We have taken delivery of the first one of our 49 brand new buses to our depot in Poole, ready for it to enter service on Friday 1 September.
Earlier this year, we announced a total investment of £13.5 million into a new fleet of vehicles, which will predominantly serve ourhigh frequency m1 and m2 routes between Bournemouth and Poole.
Each of the vehicles sports the latest Euro 6 low emissions engine - the newest and cleanest standard for diesel. They are British-built ADL Enviro 400 double deckers, and they cement the bus operator’s commitment to lowering emissions across the region.
The buses also have a striking new look on-board - with a more comfortable and spacious seating layout, and lighter flooring. The upper deck is laid out in a similar way to a coach, and there is a ‘stop’ button on the back of every other seat.
"We are delighted to receive the first few of our new fleet,” said Morebus managing director, Andrew Wickham. “They will go straight into service on our m1 route from Bournemouth to Poole, and will be followed by many more of our new vehicles shortly.
Demand for buses along this and the m2 route prompted us to replace single decker buses with these, higher capacity, double deckers. The m1 and m2 are our quickest routes between the two towns, so I do recommend the bottom deck, if there is seating available, for those who have mobility issues - to give all those on-board ample opportunity to alight at each stop. If you do use the upper deck, though, you’ll be able to take advantage of the extra space and great views.
These new buses offer additional comfort for every passenger travelling on them - as well as being far kinder to the environment, these impressive new Alexander Dennis E400 double decker buses include on-board technology like standard USB and USB C charging points and contactless, tap on tap off payment facilities.
This first bus we shorly be, followed by another 27 double deckers very soon - with an additional 21 arriving next spring.
The aim is to make sustainable transport a more attractive proposition, in order to entice people out of their cars. One full double decker bus can take up to 75 cars off the road - and this investment is a huge step in that direction.
