They join the borough’s passenger transport service fleet, which is available for private hire to schools and local organisations. While the council-owned fleet includes smaller vehicles as well as high-capacity double deckers, these are its first full-size coaches in over ten years.
Offering room for 59 passengers each when in fully seated configuration, the London Borough of Havering’s Plaxton Leopard coaches are built to meet the UK’s PSV accessibility regulations with a side-mounted wheelchair lift and a flexible interior that can be changed rapidly to accommodate up to four wheelchair users in each vehicle.
Simon Blake, head of transport at the London Borough of Havering, comments: “We were looking for robust coaches that would provide a versatile addition to our fleet, and the Plaxton Leopard exactly fits the bill. These three new coaches will give local organisations and schools great options to accommodate wheelchair users on trips, while maintaining high standards of comfort for larger groups and longer journeys.”
