When you first arrive at the offices of GM Coachwork, situated just off the A38 between Ashburton and Kennford, you are not prepared for the sheer scale of the operation. I met with Paul Barber, Minibus Sales Specialist, who has been with the company for 23 years. A friend of CEO David Vooght, he was […]

The launch of the new Crafter is a bit like peeling an onion, we are being exposed to it a layer at a time. So far they have revealed layer one which is the new front wheel drive 3.5/4.0tonners and given us a little bit of information about the rear wheel drive 3.5/4.0tonners and of […]

TfL wants to match bus services with demand in London in a smarter way with additional services provided to support residential growth areas across the capital, particularly in outer London. The forthcoming Business Plan, subject to sign off by the TfL Board, will see total bus mileage maintained across the city over its five year […]

The Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) was quoted as forecasting growth of 2.1% in 2016, then downgraded to 1.4% in 2017, with 1.7% growth in 2018, 2.1% for 2019 and 2020 and 2% in 2021. Debt is to rise from 84.2% of GDP last year to 87.3% this year, peaking at 90.2% in 2017-18. In […]

Government’s Transport Select Committee has stated the Bus Services Bill is a major opportunity to transform passengers’ experiences of bus services. According to the body, the Bill goes some way in helping overcome the challenges of lack of competition, high fares and cuts in services. It claims local authorities and operators face a number of […]

After previous wins in 2004, 2012 and 2014, Nottingham City Transport scooped the prestigous UK Bus Operator of the Year title for the fourth time at the 21st annual UK Bus Awards presentation held at The Ballroom on London’s Southbank. In front of an industry audience around 650 strong, the company received the award from […]

  Mellor Coachcraft is launching a high floor version of its Strata bus with up to 19 seats. The Strata HF is aimed primarily at the local authority and community transport sectors. Based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis cab, the new model is fully accessible with a passenger lift at the rear. It has all […]

  In Transport Focus’s latest research into the area, it was found around nine in ten passengers in the West Midlands reported that they remain happy with their bus services overall. The study showed improved satisfaction with waiting times and a reduction in anti-social behaviour incidents. However, satisfaction with actual journey time continued its downward […]