First has launched 41 Wrightbus Streetlites for service in Sheffield and Rotherham, representing an impressive £6m investment.
First has committed to replace half of its 280 strong Sheffield fleet by 2017 as it invests millions of pounds in a new generation of cleaner smarter vehicles.
The new buses have been allocated to routes 52 (Woodhouse to Hillsborough), 69 (Rotherham to Sheffield) and 76 (Low Edges to Meadowbank). Over the last 12 months First has introduced a range of service improvements, in areas such as vehicle reliability and punctuality, which have driven up customer satisfaction and attracted more people onto the bus. First has also worked as part of the groundbreaking Sheffield Bus Partnership with Sheffield City Council and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) to improve the customer experience on buses.
Ben Gilligan, Managing Director for First inSouth Yorkshire, said: “These new buses are tremendous news for customers and gives them a number of reasons to use our services. Our passengers have been asking for WiFi access for a while now and we are more than happy to install this on our buses. Compared to same period last year we’ve seen impressive passenger growth on services in Sheffield – a rise of 9% between April and September.
SYPTE Deputy Interim Director General, David Young, said: “Sheffield Bus Partnership is taking great strides in improving the city’s buses for customers. We welcome this latest investment to enhance Sheffield’s bus fleet, which will improve customer comfort, contributing to the Partnership’s aim of improving Sheffield’s bus offer.”
