Over the last few weeks Stagecoach has been amassing Alexander Dennis Enviro MMC models from around the country at its two ‘pop-up’ bus depots in Erdington and Oldbury, which will fuel, wash and clean 341 and 269 buses respectively, operating under the firm’s Midland Red (South) operator’s licence.
A number of Enviro200MMCs have received interior modifications at Alexander Dennis, which required the removal of some of the seating in the low floor area to allow multiple wheelchair spaces to be added.
This is all in preparation for the opening of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, which opens on Thursday 28 July and closes on Monday 8 August. Prior to the opening of the games, Stagecoach drivers have been delivering vehicles from the firm’s operating companies to the two sites in order to carry out extensive training on the various routes that will serve Alexander Stadium, Arena Birmingham, Cannock Chase, Coventry Stadium, Edgbaston Stadium, Sandwell Aquatics Centre, Smithfield, Sutton Park, St. Nicholas Park, the National Exhibition Centre and the University of Birmingham.
Games spectators will be able to travel free to the venues with a valid Commonwealth Games ticket. In addition, megabus is also providing coaches under contract to Birmingham 2022 that will also operate shuttle services. These are a mix of the company’s own Caetano Levante and Plaxton Elite i coaches, supported by a large number of extra vehicles hired in from other operators such as Angies Tours, Freestones Coaches, First Bus-owned Truronian, West Coast Motors and more.
In common with the London 2012 Olympics, any company fleet names have been covered over on both coaches and buses, and panel security tape has been applied.
Look out for more details from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in a future issue of CBW.
