Over a hundred new buses for Scotland

FirstGroup has announced the acquisition of 113 new buses for Scotland in an order worth £21 million.

FirstGroup’s new vehicles will enter service from late summer 2015 and provide a mixture of double deckers, single deckers, and midis. All new buses come fitted with leather seats, CCTV and Wi-Fi providing customers with free internet access during their journey.  In addition to the dedicated space for wheelchair users, First will also provide extra space for pushchairs.

The 113 new buses will be manufactured by Falkirk-based firm Alexander Dennis Limited and Ballymena-based Wrightbus. The vehicles will serve First Glasgow (75), First Scotland East (31) and First Aberdeen (7).                        

All new vehicles for Scotland will be fitted with Euro 6 engines. Tests reveal Euro 6 buses produce the same amount of certain exhaust emissions, including Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) and Particulate Matter (PM), as one bus with a Euro 5 engine; these results produce a positive impact on air quality across the region. All 113 buses are Department for Transport ‘low carbon certified’, making them amongst the most fuel efficient buses on the market.  

Regional Managing Director of First in Scotland, Dave Alexander, said: “Our strong level of investment in over 100 new vehicles for Scotland is great news for our customers and underlines our continuing determination to provide ever better bus services in our area and encourage more people to travel by bus.  These new vehicles will be among the best and most eco-friendly in the country.

“Passengers can enjoy pleasant, more comfortable journeys and keep connected on the move with our free Wi-Fi, while we support the efforts of our local authority partners to improve air quality for all.”

Colin Robertson, Chief Executive of Alexander Dennis Limited, said: “We are delighted to have won this very significant order and to be continuing our long-established and thriving relationship with FirstGroup. This latest order is a huge endorsement of our new-generation, market-leading midi and double deck buses and a further demonstration of FirstGroup’s commitment to the green technologies of tomorrow. In addition, it should not be forgotten that orders like this support 2,000 ADL jobs in the UK and thousands more in our extensive supplier network.”