Arriva UK bus investment paves way for fleet renewal and growth

Arriva plc, one of Europe’s leading transport operators,today confirmed it has placed orders for its UK bus business whichwill see more than 460 new vehicles come into service during2008.

The buses, representing an investment of more than £63million, are being deployed across the group’s UK businessesin North East and North West England, Yorkshire, the Midlands,South East and Southern England, Scotland, Wales and London.

Arriva’s group technical services director Mark Bowd said:“We have continued to work with a range of suppliers toensure our businesses have the flexibility to provide the bestlocal service for customers, with vehicles which are suited to theneeds of the passengers and the local operatingconditions.

“We welcome the developments the bus manufacturers havedelivered to improve comfort for passengers, further enhance safetystandards and reduce harmful particulate emissions. Peopleconsidering using the bus may not appreciate the enormous progressmade in the latest generation of vehicles – particularly ifit’s some time since they travelled by bus.”

Arriva highlighted the joint imperative faced by bus operatorsand manufacturers to improve the fuel economy of vehicles against abackground of rapidly rising fuel prices – and thus meet thecommercial and environmental challenges faced in providingvalue-for-money services.

Mark Bowd added: “Developments in bus engines have helpedimprove local air conditions for other road users includingcyclists and pedestrians. Now, as an industry we have tobuild on the progress to date and work to deliver improved fueleconomy. This will have the twin benefits of ensuring theenvironmental impact of bus travel remains low while becomingincreasingly important as a way of minimising the impact on faresfrom the increases in fuel costs that we all face.”