000 ono 1996 Neoplan Skyliner Mercedes 77 seats MOT OLD S 8/12/15 ...............................................£18,000 ono All coaches currently LEZ compliant For more information or photographs please contact Roger/Richard Marchant

tel 01242 257714 mobile 07887 791757 www.coachandbusweek.com

705713-1172-Moseley South 16/01/2015 14:11 Page 1

BUS & COACH

IN THE SOUTH LTD.

Used Vehicles Recently Into Stock

2010 VDL FUTURA FHD 127.365PR INTEGRAL - 12.7mtr AUTOMATIC & EURO 4 EMISSION 53 reclining seats with individual footrests & seatback tables, courier seat, Plug entrance door, double glazing, AIR CONDITIONING, radio/PA/CD audio, DVD & 2 monitors, centre sunken demountable toilet, continental exit with powered door, water boiler, top loading fridge, Webasto heater, reverse camera, digital tachograph, cruise control, integral retarder.

2008 VDL FUTURA FHD 127.365PR INTEGRAL - 12.7mtr AUTOMATIC & EURO 4 EMISSION 53reclining seats with leather headrests, individual footrests & seatback tables, courier seat, Plug entrance door, double glazing, AIR CONDITIONING, radio/PA/CD audio, DVD & 2 monitors, centre sunken toilet, continental exit with manual door, water boiler, top loading fridge, Webasto heater, reverse camera, digital tachograph, cruise control, integral retarder.

1997 VOLVO B12R JONCKHEERE MONACO - 12mtr & EURO 4 (PM) EMISSION 72 reclining seats with leather headrests & individual footrests, courier seat, plug centre entrance door, crew door, double glazing, AIR CONDITIONING, radio/PA audio, DVD & 4 monitors, lower saloon toilet compartment, water boiler, fridge, cruise control, towing equipment, Telma retarder, alloy wheels, Puritech exhaust system.

1997 VOLVO B12R VAN HOOL ASTROBEL – AUTO (EURO 4 PM) 71 reclining seats (14 lower & 57 upper) including lap belts & individual footrests, twin courier seat, manual crew & drivers doors, powered central entrance door, double glazed side windows, curtains, radio/PA/cassette, wired for DVD equipment, toilet compartment at o/s lower saloon, servery unit including hot & cold water sink, storage, two lower saloon tables, integral retarder, cruise control, reverse warning, Allison automatic transmission, Eminox CRT exhaust system, refinished white.

We have a comprehensive selection of quality used vehicles including touring coaches, double deck coaches, school buses and mini coaches on site at Wellington

Summerfield Avenue, Chelston Business Park, Wellington, Somerset, TA21 9JF

www.moseleysouth.co.uk @MoseleySouth

/moseley south

Telephone (01823) 653000 Fax: (01823) 663502 Email: sales@moseleysouth.co.uk

p72_CBW_1172 19/01/2015 13:18 Page 72

Contact The Sales Team Tel: 01733 293484 Fax: 0845 280 2927 Email: Ian.Gillis@ coachandbusweek.com

AUDIO & VIDEO

CLEANING PRODUCTS & SERVICES

The complete transport washing solution

• Audio / PA systems • Video-on-demand systems • Monitor & DVD systems • Hands-free mobile phone kits • Reversing cameras and sensors • Multi or single language systems • CCTV • Alarms, tracking and cruise control • SkyTV systems • GPS commentary systems

FULLY AUTOMATIC UNDER CHASSIS WASHING TO MOT STANDARDS

UK and Ireland Distributor

www.autosound.co.uk Tel: 0044 (0)1274 688990 Unit 4, Lister Street, Dudley Hill, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD4 9PQ

CMS BRADFORD - WEST YORKSHIRE

Coach Multimedia Systems

AUDIO/VISUAL/SECURITY SYSTEMS, LCD/LED MONITORS, DVD/HDD PLAYERS, REAR VIEW CAMERA SYSTEMS, MICROPHONES, CCTV, DIGITAL/SATELLITE SYSTEMS, USB CONNECTIVITY ALL SYSTEMS PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE OF THE UK WITH 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Phone: 07933 47 48 48 Email: Andy.Baxter@coachmultimediasystems.co.uk www.coachmultimediasystems.co.uk

• No operator • No Health & Safety issues • No damage to vehicles • No MOT returns WNV-systems specialise in manufacturing, installation, chemical supply and after sales servicing of commercial vehicle cleaning systems, automatic under chassis washing, pressure wash systems, automatic top washes, water reclaims & rain water harvesting throughout the UK using our nationwide engineers.

A WNV-systems fully patented under chassis wash will result in your chassis cleaned for less than £2.20 and completed in 25-35 minutes.

Our systems are fully programmable to wash a full range of commercial vehicles.

Contact us for a free site survey, quotations or more information.

Tel: 0208 641 5601 Email: geoff@wnv-systems.com www.wnv-systems.com

HEAVY DUTY STEEL BUILDINGS

CHECKPOINTS

BUILDINGS

• Bus Workshops • Secure Storage

• Supplied any width, any length

• Building to BS5590

• Doors high enough for Double Deckers

• Finance available Phone for further information

BLUELINE BUILDINGS 01709 578333 anytime

72 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015

The Sales Team T: 01733 293484 F: 0845 280 2927 E: ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com www.coachandbusweek.com

p73_CBW_1172 19/01/2015 13:19 Page 73

www.coachandbusmarket.com ENGINEERING SERVICES

ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ENGINES

GARAGE EQUIPMENT

COMMERCIAL GARAGE EQUIPMENT

VOSA AUTHORISED TESTING FACILITY MAN VOLVO CUMMINS SCANIA DAF ETC

Commercial Garage Equipment Midlands Ltd (CGE) are one of the main providers of ATF Lanes to the CV Market ATF lane includes: - CAD drawing - Civil work - Brake tester approved for all classes - Prefabricated steel pit - Headlight tester - Play detectors - Radius plates - Pit jacks / jacking beams - Optional class 4 / 7 testing - Gas & smoke analyser

ENGINES

E & E Potts Ltd

DIESEL ENGINE RECONDITIONER

Above: Various stages of completion of an ATF Lane at Aldridge Transport, Launceston

Other equipment supplied: - Commercial scissor lifts - Galvanised commercial scissor lifts - HGV 4 post lifts - Brake testers - MOT bays (all classes) - Prefabricated steel pits - Inspection pits - Gas & smoke - Jacking beams - Car lifting equipment - Column lifts - Civil work with drawings - Leasing & finance available T: 01386 244758 M: 07538 218194 E: sales@commercialgarageequipment.co.uk W: www.commercialgarageequipment.co.uk

Specialists in Cummins, Perkins, Caterpillar, Mercedes Commercial, Volvo, MAN, DAF, Scania.

All Engines are Dynamometer and Smoke Emissions Tested.

Full Engines, Long Engines and Short Motors Available.

Cylinder Heads, Blocks, Crankshafts, Camshafts, Pistons, Turbochangers, Gaskets and Bearings always in stock.

REGISTRATIONS

£750 70 TXN AEZ 17 BCZ 85 DRZ 60 KNZ 25 LAZ 39 PAZ 64 RUI 46 XIL 46

£350 CRZ 434 DKZ 494 FKZ 191 GJZ 585 HKZ 262 MUI 292 UKZ 494 WXI 373 XKZ 545

£50 FXZ 2081 GXZ 9310 GXZ 9311 GXZ 9312 IRZ 5560 IRZ 5561 JFZ 9751 JFZ 9752 LIG 9150

£50 LIG 9151 LIG 9152 MIG 8622 MIG 8623 OIG 2202 OIG 2203 OIG 2204 RHZ 5661 RHZ 5662

£50 SFZ 5793 SFZ 5794 SHZ 8481 SHZ 8482 SHZ 8483 TNZ 2298 TUI 9914 TUI 9915 UNZ 3142

£50 UUI 7521 UUI 7522 UUI 7523 VJZ 8502 VJZ 8503 VJZ 8504 WJZ 2931 WJZ 2932 WJZ 2933

Millwood, Lisbellaw, Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland BT94 5HQ Tel: 028 6638 7124 · www.speedyreg.co.uk · sales@speedyreg.co.uk

Call us today on 0161-737-4666 Email: eepottsltd@aol.com Engine House, New Thomas Street, Salford, M6 6WF

EQUIPMENT

GARAGE EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Specialists in Brake Testers & Column Lifts www.bwsequip.co.uk BWS (0117) 9530381 www.coachandbusweek.com

EXHAUSTS

LEZ BOXES FOR SALE 1 x USED EMINOX LEZ EXHAUST BOXES USED FOR SIX MONTHS 2012.

CLEANED/RECONDITIONED. TO FIT A BOVA FUTURA. With full fitting kit or can be fitted while you wait! £3,000 each + VAT PARNHAMS COACHES LTD Contact Ray 07747 071071

REPAIRS

Express Coach

Repairs

ESTABLISHED 1982

• Re-spray & refurbishment specialists • 70 seat conversions • All insurance work undertaken • Accident damage specialsts • 33 seat mini coach conversions • All aspects of exterior and interior work undertaken

TEL: 01751 475215 expresscoachrepairs@hotmail.co.uk January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 73

p74_CBW_1172t 19/01/2015 13:21 Page 74

Call The Sales Team Tel: 01733 293488 E: ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com

CLASSIFIEDS

TRAINING

REPAIRS

C. T. T.

PCV/PSV Courses for Minibus, Bus & Coach Train for your D1 or D Licence

We offer CPC Periodic Training and Initial Module 4 Training tel 01525 370862 email cttlimited@aol.com www.cttlimited@aol.com

SEATBELTS

cts

Whalley Centre for Transport Studies

CPC Management Courses “Everyone knows someone who has done their training at Whalley”

Tel: 01254 248177 Clitheroe, Lancashire info@whalleytransportstudies.co.uk

www.whalleytransportstudies.co.uk The Sales Team Tel: 01733 293484 Fax: 0845 280 2927 Email: ian-gillis @coachandbusweek.com

TACHGRAPH ANALYSIS

If you would like further information please call 01543 897505

Digital and analogue tachograph analysis

Visit our website: www.lloydmorgangroup.co.uk

74 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015

SPECIALIST TRAINING

Lancashire based public DCPC & Operator/Management courses available OR we can come to you*!

0800 328 3297

enquiries@specialisttraining.co.uk www.specialisttraining.co.uk * subject to numbers

TRIM

All aspects of coach interior re-trim carried out to a high standard at competitive prices!

Tel: 01253 696033 info@westcoasttrim.co.uk Burton Road, Blackpool FY4 4NW

www.coachandbusweek.com

p75_CBW_1172 19/01/2015 13:22 Page 75

www.coachandbusmarket.com

ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

TYRE EQUIPMENT

VEHICLE SPARES

Trevor Wigley & Son Bus Ltd

TW FULLY LICENSED END OF LIFE VEHICLE CENTRE TW REDUNDANT AND SCRAP VEHICLES TAKEN TW PROFESSIONAL, EFFICIENT SERVICE TW ALL REQUIREMENTS CATERED FOR TW VARIOUS SPARES AVAILABLE TW CONTACT US FOR FULL AVAILABILITY

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

www.twigley.com

Passenger and Commercial Vehicles Recovery Dismantlers Parts Sales OUR SERVICES:

DISMANTLING/SPARES:

• Recovery

• Reconditioned engines

• Refurbishment

• Reconditioned gearboxes

• Testing

• Repairs

• Engine spares

• Engine/gearbox rebuilds

• Windows

• Windscreens

• Fault finding

• Seats

• Buying & selling vehicles

• Export to foreign markets • Repairs

• Finance repossession and storage

The Sales Team T: 01733 293484 F: 0845 280 2927 E: ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com www.coachandbusweek.com

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

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

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 75

In association with

NEWS › XXXXXX 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

Monday: The familiar hectic press day.

Tuesday: A day of admin and preparing Minibus for design.

Wednesday: A busy day writing and arranging material for forthcoming issues.

Thursday: Allow plenty of time to get to London by train in case of disruption caused by the heavy wind and rain. Thankfully, all is well. As I am about to leave Kings Cross to take some stock pics, a respected Arriva MD calls out to me. Spend the next 45 minutes chatting away on the concourse – he’s waiting for a colleague to arrive. Snap some photos at Oxford Circus, before walking to BBC Radio 2’s Western House to interview Ken Bruce, where I had arranged to meet him in his natural environment.

Everyone is so friendly, including Lyn (who does the traffic) and Alan Dedicoat (who reads the news). I interview Ken after the conclusion of his show at 1200hrs at a nearby Starbucks.

Why am I talking to a Radio 2 DJ? Ken, who has been reading CBW since 2007, along with other BBC colleagues, owns six Routemasters. Ken & I get on well – we chat away like old friends.

We go our separate ways at about 1430hrs. I leave very much on a high.

Friday: A hectic day in the office producing this issue. Enjoy a chat with Darren at Swanns Coaches of Blackpool about the Babbacombe break-ins story (see p10). Have a meeting with some colleagues late in the day – all good stuff.

Dancing driver who danced while driving is disqualified A video of a Turkish bus driver leaving wheel of the vehicle to dance in the aisle while the vehicle travelled along a motorway has gone viral online.

Driver Metin Kandemir was fined £45 and stripped of his licence for two years. He reportedly had 32 previous convictions for traffic offences, so it is a small wonder how he came to be in control of a public bus in the first place.

In the video, a laughing Metin Kandemir twice leaves the driver’s seat unmanned to show off his dance floor moves as the 12-tonne single decker bus continues on its journey. He also takes both hands off the wheel multiple times.

The events took place in Istanbul, Turkey, and has become one of the most watched videos in the country.

Kandemir, 34, later apologised, saying: “It was a mistake. I apologise to everyone. I will not repeat it. The road was empty at the time. This is the first time I’ve ever done it.” Though

Kandemir states the road was empty, you can clearly see a large amount of traffic on the road, and indeed, a vehicle actually overtakes the bus while he is not at the wheel.

Police spokesman Kaan Tore said: “He’s lucky not to be in prison. He could

Year of the Bus sculptures prepare for final display All 60 Year of the Bus sculptures, which have been seen on trails across London, will go on display for a final time over the weekend of January 24-25 at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park before being auctioned for charity.

The event will be one of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) final celebrations to mark 2014’s Year of the Bus, in partnership with London Transport Museum and the capital’s operators, and is funded entirely by sponsorship.

Painted and adorned by well-known and aspiring artists, the sculptures were placed around London last October, when they went on display on four walking trails.

Leon Daniels, Managing Director for Surface Transport at TfL, said: “The Year of the Bus sculptures

76 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015 076_CBW1172_Last Stop.indd 76

Metin’s dance moves leave a lot to be desired have killed everyone in that bus and worse.”

The Mirror reported that Turkey has one of the worst road safety records in the world, with many drivers reportedly believing it is out of their control if they have an accident.

Con-cat-ulations: Mr Pinky receives a bus pass

have surprised and delighted Londoners and visitors to the capital for the past couple of months.

This free event will offer a fantastic last opportunity for anyone who didn’t manage to spot all 60 sculptures.”

The sculptures, which were delivered with creative events company Wild in Art, will be auctioned in the spring to raise funds for three charities: Kids Company, Transaid and London Transport Museum.

If you are interested in making a bid for one of the sculptures, visit www.ibidder.com/yearofthebus

Reading’s favourite feline can ‘meow’ travel anywhere he likes on Reading Buses It was a purr-fect day for Mr. Pinky with the award of his very own personalised smartcard from Reading Buses. With his owner Tim Wheeler Mr. Pinky was ‘feline’ great as he tried out his new card on the bus. Martijn Gilbert, Reading Buses Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to give Mr. Pinky his own smartcard – we cater for all cat-egories of customers.”

www.coachandbusweek.com

19/01/2015 17:18

M O C .

S B O J S U B D COACHAN in association with DEADLINES Booking: Monday 5.00pm Full artwork: Monday 5.00pm CONTACT Ian Gillis T: 01733 293484 E: ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com

THE LATEST RECRUITMENT

Contact Ian Gillis Tel: 01733 293484 Email: ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com

DEADLINES Booking: Monday 5.00pm Full artwork: Monday 5.00pm

Arriva commercial manager takes on regional CPT role Arriva Southern Counties’ Commercial Manager, Matthew Arnold, was confirmed as the new CPT London and South East Regional Chairman at the recent AGM, replacing Redwing’s Colin Miller who steps down after two years in the post.

“I am delighted to be taking on this important role and to be able to build on the hard work and tireless enthusiasm which Colin shared with the region,” said Matthew.

“Our own operation covers a significant part of the region, stretching

from the Surrey/Hampshire border through to the Essex/Suffolk border – we operate some 700 vehicles across the whole spectrum of the industry with commercial and contracted bus services and private hire/touring coaches. We also operate two authorised testing facilities.

“I look forward to meeting and working with CPT members and suppliers to ensure that the issues affecting our industry are debated and channelled through CPT officers to the relevant decision makers.”

Matthew Arnold, Commercial Manager for Arriva Southern Counties

proud to be

www.coachandbusweek.com

077_079_CBW1172_People_Recruitment.indd 77

the really good bus company

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 77 19/01/2015 18:43

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

Lucketts Travel welcomes seven new members of staff Coach firm Lucketts Travel Group has welcomed seven new members of staff to the business.

To reflect the firm’s growth and its plans for future expansion it has created a Finance Director role, which has been filled by Mike Allcock.

Mike has a background in helping family-run firms achieve their potential and most recently worked for Liberty Services, a printing firm based in Surrey, until it was sold to Capita, one of the UK’s largest services businesses.

He said: “I first started out working for big corporates but was much more comfortable working for family firms, which Liberty had been before it was sold, so I knew I wanted to remain in that kind of environment.

“Lucketts is still a family-run firm but, with an expected turnover this year of close to £23m and a staff of around 300, it is a significant business and it is an exciting time to join it.”

The firm has also appointed Clive Howard as General Manager for its tour and excursion business, responsible for

L-R: Clive Howard, Katy Watson, Chloe Smith, Mike Allcock and Ruth Grossett the tour and day trip business across the Lucketts Travel Group.

Clive has an extensive background in the travel industry, both in his own company and, previously, holding senior roles within a number of cruise firms.

He said: “Lucketts Travel Group has an ambitious growth plan for the immediate future. I’m excited to be part of the company’s vision and to be able

78 | COACH & BUS WEEK | January 20, 2015 077_079_CBW1172_People_Recruitment.indd 78

to contribute to that growth.”

Brian Langford joins in the role of Business Development Manager. Brian has an extensive sales background in the travel industry and will join the group to expand its school, cruise-led shore excursions and corporate contracts, particularly in the Southampton area.

One of Lucketts Travel Group’s other new employees is starting a family

tradition by following in her father’s footsteps to work for the company.

Emma Veness, 19, joins the team as a Product Assistant, helping to produce the firm’s range of holidays. It was her late father, Ian, who was part of the team that started the tour and excursion business many years ago.

Also joining the team are: Ruth Grossett, again in a newly created role as a Manager responsible for learning and development; Katy Watson, who joins Lucketts Travel Group as a Sales Consultant and Chloe Smith, who has joined as a Business Administration Apprentice.

Joint Managing Director Ian Luckett said: “As Lucketts Travel Group looks to the future and continues to expand the business, it is right that we invest in our management team, with the addition of a General Manager and a Finance Director, and in our staff, with the creation of a role responsible for learning and development.

“Having the right people in the business is key as we move forward.”

www.coachandbusweek.com

19/01/2015 19:06

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Epsom Coaches boosts training team Epsom Coaches has welcomed Garry Bishop to its training team. Gary is an established member of the driving team at Epsom, with 27 years’ experience of both bus and coach operations.

Driver training is not the only task of the training team, as they cover all aspects of staff development, including

The Epsom Coaches training team. (L-r) Phil Allport, Jon Ball and Gary Bishop

engineering, customer care, IT and other courses.

Jon Ball of Epsom Coaches said: “We are delighted to welcome Gary and both Phil Allport and I look forward to working with him to develop and fine tune still further the development of our staff.”

PCS appoints Business Development Manager Lee Sheldon has recently joined Paul Clarke Services (PCS) as Business Development Manager South.

Lee will be based in the South of England and will be focusing particularly on the London area. Lee has until recently been working for Optare and has a wealth of experience working in a customer care and supporting role.

First names bus after local driver First in Leeds on January 15 named a bus after well-known local bus driver Manni Howard at a ceremony at Bramley bus garage.

The bus was unveiled by Manni’s widow Lynne, family friends and colleagues to honour his memory and recognise the many friends he made driving local bus services.

Manni, 50, died in July 2014 from illness caused by liver cancer that was first diagnosed in 2011.

Determined to continue his bus driving job, Manni drove until July 2013 when he became very ill.

After working as a trained upholsterer in Leeds, Manni joined the bus industry in 1995. With

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Lee Sheldon joins PCS from Optare

nearly 20 years of service, Manni often drove the 49 service between Bramley and Monkswood Gate via Eastgate & St. James’ Hospital. He was based at the Bramley bus depot on Henconner Lane only a short distance from where he grew up.

In addition to the people Manni met when driving his bus, he was well known around Leeds from working as a doorman particularly at Big Lil’s on the Headrow.

The idea to name a bus in Manni’s honour came from one of his colleagues John Quansah and First’s Business Manager in Leeds, Bob Dorr, supported the suggestion.

“Manni was very well liked by all his colleagues and customers and we’re proud to have one of our 400 buses in Leeds named after him,” Bob said.

Out of hours Operations Supervisors (two posts) £24K Coach Operator, near Folkestone, Kent.

Week-on, week-off 0500-0900 and 1700-2100 daily, plus first on call overnight and through weekends and Public Holidays.

Experience in a similar role is essential. PCV and CPC licences would be an advantage.

For a full job description call Nigel Busbridge, Operations Director on 01303 261870 or e-mail Nigel@buzzlines.co.uk www.buzzlines.co.uk

January 20, 2015 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 79 19/01/2015 18:43

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