2013 – A curate’s egg of a year!

Projects

Luton’s Busway opened and proved an instant success

Some big projects got the green light in 2013 notably South Yorkshire’s much talked about BRT system linking Rotherham and Sheffield and Belfast’s much needed new integrated transport hub. A big project that did open and very successfully was the Luton Busway. Meanwhile Fareham’s Busway celebrated its first successful year and Cambridge’s much delayed Busway continued to go from strength to strength. It also got Royal approval when Her Majesty The Queen rode on it (wonder if she used her Senior Citizens Bus Pass?). Cambridgeshire also ended its long running financial battle with contractors BM Nuttall successfully.

It was a good year for bus stations too. Paignton got its back revamped, Mansfield got a new one and so did Stoke. Leicester announced it was going to build a new one but the most bizarre bus station event of the year, must have been, the granting of listed building status to the ugly monstrosity that is Preston Bus Station, or rather the car park above it. Recently Lancashire County Council took over responsibility for it from Preston City – relief in city hall.

Manufacturers

Whilst the big players claimed things were going in the right direction, things were tough for smaller manufacturers across Europe. Lahden Autokori in Finland which built the OmniExpress for Scania folded. Carrier of France, part of the Fast Car Group that built interesting schoolbuses, even selling some here in the UK, called in administrators. Viseon, formed by ex MAN/Neoplan management and with a contract to build the double deck Skyliners for Neoplan floundered when Chinese rescuers failed to come up with the necessary funds leaving MAN/Neoplan with a problem. Both Spanish bodybuilders Noge and Sunsundegui said they were closing only to re-emerge. Tata Hispano looked for a way out but could not find one. BMC was put up for sale in Turkey.

On a brighter note here in the UK Mellor and the rest of Coleman Milne was sold to venture capitalists headed by Plaxton saviour Brian Davidson.

At long last Iveco dropped the Irisbus name and the dolphin logo and became simply Iveco Bus.

At home ADL/Plaxton and Wrightbus both made excellent forward progress both at home and overseas with Wrightbus opening a new chassis plant at Antrim. Optare agreed a refinancing deal and showed signs that it may be able to capitalise on its new plant to win regular business from the big groups.