McGill’s Buses has purchased 26 new Euro 6 Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200s to serve Glasgow and the west of Scotland in “a major investment” worth £4.75m.
Their arrival takes McGill’s capital investment over the past five years to more than £30m. £24m of that has been spent on new buses alone. The buses, unveiled on Tuesday 2 April, will be used on two routes and they come equipped with latest on-board technology including free wi-fi and USB charging ports at every seat.
McGill’s CEO Ralph Roberts believes the new fleet is further evidence of private operators investing to benefit the wider economy. He says: “This is a milestone investment for McGill’s which benefits the environment, our passengers and in turn, serves the wider economy.
“We are delighted to be purchasing these buses, from Scottish manufacturer ADL, which feature the latest engine and passenger technology. Some campaigners claim that bus operators are not doing enough to tackle air pollution, but this investment brings our average bus age down to under seven years old – the youngest large private fleet in Scotland – and demonstrates that we’re going the extra mile and taking a long-term approach to our operations.
“Funding for the new fleet has been found privately with no public subsidies provided. Only by running a profitable business can we invest in the very latest vehicles and it is vital that the government now provides the conditions conducive to allow us to invest further.”