Stagecoach invests £6.5m in bus fleet

STAGECOACH Merseyside and South Lancashire is growing and upgrading its fleet of buses with a multi-million pound investment.

The company has invested £6.5m in 32 new E400 double-decker vehicles for its Merseyside bus network. The buses meet the latest Euro 6 emissions criteria and also feature free Wi-Fi, free USB charging points, leather seats and tinted windows. The fully-equipped buses will also include audio CCTV as a standard for passenger and driver safety.

Of the new double-decker buses, 18 will be used across the 82 and 86 routes traveling through Liverpool, Wavertree, Aigburth and Garston, while 14 buses will be used on the 14 route which travels through Liverpool, Anfield and Croxteth.

All the routes benefiting from the new fleet are part of the Merseyside Quality Bus Network, a network that allows passengers to purchase transferable day and week tickets on board, which are also valid for travel on Arriva buses on the same routes.

Elisabeth Tasker, managing director of Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire, said: “Our new eco-friendly fully-equipped buses will provide passengers with a great transport option, while also ensuring that we are operating a fleet that is environmentally sustainable and safe.

“We continuously strive to update and upgrade our buses so that customers can benefit from the very best, spacious and modern vehicles available and it’s great to see this new fleet on the roads in Liverpool.”