Reading Buses places £1.3 million order for six Streetdeck double deck buses

Reading Buses has placed a £1.3 million order with Wrightbus to supply six Streetdeck double deck models.

British bus manufacturer WrightBus will supply six double deck buses for service on orange routes between Woodley and Reading. The order follows the operators ‘summer bus trial’ last year, where a number of models were evaluated including a New Routemaster from London which is also built by the Ballymena-based manufacturer.

Each bus will be fitted with the latest environmental features such as engines meeting the Euro 6 emission standard and additionally featuring Wrightbus’ latest ‘MicroHybrid’ fuel efficient technologies, including the first of their kind to be fitted with automatic engine ‘start-stop.’ In addition, Reading Buses is continuing to adopt the Lazzerini Ethos seat following successful deployment on its 2015 vehicle intake. This super lightweight seat uses approaches from the aviation industry to produce around a 30 percent weight saving. Features of the bus will also include a glazed staircase and roof panels.

Customers will benefit from 4G WiFi and USB charging points as well as popular features from the operator’s claret spritzer student buses, such as social seating, which were launched on the University of Reading route last year.

Reading Buses Streetdeck order will meet Government Low Carbon Bus criteria

Martijn Gilbert, Chief Executive Officer of Reading Buses, said today: “We’ve worked hard with Wrightbus, our design agency Best Impressions and other partners to ensure that these buses will provide a further step change in local bus services for our customers.

“Using the latest innovations in many design and engineering features, and best practice from across the transport industry, we will be delivering a bus that will not only offer the highest standards of customer comfort and ambiance, but also one that has been optimised to achieve class leading fuel economy and environmental credentials – luxury will meet efficiency.

“We are delighted to be working with Wrightbus, especially in their 70th anniversary year, on what will be a flagship project for everyone involved.”

Ian Downie, Managing Director, Sales and Customcare at Wrightbus, said: “Wrightbus is honoured to receive this prestigious order from Reading Buses. We were delighted to participate in the summer trials.

“The engagement with Reading and their partners has created a groundbreaking vehicle that surpasses environmental legislation requirements with superb economy and, most importantly, provides our mutual end customer with the wow factor.

“Reading Buses has ensured the customer is at the forefront of their thoughts and Wrightbus has delivered a customer driven solution that surpasses expectations.”

The ordered buses will also meet the Government’s stringent Low Carbon Bus criteria, something that’s generally the domain of lighter, weight single deck vehicles.