13th Feb 2006 07:00
Stagecoach Group PLC13 February 2006 13 February 2006 STAGECOACH GROUP PLACES £50M BUS ORDERS FOR UK *New vehicles will support company's organic growth strategy *Provincial operations to benefit from major fleet investment Stagecoach Group plc announced today (13 February 2006) that it has placedorders for more than 460 new vehicles for its UK bus division. The £50 million investment will benefit customers in Stagecoach's growingprovincial UK bus operations. Vehicle manufacturers Alexander Dennis, Optare, Plaxton and Volvo will supply atotal of 13 single-deckers, 160 double-deckers, 165 midi-buses, 95 minibuses and31 coaches. The fleet of new vehicles will be delivered between April 2006 and the end ofFebruary 2007. Details of the orders are: * 30 Alexander Dennis Trident ALX400 double-deckers * 130 Alexander Dennis Trident Enviro 400 double-deckers * 165 Alexander Dennis Dart Pointer midibuses * 13 Alexander Dennis Enviro 300 single-deckers * 95 Optare Solo minibuses * 31 Plaxton Profile/Volvo B7R coaches Les Warneford, Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus, said: "We have pursued ahighly successful organic growth strategy in the UK in recent years and webelieve more people in our towns and cities can be attracted to bus travel. "We have expanded our UK bus operations with two significant acquisitions in thelast 12 months and we are committed to focusing on investment, innovation andeffective marketing to drive further growth. "This latest capital investment will deliver a more comfortable travellingexperience for passengers, better environmental performance, improvedreliability and help make public transport more attractive to car users." Among the areas to benefit from the new investment will be the former TractionGroup operations in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Tayside, which were acquired byStagecoach in December 2005. Stagecoach's order includes five single-deck vehicles, fitted with the latestenvironmentally friendly Euro 4 engines, while the remainder meet the currentEuro 3 low emission engine standards. 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. ENDS 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 over 8,000vehicles from Devon in south-west England to Inverness in the Highlands ofScotland, carrying around 2 million passengers every day. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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