Operator is inviting manufacturers to bid to provides the vehicles, which will be used on its i4 and indigo services
Trent Barton is to spend £5m in 2018 on 30 new buses for its i4 and indigo services.
All the new buses meet the Euro 6 emissions standard and will take the number of vehicles meeting that emission standard in the fleet to 108. This year’s £5m investment builds on the £5m spent on new buses and on upgrades in 2017, which was Trent Barton’s biggest ever investment in a single year.
From the new fleet, 15 will be deployed on indigo and 13 on i4.
Jeff Counsell, Managing Director of Trent Barton, said: “Air pollution in our cities and towns is a problem for everyone. Whilst no single organisation can tackle this challenge alone, Trent Barton is committed to playing a leading role.
“It’s a sign of our commitment that we are again investing a considerable amount of money into cleaner buses that provide existing customers with a great journey experience that also tempts car drivers to make the cleaner switch.
“Each car journey that is replaced by a bus journey creates a tangible reduction in emissions, amplified by reduced congestion and traffic jams. Multiply that by the potential numbers and together we can make a big difference to air quality.
“Congestion and pollution go hand in hand and an effective and attractive bus network should be seen as a crucial part of the solution to tackling pollution.”
Trent Barton is inviting manufacturers to bid for the new order, and with 80% of urban buses in the UK being built in the country, it said it is hopeful its 30 new buses will support British manufacturing jobs.
Jeff added: “For an independent local operator, Trent Barton has been leading the industry with our delivery standards and customer satisfaction for a number of years. Our drivers are currently ranked as the best in England, and our satisfaction and value for money, as ranked by customers, are some of the highest in the country. Now has never been a better time to be using public transport.”
