Bristol, Bath and the West

First unveils 46 brand new buses in Bristol

First is unveiling 46 brand new state-of-the-art buses as part of a major investment to benefit customers in Bristol.

The low floor vehicles, designed with passenger comfort in mind, represent an investment of £7.8 million by First.

The double deck buses are entering service on routes 76/77 (Hartcliffe to Southmead and Hartcliffe to Henbury), 1 (Broomhill to Cribbs Causeway) and 54 (Cribbs Causeway to Stockwood).

All of the new buses have:

*Low floors - making them more accessible for wheelchair users and parents with buggies or pushchairs and fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Acts access requirements
*Improved and more comfortable seating with a designated wheelchair/buggy space " providing customers with a better travelling environment
*The most up-to-date Euro 4 engines " to reduce harmful carbon emissions
Digital CCTV " for improved customer security and safety
*New satellite tracking units " enabling Real Time Passenger Information to be displayed at bus stops along the route where available and supporting our ability to monitor buses on the road

The new buses, built in Northern Ireland and powered by Volvo, are the same as the 42 buses introduced last December on the Showcase 2 route. They will replace 10-year-old vehicles on the 1 and 54 services.

This means a significant increase in low floor buses on the 1 and 54, and means 70% of Firsts fleet in Bristol, Somerset and Avon will now be low floor.

First Bristol, Somerset and Avon Managing Director Justin Davies said, "These brand new buses are just part of our ongoing commitment to improving the quality of services throughout the region. They are bright, comfortable and accessible and we hope customers will enjoy using them.

"Together with the 42 buses introduced on the Showcase 2 route last year and with more to come in 2009/10, this is part of a £20 million investment by First in Bristol and the Greater Bristol Bus Network."

Bristol City Councils Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development Mark Bradshaw said, "People continue to tell us that a high quality bus service is a priority for them. As a council, we are committed to providing high quality road based infrastructure - particularly as we begin to take forward regional plans for the Greater Bristol Bus Network. First's new clean, comfortable, environmentally-friendly buses are the future of bus travel in Bristol."

First has held a customer consultation giving passengers and residents the chance to comment on proposals to improve reliability on the 76/77 route (along with routes 75 and 75A). First is pleased that more than 300 people took the time to give their comments. Plans are currently being finalised and a decision will be announced soon.

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