Lothian Buses has placed an order for 60 further Alexander Dennis Enviro400XLB tri-axle double-decks built on the Volvo B8L chassis.
As previously revealed by routeone when the order was at the discussion stage, they will be 12.8m long, slightly shorter than 78 B8L Enviro400XLB models already in service with the municipal operator. The latest batch will also be to single-door layout.
Confirmed is that the majority of the tri-axles are for East Coast Buses and Lothian Country operations, which connect East Lothian and West Lothian to Edinburgh. Airlink 100 between Edinburgh airport and the city centre will also benefit, displacing existing B8L Enviro400XLB examples that date from 2019.
Speaking about the order, Lothian Buses Engineering Director Dylan Dastey says: “Lothian is delighted to once again be working in partnership with Volvo and Alexander Dennis, building on our longstanding relationships to deliver new double-deck vehicles for our capital city.
“Since launching our Driving Towards Net Zero decarbonisation strategy in 2023, we have remained firmly focused on achieving our long-term sustainability options. At the same time, we continue to invest in renewing and modernising our fleet to ensure that we provide safe, reliable and high-quality service for our customers, both now and in the years ahead.
“This investment reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering the best possible customer experience, while supporting our wider ambition to fully decarbonise the fleet over the coming years.”
Adds Alexander Dennis President and Managing Director Paul Davies: “We are delighted to be part of this Lothian Buses-led collaboration which will deliver a new fleet of double-deckers for the Scottish capital and neighbouring areas.
“We welcome Lothian’s support for British design, engineering and manufacturing and the impact that this project will have on jobs and supply chain. We are also delighted to be continuing our longstanding relationship with Volvo.
“Its B8L chassis offers a platform on which we have been able to design a version of our Enviro400XLB body that will allow Lothian to offer additional space to passengers, benefitting customers with accessibility needs and making bus travel more inclusive for everyone.
“We are looking forward to partnering with Volvo to expand our range across the UK market and working closely with it on future opportunities.”
The tripartite arrangement is expected to grow further, with Lothian Buses planning to order 40 Volvo BZL two-axle battery-electric double-decks with Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV bodywork, subject to confirmation of grant funding under the third round of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus challenge fund.
On the B8L Enviro400XLB work, Volvo Bus UK and Ireland Managing Director Domenico Bondi says: “We are building on the cooperation that we have had back in 2018, which has been a successful project.
“We have a flexible business model working together with different bodybuilders, and this is one example. The Volvo B8L is already a well-proven chassis and in service in many cities both in the UK and other countries. The new double-deck will help to reduce road congestion and with it, further improve air quality in Scotland’s capital city.”
