Irizar's orders come from St Albans-based Whites Coaches and Grantham-based AC Williams. Whites' director Greg White saw the 10.8m i6 midi Integral coach at the Euro Bus Expo last year and was sold on it.
"The Irizar was on my radar," he says. "We had been looking for something bigger than the front-engined 29-seater we had, but I didn't expect the i6 to have such an impact on me. It offers a great driving experience. I think we'll be looking for another i6 by the end of the year."
AC Williams has taken delivery of two 12.9m, 57-seater i6 Integrals to service new contracts. "We have had Irizars for many years, so getting these DAF-engined Integrals was not a departure for us," says David Pratt, managing director.
"All our projections suggest this will be a very economical coach," he adds.
Kent-based Centaur, meanwhile, has purchased a Volvo Euro 5 B9TL double-decker (pictured), 30 years after it acquired its first Volvo vehicle.
"It is a brand we know and have come to rely on over the years," says transport manager Roland Sims. "The customer support is second to none, as is the ease of maintenance, and we know what we are getting with Volvo."
Another key factor is durability, he adds. "We have been running one of our Volvos for 10 years and it shows no sign of stopping anytime soon."
With Wrightbus Gemini 2 bodywork, Centaur's Volvo B9TL has 68 seats and room for 17 standing passengers. All-round air suspension and disc brakes with electronic control add to passenger comfort and safety.