National Express Coventry has invested £5 million in 17 new buses for University of Warwick routes.
The Platinum-brand double deckers have now been rolled out on the 11, the 11U and 12X, which also serves the railway station.
The ADL Enviro400s have extra leg room, free Wi-Fi, USB chargers, high-backed leather seats and next-stop announcements.
Matt King, National Express Coventry Operations Manager, says: “As well as being good news for our customers, these new Platinum buses are great news for the environment. The engines inside them are smart hybrids – some of the cleanest on the market. They emit extremely low levels of the pollutant nitrogen oxide, so they are better for people’s lungs.
“These fantastic new vehicles are our pledge as part of our Bus Alliance with Transport for West Midlands – to increase the amount of people taking the bus, to keep our customers happy and to keep the air clean across Coventry.”
The Platinum vehicles are fitted with new contactless ticket machines, which react much more quickly than the old ones, helping to speed up boarding times.
National Express Coventry says 50% of fares on the university bus routes in Coventry are being paid for using contactless now.
mTickets are also becoming increasingly popular as customers adopt digital payments.
The investment in Platinum buses is the fifth upgrade to National Express Coventry’s university services in five years. The local bus operator has seen 2% growth year-on-year for passenger journeys on its services in Coventry, defying the national trend.
Suzanne England, Programme Director for Keeping Campus Moving, University of Warwick, says: “We are delighted with this upgrade to the whole fleet of National Express buses serving the University and connecting our students, staff and visitors with Coventry and Leamington.
“Working in close partnership with the University, National Express Coventry has listened and responded to customer demands, introducing new routes and a much-improved travel experience with these new buses. We look forward to closer working, and more innovations to come."
