Stagecoach places £97m order for new buses and coaches

Stagecoach has revealed it will be investing £97 million on new buses and coaches in the coming 2016-17 financial year in order to provide continued improvements for customers.

Stagecoach has announced it will purchase approximately 480 vehicles which meet the latest Euro 6 emissions standards, as it reinvests profits to improve services for customers. The announcement follows a competitive tender process which will see the first vehicles delivered from spring 2016.

New Stagecoach buses to be fitted with CCTV and wi-fi

In total £82million will be spent on new buses and coaches for Stagecoach’s regional networks in England, Scotland and Wales. In addition, £10million will go towards new buses for London and around £4.5million will be spent on coaches for the Group’s megabus.com operations.

The majority of the new vehicles will be built in the UK helping to support manufacturing jobs and small businesses in the supply chain.

All of the new vehicles will be fitted with CCTV while most will be equipped with wi-fi, giving customers free internet access during their journeys. The new order also aids the operator’s mission to deliver a fully accessible fleet.

Operators working together to install contactless technology on every bus in Britain

Stagecoach, alongside the UK’s other major bus operators, has invested heavily to introduce smart multi-operator bus ticketing in all nine of England’s smart city regions with support from local transport authorities. Bus operators are now working together to produce a business case for the introduction of contactless technology on every bus in Britain. The business case is expected to be completed by late spring 2016 and the scheme, funded predominantly by the private sector, could see new EMV contactless technology installed on every one of the UK’s 32,000-plus buses outside London.

Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Martin Griffiths said: “Everything we do is about making travel even better for our customers. We are investing in state-of-the-art, cleaner, greener vehicles, digital technology and smart ticketing to raise the bar and deliver an even higher standard of service. These latest vehicle orders are an important part of our strategy to encourage even more people to take the bus.

“Local bus services are the backbone of the country’s transport networks. Stagecoach provides millions of people every day with a greener way to access work, health, education and leisure and we offer the best value bus fares in Britain.”

Details of the £97m Stagecoach order