Plaxton, a division of bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL), has announced it’s to build wheelchair-accessible Plaxton Leopard coaches complying with PSV Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) as stock to meet customers’ requirements.
Responding to the increase in demand for accessible coaches, the Leopards, with side-mounted lifts, will seat 57 in 2+2 configuration or 70 when built to a high-capacity 2+3 layout.
PSVAR-compliant Leopard stock will be ready from spring, and while the first 18 examples have already been sold, strong availability remains from May onwards with vehicles being completed throughout the year.
When built to order, all models in the Plaxton coach range continue to be available in versions meeting PSVAR standards. Additionally, a side-mounted lift has recently become available on the 12.8m Panther. The first five examples of this variant have been sold for delivery in the autumn and orders are being taken for configurations of 53 seats plus toilet or a fully seated version for 59 passengers.
Plaxton’s full range of accessible coaches meeting PSVAR is now as follows:
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- Plaxton Leopard, 12.8m B8R – side lift, 57 or 70 seats
- Plaxton Leopard, 12.8m B8R – twin exit doors with staircase lift, 49 seats
- Plaxton Panther, 12.6m B11R – staircase lift, 49 (with toilet) or 53 seats
- Plaxton Panther, 12.8m B8R – side lift, 53 (with toilet) or 59 seats
- Plaxton Panther LE, 14.6m B8RLE – manual ramp, 53 seats
- Plaxton Elite, 12.6m B11R – staircase lift, 49 (with toilet) or 53 seats
- Plaxton Elite, 14m B11R – staircase lift, 57 seats (with toilet)
- Plaxton Elite, 15m B11R – staircase lift, 61 seats (with toilet)
- Plaxton Elitei, 13.8m B11R – manual ramp, 63 seats (with toilet)
- Plaxton Elitei, 15m B11R – manual ramp, 75 seats (with toilet)
- Plaxton Panorama, 14.5m B11RLE – manual ramp at entrance or exit door, 87 (with toilet) or 90 seats
- Plaxton’s General Manager, Coach Sales, Simon Wood, commented: “Building our coaches right here in Britain gives us the flexibility to respond quickly to market demands and tailor specifications to our customers’ requirements.
“We offer PSVAR-compliant versions of all of our coach models when built to order, as well as a strong programme of accessible Plaxton Leopard stock ready to go straight into service from the spring.”
