FirstGroup places £70 million order for new buses!

FirstGroup has announced a massive order of new buses for their operations which has cost them £70 million.

This is also a follow up to Stagecoach Group announcing a £97 million order for 480 buses which I’ve previously reported.

From FirstGroup

·         All new vehicles fitted with free on board Wi-Fi

·         More customers to benefit from on board USB charging points

·         FirstGroup continues to be one of the largest operators of Low Carbon Emission Buses in the UK

·         87% of buses are DfT ‘Low Carbon Certified’ saving 4 million kgs of CO2 every year

·         First Bus is proud to continue supporting British bus manufacturers, with 98% of order to be manufactured in UK

World’s first Acid Bus and short NRM update

VDL are to build the world’s first bus to run on Formic Acid.

From Route One

A 12m VDL Citea Electric will become the world’s first formic acid-powered bus during 2016. It is the result of a collaboration between VDL Bus & Coach and Team FAST.

In nature, wood ants deter predators by squirting formic acid as a defence. It is also found in stinging nettles. Commercially it is used as a preservative, in leather production and cleaning products.

News on zero emission buses around the world

Bus companies around the world are moving towards buying zero emission buses. I have found several news reports which I've compiled in to this one article.

First of all I would like to mention that Reading Buses have placed the world’s first order for double deck gas-powered buses.

From Route-One

Reading places world’s first order for gas-powered ‘deckers

Reading Buses has signed an order for the first-ever Scania CNG gas-powered double-deck buses anywhere in the world.

Short NRM and window openings for NRM’s

More news on the New Routemaster bus, but first I'll update you with the news from LOTS (London Omnibus Traction Society) about the new hybrids for London.

Longer trains for National Express c2c service

Recently a train company which operates the Essex Thameside franchise 'National Express c2c' has announced longer trains and a new timetable for their services.

From National Express c2c

New Carriages and May Timetable

Today we have very good news: we have reached agreement with the Department for Transport on a deal for 24 brand-new additional carriages for c2c and they will be entering service this year – three years sooner than previously planned.

Stagecoach places £97 million order for new buses!

Stagecoach has announced a massive order of new buses for their operations which has cost them £97 million.

50 years of the Red Arrow bus service

MEC50 repainted to the classic Red Arrow livery.

Am I referring to the Red Arrow service by Trent Barton? No, but there is one in Central London which is still regulated by London Buses today, currently they are routes 507 and 521.

Here is a brief history of the Red Arrow bus service.

The Red Arrow service was first formed in 1966 as part of the Bus Reshaping Plan. Their purpose was to have long single deck buses with a reduction of seats to enable increased passenger standing capacity.

Go Ahead London retains routes with new hybrid buses

LOTS (London Omnibus Traction Society) have just announced new London Bus tender awards for tranches 531A, 532 and 541.

From LOTS News

New contract awards from TfL:

Tranche 531A

·         639/670 re-awarded to London General with 2009 Euro V diesel double deck (currently allocated to routes 21 & 63). PVR 1, start date 4 June

New Routemaster, Enviro400H City & Volvo SRM comparison

New Routemaster, Enviro400H City and Volvo SRM

I enjoy comparing different bus types so this time I will compare the New Routemaster (NRM) with the Enviro400H City and the new Volvo SRM.

The New Routemaster first entered service on Route 38 and since 2012 we have watched the fleet expand; it now serves over 20 routes in Central London. The Enviro400H City buses are serving route 78 and soon they will enter on route 26 under a new contract with CT Plus.

Back in the middle of March 2016, Wrightbus and TfL unveiled the Volvo SRM which is a two-door New Routemaster bus, a design that enables bus companies to buy.

Hertfordshire and Essex councils cut funding for London Bus cross-boundary services

I am aware of the changes being made to the bus services in Hertfordshire early this year. The local newspaper reported that the council wanted to save £390,000 per year. Also another local newspaper reported that Harrow Council is asking TFL to keep running the cross-boundary London Bus services.

More Tram services for South London

As we move into April there is some good news for commuters in the South of Greater London with the Tramlink system.

From TFL Press release

Wimbledon Tram services increase by 50 per cent

From next week, passengers travelling on Transport for London's (TfL) Tram network will be able to take advantage of more frequent services.

On Monday 4 April, services between Wimbledon and Croydon will rise from eight to 12 trams per hour. The increase in frequency follows the completion of work to build an additional tram platform at Wimbledon station late last year.