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The Stagecoach Group

For an archive of Stagecoach Group-press releases and national stories, click on the link below
The Stagecoach press releases

The Arriva PLC

For an archive of Arriva PLC stories see their press office web site
The Arriva press office

megabus.com moves London hub to Victoria Coach Station

15/08/2007
Improved facilities for passengers under contract with Transport for London
Tickets on sale at Victoria Coach Station up to 10 minutes before departure
New locations and journey options added to growing low-cost travel service
megabus.com, the UK 's leading budget inter-city coach service, in agreement with Transport for London, is to move its main hub in the capital to Victoria Coach Station.
The move comes as megabus.com announces a further expansion of its UK network, with new locations and journey options for passengers in Scotland, the Midlands and the South Coast.
The first megabus.com services will start running out of Victoria Coach Station from 1 October 2007, moving from the existing location at Greenline Terminal in Bulleid Way.
megabus.com links 38 locations across the UK from London and the new base will bring significant improvements for passengers.
Customers will benefit from significantly better infrastructure and facilities, including a new Mobility Assistance Lounge, refreshments, seating, toilets, retail outlets and electronic information screens.
Passengers will also be able to buy tickets from the Victoria Coach Station ticket office for travel up to ten minutes before departure.
megabus.com will have access to a distinct set of adjacent departure stands at Victoria Coach Station as well as office accommodation, giving control staff online access to provide up-to-the-minute boarding information for drivers.

Megabus runs first deckers in US

7th September 2007.
Megabus.com,announced it will begin service of the first double- decker buses to carry passengers intercity in the United States. The inaugural trip will be from Chicago to Minneapolis on September 7.
Megabus.com, a subsidiary of Coach USA, purchased 17 wheelchair-accessible double-decker buses and will integrate them into already scheduled routes in Ann Arbor, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, St. Louis and Toledo by January 2008.
"Megabus.com strives to introduce new concepts in intercity, express bus travel in the United States," said Dale Moser, president and COO for megabus.com. "The double-decker buses megabus.com operates in the UK have been a huge hit with customers."
Manufactured by Belgium-based Van Hool, the new TD925 double-decker has been produced to meet U.S. specifications.
The 79-passenger double-decker buses are 13.2 feet high and are equipped with seat belts for every passenger and two wheelchair spaces. The buses have two doors and the low ground-level entry allows passengers in wheelchairs to enter curbside at the second door. Luggage is kept in the back of the bus instead of underneath, allowing more room for passengers.

Improvements to the Blackpool tram system

1st February 2008

Plans to move forward with a Ł85.3 million refurbishment of the historic Blackpool and Fleetwood tram system were announced by Transport Minister Tom Harris today, with the Government contributing Ł60.3million to the scheme

The upgrade will bring the network up to 21st century standards and boost regeneration of the area. This investment is the centrepiece of the Government's forthcoming response to the Blackpool Task Force report which recommended ways to regenerate the area.
Improvements will include refurbishment of the track and tram stops out to Fleetwood, as well as 16 new fully accessible trams. The historic trams will continue to serve Blackpool's famous seafront promenade.
Today's decision means that Blackpool Council can now start detailed planning for the work. Subject to successful procurement of the materials required, the full refurbishment could start in late 2009.

Stagecoach put Cross Forth Hovercraft plan on hold

20th February 2008
Stagecoach said it was putting the plan on hold until it got "clarification" on the public sector's investment.
A spokesman for Stagecoach said it was putting research and development on hold from the end of this month.
A two-week trial which took place last year between Kirkcaldy and Portobello in Edinburgh was said to have established a business case for a full-time route.
Last October the firm said a full service could be operational from summer 2009, with a one-hovercraft service operating between Kirkcaldy and Portobello as an interim measure from late this year.
The service would involve a Ł10m investment by the Stagecoach group with short-term public sector support of about Ł3.3m for the first three years.

Stagecoach may pull out of Huddersfield

9th March 2008.
Local press reports suggest that Stagecoach may be set to pull out of Huddersfield.
Stagecoach is in talks to sell its Waterloo depot and services covering areas including Lepton, Kirkburton, Shepley, Scissett, Clayton West, Denby Dale and Upper Cumberworth to rival operator Arriva.
Stagecoach and Arriva are in talks about the services, although both firms have made just brief statements.
An Arriva spokesman confirmed the two companies were in talks, but added: “These talks may or may not lead to anything relating to operations in Huddersfield. It is early days yet and no announcement is imminent.”
A spokesman for Metro, the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, which oversees bus services in the district, said officials had not been told of any talks between the two bus firms.
Any deal to change operator would require Stagecoach to “de-register” the routes with the Traffic Commissioner and Arriva would then have to register them.
As well as its drivers Stagecoach employs scores of drivers and maintenance staff at its Waterloo depot.
Stagecoach took over the routes when it acquired bus operator Yorkshire Traction as part of a Ł26m deal in 2005.
At the time the Perth-based company said it planned to invest in the services to attract more passengers.
Arriva already operates buses running between Huddersfield, Leeds and Wakefield, including routes covering Mirfield, Batley, Birstall, Morley, Leeds, Cleckheaton and Heckmondwike.

Stow-aways in a new A-D Enviro 500

19th March 2008/
HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA
Canadian press reports say that 4 men were caught after stowing away aboard one of the ten new Alexander-Dennis Enviro 500s destined for Go-Transit in Toronto which arrived in Canada 16th March on a container ship from Liverpool;
Right: Two of the buses in Halifax container terminal
In Sunday's case, the four stowaways travelled across the Atlantic Ocean hidden in a brand new bus and then sprinted away from a single commissionaire staffing the entrance of the Cerescorp container terminal.
Officials the incident was an alarming signal of weak security systems, because the stowaways sneaked into a secure facility in Liverpool, England, before boarding the GO transit buses and then eluding on unarmed commissionaire at the gate in Halifax. The four men, of North African origin were apprehended after traveling to Truro, Canada in an effort to reach Montreal

Bus wars - USA style

20th March 2008.

A “bus war” as broken out on Americas East Coast corridor routes between rival operators.
The first operator to offer a cut price service between Boston and New York was Chinese owned operator Fung Wah buses. They have been running express services between the two cities since last year with near capacity loads of eager “backpackers”
Now the giants of the industry have joined them, Greyhound lines which is owned by First Bus is starting a rival service called BOLTBUS from 27th March and Stagecoach owned Megabus has also decided to operate on the route
Meanwhile, further south similar operations are taking shape on the New York to Washington DC corridor where DC2NY is operating a cut price service non stop betwen the busy citys

East Lancs parent to buy Optare

21st June 2008
The Darwen Group which owns East Lancs Coach builders is to buy independant bus builder Optare
Formed from the rump of Chas H Roe, which was sold off by Leyland, Optare has successfully built midi buses and some full size single deck vehicles over the past decade.
It will be bought with a Ł16 miilion share issue and operate as Optare PLC

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