Tuesday 8 March 2011

Leeds hybrids

Very soon we are launching the first of our fleet of hybrid buses in Leeds.

With the Government's Green Bus funding we have placed orders for hybrid buses in two batches for Leeds and the first will enter service soon.

Today we have been making some decisions regarding the finer details of the vehicles including livery and other features. We did this working with the first vehicle, 39201 which is already at Hunslett Park depot Leeds.

What you see here is the base livery and prototype swooshes in place but before application of the skirt colours and most of the other livery details. When they enter service they will also have advertising outside and in promoting their green credentials.

This is, therefore, an early look at these high-quality vehicles which also feature leather seats, a revised interior scheme and will also include various other passenger-enhancing features which have recently been trialled in the North region.

In addition these vehicles are helping us make some further decisions over the layout and attributes of our forthcoming orders for new buses which will encompass those required for the Olympic Games. These details will also follow shortly.

These are exciting times as we raise the standard for buses - and many of these features will surely be commonplace in the future.


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4 comments:

  1. Unimpressed so far, but I understand that it's the work in progress - why don't First understand that people want to look out of them?

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  2. Leon, I have to agree with the previous post - windows are for seeing through, not blocking with vinyls, contravision or traffic notices! First is by no means the only offender, sadly. When will the industry learn to stop this hideous practice?
    Richard Delahoy

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  3. I also agree with the two previous commenters, and the simple fact is that 'Contravision' does not allow a clear view through the windows where it is applied. To be honest, I am amazed that the lobby representing people with visual impairments have not complained about it more forcefully.

    After all, these are buses that we are discussing, not pantechnicons!

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  4. Hope I don't get shot down in flames here given the other posters' comments, but I rather like the livery and graphics. Do you know Leon if we can expect the same when Glasgow receives its hybrids?

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