£3.3m bus deal from Stagecoach

Stagecoach has placed an order for 33 vehicles, worth £3.3 million, from bus and coach manufacturer Optare.

Chris Wise, commercial director at Optare, said the Perth-based group will take delivery of the mid-sized Versa and smaller Solo buses this year.

He added: “This repeat order results from the good reliability, fuel efficiency, and both driver and passenger acceptance of this and its predecessor model in a variety of demanding operating conditions.”

Earlier this month, Stagecoach unveiled plans to buy 432 additional buses as part of a £75m investment in its fleet. The bulk will be built by Falkirk-based Alexander Dennis, while Van Hool of Belgium will build ten “sleeper coaches” for Megabus routes in the UK.