28th Feb 2007 07:01
Stagecoach Group PLC28 February 2007 28 February 2007 STAGECOACH GROUP PLACES £55M BUS ORDERS FOR UK • Provincial operations to benefit from 440 new state-of-the-art vehicles• Investment for 2007-08 tops £65m as Britain gets on board the buses• Telemarketing, partnerships and concessionary travel driving growth Stagecoach Group plc announced today (28 February 2007) that it has placed freshorders for more than 440 new vehicles for its UK bus division as the companycontinues to generate strong passenger growth. The £55 million investment will benefit customers in Stagecoach's growingprovincial UK bus operations and brings the Perth-based group's total spend onnew buses for 2007-08 to nearly £65million. Passenger numbers at Stagecoach's bus operations have grown year-on-year byaround 6%. The growth is as a result of a major ongoing telemarketing campaign,a package of innovative initiatives in partnership with local authorities, andnew journeys under concessionary fares schemes. Les Warneford, Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus, said: "Britain is gettingback on board the bus. This latest investment will allow us to manage thatgrowth and further improve our quality of service to passengers. "Our market-leading innovation, highly successful telemarketing strategy andstrong partnerships with transport authorities in metropolitan and shire countyareas are a winning package. "Buses are a key part of the solution to the growing problem of trafficcongestion in our towns and cities, and we believe there is a huge opportunityto attract more and more people out of their cars and on to public transport inthe future." Vehicle manufacturers Alexander Dennis, Optare, MAN, Plaxton, Scania and Volvowill supply the latest Stagecoach orders. They include 127 single-deckers, 200double-deckers, 75 midi-buses, 17 minibuses and 25 coaches. The fleet of new vehicles will be delivered between May 2007 and the end ofApril 2008. Details of the new orders are: * 200 Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 double-deckers * 118 Alexander Dennis Enviro 300 single-deckers (113 12-metre version and 5 12.8metre model) * 75 Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 midi-buses * 17 Optare Solo mini-buses (11 8.5metre vehicles and 6 9.5metre model) * 25 Plaxton Profile Volvo B7R coaches * 9 Scania OmniLink single-deckers All of the new vehicles run on low-sulphur diesel, and are equipped with modernheating and ventilation. The buses also incorporate low floor access for parentswith young children, people with disabilities and elderly passengers, and manyfeature a special 'kneeling' mechanism to help boarding from the pavement. Allcoaches are fitted with special lifts to assist boarding for wheelchair users. It comes only a few months after Stagecoach placed a £9million order for 100buses from Leeds-based manufacturer Optare, the first of which will be deliveredin May 2007. Fitted with hi-tech MAN exhaust gas re-circulation (EGR)four-cylinder engines, the Euro 4-compliant buses will be among the mostenvironmentally friendly in Stagecoach's fleet. Stagecoach - UK Bus Operator of the year two years' running - has expanded itssuccessful telemarketing unit in Perth, which is aimed at attracting new usersto bus travel. More than 50 direct marketing projects have been undertaken inthe past two years, covering around half a million potential customers, pickingup a range of business awards and contribution to rising passenger growth. Prospective passengers are asked about their current travel choices, theirsatisfaction with existing bus services and offered seven days' free travel toencourage them to use the bus. The innovative approach has resulted inconversion rates of more than 20% at Stagecoach bus operations across the UK. For further information, please contact:Steve Stewart, Head of Media and Public Affairs, Stagecoach GroupTel: 01738 442111 or mobile 07764 774680 Notes to Editors: Stagecoach is one of UK's biggest bus and coach operators, connectingcommunities in more than 100 towns and cities. The company runs around 7,000vehicles from Devon in south-west England to Inverness in the Highlands ofScotland. Carrying around 2 million passengers every day, Stagecoach has majorcity bus operations in Liverpool, Newcastle, Hull, Manchester, Oxford, Sheffieldand Cambridge. Full breakdown of bus orders * 175 Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 double-deckers (ADL E400 chassis) * 25 Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 double-deckers (Scania 230UD chassis) * 18 Alexander Dennis Enviro 300 single-deckers (ADL E300 chassis - 12metre) * 95 Alexander Dennis Enviro 300 single-deckers (MAN 18.240 chassis - 12metre) * 5 Alexander Dennis Enviro 300 single-deckers (MAN 18.240 chassis - 12.8metre) * 25 Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 midi-buses (ADL E200 chassis - 10.9metre) * 50 Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 midi-buses (MAN 14.240 chassis - 10.9metre) * 11 Optare Solo mini-buses (8.5metre) * 6 Optare Solo mini-buses (9.5metre) * 25 Plaxton Profile Volvo B7R coaches * 9 Scania OmniLink single-deckers (13.7metre) This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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