CAVForth autonomous fleet launches 15 May

An autonomous bus service that crosses the Forth Road Bridge is to start on 15 May 2023.

Five autonomous Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200AVs will be used on the service. This follows the successful completion of an extensive testing programme and registration of the bus service by Stagecoach, the UK’s largest bus and coach operator.

CAVForth is a joint project of Fusion Processing, Stagecoach, Alexander Dennis, Transport Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University and Bristol Robotics Lab which is part funded by the UK Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. It is one of the most complex projects of its kind worldwide and will be the first registered service in the UK to use full-sized autonomous buses.

The fleet covers a 14-mile route in mixed traffic at up to 50mph across the iconic Forth Road Bridge near Edinburgh. The service will operate a frequent timetable with the capacity for around 10,000 journeys per week and will have two members of staff onboard. One Safety Driver in the driver’s seat to monitor the technology, and a ‘Captain’ in the saloon to take tickets and answer customers questions.

“Our Enviro200AV autonomous buses will demonstrate latest innovation in vehicle technology” – Jamie Wilson, Head of Concepts & Advanced Engineering at Alexander Dennis

Jamie Wilson, Head of Concepts & Advanced Engineering at Alexander Dennis, said: “This is a thrilling milestone for this ambitious project which we are delighted to be delivering with our partners. Our Enviro200AV autonomous buses will demonstrate latest innovation in vehicle technology, and we are delighted that passengers travelling between Fife and Edinburgh will be able to experience this for themselves when the service launches next month.”

“We are excited to introduce the UK’s first autonomous bus fleet in East Scotland which is also home to our headquarters and where it all began over 40 years ago” – Carla Stockton-Jones, UK Managing Director for Stagecoach

Carla Stockton-Jones, UK Managing Director for Stagecoach, said: “We are excited to introduce the UK’s first autonomous bus fleet in East Scotland which is also home to our headquarters and where it all began over 40 years ago. We are proud to be part of this innovative project and marks a significant milestone for public transport and look forward to welcoming our customers on board in the coming months.”

“This is an exciting milestone for this innovative and ambitious project, and I very much look forward to seeing Project CAVForth take to the roads next month” – Scotland’s Minister for Transport, Kevin Stewart

Scotland’s Minister for Transport, Kevin Stewart, said: “This is an exciting milestone for this innovative and ambitious project, and I very much look forward to seeing Project CAVForth take to the roads next month. Our trunk road network can provide a wide range of environments as a diverse testing ground, and the ground-breaking and globally significant Project CAVForth will really help Scotland establish its credentials on the world stage.”

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