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New Stagecoach buses on
Merseyside
STAGECOACH Merseyside, Cheshire, and
South Lancashire has upgraded its fleet, investing over £4 million in the
region, including 1st of its kind next generation buses across Merseyside.
The company, which operates over 400 buses across the 3 regions, will boost
its fleet by 18 vehicles, 11 of which will operate on the X2 route from
Liverpool to Preston via Southport, with the additional seven operating out of
the Birkenhead depot.
In a 1st for the business, the new X2 vehicles will include a number of table
seats complete with USB ports, allowing passengers to stay connected while on
the move. They will also feature deluxe e-leather seats and LED reading lights,
among other features.
The investment also sees seven new Gold buses arriving on the 471 and 472 routes
from Heswall to Liverpool. These luxury buses feature:- hand stitched
Italian designed leather seats; friendly, uniformed drivers; Euro 6 standard
engines complete with stop/start technology to help cut exhaust gas emissions;
free Wi-Fi; and new interior design which includes noise reducing moquette
fabric.
Rob Jones, managing director of Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire,
said:- "Stagecoach is committed to continually investing in our fleet in
the Liverpool City Region; ensuring we deliver sustainable, comfortable,
high specification vehicles to our customers; providing them with a 1st class
experience.
The new buses being introduced on the X2 route are a 1st for the business and
we're delighted to be launching them. We have worked closely with the design and
engineering teams to incorporate a range of new features, which will make the
passenger experience even more pleasant and comfortable. We're expecting the
table seats to be a real hit, both with commuters who want to work on the go and
with families or friends who want to sit together socially as a group.
The new features will also enable people to use their time on the bus more
productively, with LED reading lights, tables and free on board WiFi making it
easier than ever to stay connected or, particularly with the dark mornings and
nights as we head into winter, just relax and read on their journey. I am
delighted that we are also growing our Gold bus outreach in the region, adding
to existing Gold buses that currently run between Liverpool and Chester."
Stagecoach Bus is 1 of the UK's major employers, supporting around 24,000 jobs
across the UK and 1,209 jobs in Merseyside and South Lancashire. Over 200 people
have completed apprenticeships with Stagecoach since 2004 and the company
currently employs around 150 apprentices. All Stagecoach vehicles are fitted
with eco driving systems which lower emissions and the company has shown the
biggest commitment to using 100% biofuel of any UK bus operator.
Stagecoach is part of Liverpool City Region's Bus Alliance, a partnership
between Liverpool's biggest bus operators and Merseytravel. The Alliance is
focussed on quality of vehicles and customer service, value for money journeys
and straightforward travel from simple fare structures to easy to understand
journey planning and a clear, simple bus network. Follow the company's
website
or follow them on
Twitter
for more information and company updates.
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