Bus giant's 'traffic lights' will help cut diesel bills

TRANSPORT giant Stagecoach believes a new system to help bus drivers drive more economically will slash its fuel bill.

Under the new fuel-saving scheme, a "traffic light" system mounted on the dashboard will warn drivers when they are using up too much diesel by accelerating and braking.

The devices will be fitted to 6,500 vehicles in Scotland, Wales and the English regions outside London. The move follows a year-long trial in Cumbria.

Drivers who perform best under the scheme will share a bonus pot of 900,000. The firm has 13,800 eligible drivers.

The technology is understood to have cost about 5m to install on the fleet, which consumes about 190 million litres of diesel each year. Stagecoach has contracts to hedge the cost of its fuel and so its total bill varies.

The initiative was announced alongside the appointment of former Virgin director Will Whitehorn as a non-executive director of the Perth-based group. Stagecoach chairman Sir George Mathewson welcomed Whitehorn, who stood down as president of space tourism outfit Virgin Galactic in December.