Reading Buses confirms £1.3m order for Scania double deck CNG buses

Reading Buses has confirmed a £1.3 million order for five Scania double deck buses powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) from a bio-methane source.

Martijn Gilbert, Chief Executive Officer of Reading Buses, signs the official order for the world’s first Scania gas double deckers with Mark Oliver, UK Bus & Coach Fleet Sales General Manager for Scania (Great Britian) Ltd, in front of the company’s pioneering ‘Bus Hound’ bio-methane powered gas bus‎ which set a land-speed record in 2015 to highlight the industry’s work with gas, and an Alexander Dennis double deck diesel powered vehicle (similar to the body style ordered for the new buses) from its 2016 vehicle intake.

The operator has today confirmed its primary order for the world’s first double deck CNG bus to be powered by a bio-methane source. The Scania N280UD order builds upon the success of its single deck variant which Reading Buses was the first bus operator to adopt in 2013.

A world first…

Commenting on the implementation of Reading Buses 34 current single deck Scania gas buses, John Bickerton, Reading Buses Chief Engineer, said:  “Our gas buses are consistently high performers in terms of both reliability and customer appeal with considerably quieter and greener engines than conventional diesel vehicles.

“We were the first UK operator of Scania’s gas single deck buses and our experience of these has proven the economic case to add more such vehicles within our existing depot infrastructure and come back three years later with yet another major order that is again a ‘first’ for gas buses.”

Double Deck CNG buses to come into operation form October 2016

Single deck gas buses have proved popular across the globe, including the USA, since the early 1990’s, and more recently across Europe, but the double deck model from Scania represents a world first.

The five buses will have bodywork by UK manufacturer Alexander Dennis to its Enviro 400MMC style and will be used to upgrade royal blue 33 services ‎operating along Tilehurst Road between Reading town centre, Tilehurst and Turnham’s Farm.

At-seat USB charging sockets and 4G Wi-Fi

On-board the buses will feature the latest Reading Buses interior including comfortable high back seating trimmed in materials inspired by cutting edge automotive trends and include at-seat USB charging sockets for mobile phones and tablets, free superfast 4G Wi-Fi and next stop audio and visual customer information systems.

Reading Buses

On signing the agreement, Martijn Gilbert, Chief Executive Officer of Reading Buses, said: “We are very excited about being the launch customer for Scania’s new double deck gas product and the leading edge environmental credentials that these buses will bring to our town and customers.

“We are continuing to work tirelessly with our industry partners to provide innovative solutions to keeping our town moving, improving air quality and enhancing the travelling experience for our customers.

“I am confident the pioneering new buses will take all these factors to even greater heights and continue our work to embody the bus as the very best way to get around Reading.”