Arriva invests for success

• Arriva to invest in excess of £10 million in Medway Townsbus services
• 61 new buses to start service in one day

Bus passengers in the Southern Counties are set to reap thebenefits of an investment of more than £10 million in localbus services by Arriva.

Arriva, which operates bus services throughout the region, haschosen the Medway Towns to be the focal point of a uniqueinvestment programme that will see 61 new vehicles introduced on asingle day. In addition, another 40 modern vehicles will undergo acomplete refurbishment.

In this unprecedented public transport boost, the new fleet willinclude 49 double deck buses and 12 single deck buses, all of whichwill feature low-floor, easy access to help those with limitedmobility and parents with young children.

The state-of-the-art-vehicles will feature car-like levels ofcomfort including seating with headrests, tinted windows, aninnovative visual announcement system, and a distinctive new 'lookand feel' giving an improved ambience and a better travellingexperience.

As well as investing in the new vehicles, Arriva will beimproving other areas of the service, with additional customerservice training for drivers and route upgrades. Many bus stopswill be improved to include easy-to-understand timetables andreal-time route information.

Councillor Phil Filmer, portfolio holder for Medway CouncilHighways and Transport, said:

This is excellent news. We are absolutely delightedthat Arriva has decided to invest in Medway. Public transport playsa vital role in Medway and will continue to do so. It is essentialthat we provide a sustainable public transport system that isreliable and trusted so that residents think bus before they thinkcar.

Kevin Hawkins, commercial director for Arriva Southern Counties,said:

We believe, by introducing so many new vehicles intoservice at one time, in one place, that this is the mostsignificant vehicle investment any bus operator has ever made inthe UK.

We have chosen the Medway Towns to receive thisinvestment as the region is ripe for bus passenger growth and thenew vehicles will complement the region's comprehensive, easy tounderstand network. Our investment here reinforces our commitmentto providing people with real transport options and represents astep change for the future of public transport in the MedwayTowns.

Ends

Notes to editors

• There will be a launch event in early May where the first buswill be unveiled. The buses will be paraded on Sunday 13 Junebefore going into service the next day.
• Arriva plc is one of the largest transport servicesorganisations in Europe, providing more than one billion passengerjourneys every year.
• Arriva is one of the UK's largest bus operators, with over6,000 vehicles serving customers in the North East, North West andSouth East of England, Yorkshire, the Midlands, Scotland andWales.