Community Transport Calderdale has acquired a new Optare Solo, which will be used to plug a gap in services in the Brighouse area of West Yorkshire.
Transport authority Metro awarded the charity a permit to operate the route on a ‘not for profit’ basis, while Calderdale Metropolitan Council subsidises the service and maintains the Solo.
The independent charity has provided on-demand services in the area for a number of years using seven minibuses and people carriers. This is its first venture into running scheduled services and the Solo is the largest vehicle it has operated.
The 7.8 metre Solo is the Slimline SE version, which at 2.33 metres in width is better suited to the conditions on the 258 service the vehicle will be serving. It is fitted with Ster 6 MS seats (24 fixed and two tip-ups in the wheelchair/buggy bay). Power comes from a Mercedes- Benz OM904LA engine, which is matched to an Allison 1000 Series five-speed automatic transmission. LED destination equipment from Mobitec has been installed.
Community Transport Calderdale chief officer, Paul Jones, said: “This is an important move for our charity and a key part of our strategy to grow the services we provide to local communities in the area.”
“The Optare Solo is an ideal vehicle for our type of operation because of its compact size and good accessibility for people with reduced mobility. At weekends, when it is not in use on the scheduled service, it will be available for other local organisations to use.”
