FirstGroup unveils premium service as Wrightbus Gemini fleet with £300,000 worth of refurbishment goes live
First Aberdeen has launched a new £300,000 Platinum bus service. The operator has made significant improvements to the Wrightbus Gemini-bodied Volvo B7TL buses operating on service 19 – which links Tillydrone with the city centre and Culter.
Since Monday, November 18, passengers travelling on the refurbished buses have benefitted from new TV screens featuring 24 hour news updates, E-leather covered seats and complementary WiFi provided by Icomera. The 08-plate buses were refurbished by Morpeth-based Thorntons.
Duncan Cameron, Director and General Manager of First Aberdeen, said: “The introduction of Platinum demonstrates just how determined we are to improve bus services and attract more passengers.
“We are absolutely committed to increasing passenger numbers and encouraging more people out of their cars and onto our buses.
“Going forward I can assure our customers that we will continue to invest in our services and make bus travel better. I’m confident that in the future we’ll be able to launch Platinum style services in other parts of the network.”
While the vehicles were being refurbished, former Glasgow Dennis Tridents were used to cover the route.
Asked about reports the Tridents were expected to head to Manchester to join the former Finglands fleet, Niall Dowds, Head of External Communications at First UK Bus, told CBW: “Aberdeen will keep 10 of the Tridents in the short term to help support capacity. The remaining eight will leave Aberdeen, but it’s not clear at the moment where they are going.”
Passengers on the highprofile service can also take advantage of a dedicated Platinum website www.firstgroup.com/platinum, which features specific travel information, ticket information, latest news and maps. Watch a video of the launch day at https://youtu.be/AW36V9ZhDy8
