Grant Palmer has taken delivery of a guidewheel-equipped Volvo B8RLE with MCV Evora bodywork, supplied by Volvo Bus UK and Ireland.
It is the 17th new bus for the Bedfordshire operator since 2015 and represents an investment of over £200,000. Bus Service Improvement Plan funding from Luton Borough Council and Section 106 monies from Central Bedfordshire Council have contributed towards the cost of purchasing the vehicle, which arrives in the business’s 25th year.
The Volvo will be used on the Hi route between Luton and Houghton Regis via the Luton to Dunstable busway, with that service having seen what Grant Palmer says is “remarkable growth” via a doubling of patronage year-on-year. It hopes that the new arrival will further support that trajectory.
Speaking about the arrival, Commercial Manager Thomas Manship says: “It is great to take delivery of our brand-new MCV Evora single-decker.
“Working in partnership with Luton Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council, this new vehicle will further improve our Hi service for customers across Luton, Dunstable, and Houghton Regis.”
