Municipal bus operations could return to Scotland, according to a report in the Scotsman newspaper. This would remove a legislative stumbling block for Aberdeen Labour group’s plans to buy First’s Aberdeen operation (see B&CB 1534, 14 June 2019). MSPs have voted to lift a ban on creating municipally-owned bus services, proposing to amend the Scottish […]
Transdev has placed orders worth £3.5m for British-built buses. The operator has ordered 21 new buses from ADL and Wrightbus. The Yorkshire and Lancashire operator’s 2019 bus purchases include five Wright Streetdeck double-deckers featuring luxury interiors for the Cityzap express service between Leeds and York. There will also be 13 ADL Enviro200 MMC single-deckers for […]
Bus Users UK has published a ten-point plan to reduce the decline in rural bus services. ‘Rural buses: reversing the decline’ calls for reform of the Traffic Commissioners to have regard for the interests of bus users, modernisation of the role of the DVSA, for local authorities to take a more consumer-led approach to transport, […]
The Peterborough Bus Rally and Commercial Vehicle Show has been called off. It was planned for Sunday 16 June at Sacrewell Farm and Country Centre and has been cancelled due to the recent rainy weather. A statement on the event’s website said: “The recent heavy rain has resulted in the rally site and an alternative […]
Plaxton is to host its own rally for the first time at its Scarborough factory on 8 August 2019. The ticket only event is being held in celebration of the company’s heritage and will showcase Plaxton’s historic and current product line up. There are already 35 of 60 coaches entered, it promises to be an […]
I first went to Marshalls Coaches of Leighton Buzzard some 20 years ago or more, when Fred Marshall was master of all he surveyed. The occasion was the delivery of an entire fleet of new Beulas Eurorider coaches which, at the time, were the coaches with the ‘wow factor’ and, if I remember correctly, leather […]
Welsh Traffic Commissioner Nick Jones has renewed Section 19/22 permits for a South Wales community transport operator which has operated tendered contracts for Rhonda Cynon Taff Council (RCTC) in competition with commercial bids. The Traffic Commissioner was adjudicating at Public Inquiry on the exemption claimed by Accessible Caring Transport (ACT) of Mountain Ash that it […]
Aberdeen’s Labour group has started talks with First Aberdeen in a bid to set up a new municipal bus company. The council’s controlling group, prompted by the news that FirstGroup is looking for buyers for its UK operations, is proposing a deal to acquire the fleet and King Street depot. Ironically, Aberdeen’s Grampian Regional Transport […]