D&G Bus has taken delivery of the first of seven Volvo B8RLE single-deckers with MCV Evora bodywork for its Nines-branded service from Adderley Green depot in Stoke-on-Trent. They follow earlier examples of the combination that entered service elsewhere in the Centrebus group.
The seven buses represent an investment of over £1.2 million. They have USB charging points and the first four carry an updated livery for route 9, which runs between Biddulph and Clayton via points in Stoke-on-Trent. Older Optare Versas with D&G Bus are being displaced from that service by the Volvo B8RLE arrivals.
Growing patronage via the Stoke-on-Trent Enhanced Partnership is credited by D&G Bus for justifying the spend in new buses. Managing Director David Brookes previously noted that such work between operators and the local authority, anchored by lower fares, had led to ridership gains.
Mr Brookes adds that those successes “can be achieved when operators and local authorities work together. We are committed to continually improving our offering in Stoke, and this investment in new buses is testament to that commitment.”
D&G added new vehicles to its depot in Crewe during late 2023, where work was taken on from Arriva North West earlier in that year.
