The new low-emission buses will help the SME operator, which is a member of the ALBUM grouping of municipal and independent operators, take up new services on behalf of Brighton and Hove City Council. The first four buses arrived in April, with the remaining seven following this summer.
Compass Travel director Michael Bishop said: “The availability of new Enviro200 low-emission buses from Alexander Dennis has allowed us to make a compelling bid to Brighton and Hove City Council, and it means we can operate these new services with a new fleet, offering customers a quality experience and reliable journeys. It’s great to know we can rely on Alexander Dennis to support our business development.”
10 of the new buses are to a length of 9.7m, seating 34 passengers, while the remaining vehicle is an 8.9m 30-seater. All seats are finished with a bespoke Camira seat covering for the services, which are routes branded as ‘CityBuzz’. Hanover supplies destination displays as well as the next stop passenger information system, which has two saloon monitors positioned to provide accessible information for all customers. An Elite hearing loop system and Ocular CCTV complete the specification.
The Enviro200 are fitted with Alexander Dennis SmartPack technology, which combines engine stop/start, e-cooling and auxiliary load management. Zemo Partnership testing has confirmed a 24% reduction in well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions, giving the buses low-emission bus status and entitling Compass Travel to enhanced rates of Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG).1
The new buses join 33 current-model Enviro200 bought by Compass Travel since 2018, as well as a similar number of earlier model examples in the fleet.
Alexander Dennis regional sales manager, Mark Taylor, said: “It’s fantastic to see Compass Travel go from strength to strength, winning new business and investing in further new Enviro200 low-emission buses to add to its quality fleet. We’re very grateful to Michael and his team for the continued business and look forward to continuing our great relationship.”
