D&E Coaches of Inverness has continued to invest in its fleet with the arrival of new diesel coaches and battery-electric buses from late 2025 into the opening months of 2026.
The operator, which has been owned by The Highland Council since early 2025, has added seven Temsa coaches with 26-plate registrations in five HD13 models and two MD9 midis.
Scottish Citylink scheduled services are keeping the larger vehicles busy, while the MD9 pair are used for private hire duties. Arrival of the Temsas continues a longstanding relationship between D&E Coaches and the manufacturer.
Chief Operations Executive Officer Gayle McEwan says that the latest coaches are based on service received from dealership Temsa Sales UK “and the quality, reliability and comfort its vehicles continue to provide for our customers.”
At around the same time, four Wrightbus StreetDeck Electroliner battery-electric double-deck buses completed delivery. Those have been part funded by the second round of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus scheme. Three are closed-top examples and the fourth is an open-top variant for use on the City Sightseeing tour of Inverness.
“This marks an important step in our journey towards reducing emissions and embracing new technologies within our fleet,” Ms McEwan adds. The operator is “fully committed to moving with the times and exploring the opportunities offered by electric vehicles, she says.
“We believe in taking a practical approach. Our partnership with Wrightbus provides an excellent opportunity to trial electric double-deck vehicles and assess how they perform against the operational requirements of our business while helping us to contribute to a more sustainable future.”
The closed-top StreetDeck Electroliners are working a variety of duties including local services, home-to-school transport, cruise ship transfers and private hire. She adds that such breadth “has been great, as it is letting us see what the buses are capable of.”
Other operators can use the charging equipment installed at D&E Coaches’ depot in Inverness. “They just need to call and let us know when they are arriving,” Ms McEwan continues.
The strategy for electrification of coaches by D&E will be “more measured,” she concludes. The larger Temsa diesels have been bought to reflect an increasing number of contracts with Scottish Citylink.
