Arriva launches third Sapphire scheme

The latest stage of the rollout of Arriva’s premium Sapphire brand took place in Aylesbury’s Kingsbury Square last week. A launch was held for introduction of the 11 high specification buses that are entering service on the 280 between Oxford and Aylesbury after extensive refurbishment involving a £400,000 investment.

Shoppers, commuters and local dignitaries were among those at the unveiling with Arriva advisors on hand to talk about the additional benefits of the improved fleet, including the high back, “leather-look” seats, additional leg room, free WiFi and power points, audio visual facilities and CCTV for added security. With the new features comes a commitment to deliver a punctual, reliable service, running directly between Oxford Railway Station and Aylesbury, via Haddenham, Thame and Wheatley, every 20 minutes, 7 days a week.

Paul Adcock, Area Managing Director for Arriva, commented: ‘Route 280 is a real gateway service as it opens up the opportunity to travel more widely across Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. We’re delighted to be bringing the Sapphire brand to such a pivotal route as it will certainly offer our customers something different and we hope it will tempt more people to try the bus as a result. We’ll be working with our customers to gauge their feedback throughout the coming weeks and months.’