13/02/2006

• New vehicles will support company’s organic growth strategy
• Provincial operations to benefit from major fleet investment

Stagecoach Group plc announced today (13 February 2006) that it has placed orders for more than 460 new vehicles for its UK bus division.

The £50 million investment will benefit customers in Stagecoach’s growing provincial UK bus operations.

Vehicle manufacturers Alexander Dennis, Optare, Plaxton and Volvo will supply a total of 13 single-deckers, 160 double-deckers, 165 midi-buses, 95 minibuses and 31 coaches.

The fleet of new vehicles will be delivered between April 2006 and the end of February 2007.

Details of the orders are:

• 30 Alexander Dennis Trident ALX400 double-deckers
• 130 Alexander Dennis Trident Enviro 400 double-deckers
• 165 Alexander Dennis Dart Pointer midibuses
• 13 Alexander Dennis Enviro 300 single-deckers
• 95 Optare Solo minibuses
• 31 Plaxton Profile/Volvo B7R coaches

Les Warneford, Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus, said: “We have pursued a highly successful organic growth strategy in the UK in recent years and we believe more people in our towns and cities can be attracted to bus travel.

“We have expanded our UK bus operations with two significant acquisitions in the last 12 months and we are committed to focusing on investment, innovation and effective marketing to drive further growth.

“This latest capital investment will deliver a more comfortable travelling experience for passengers, better environmental performance, improved reliability and help make public transport more attractive to car users.”

Among the areas to benefit from the new investment will be the former Traction Group operations in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Tayside, which were acquired by Stagecoach in December 2005.

Stagecoach’s order includes five single-deck vehicles, fitted with the latest environmentally friendly Euro 4 engines, while the remainder meet the current Euro 3 low emission engine standards.

All of the new vehicles run on low-sulphur diesel, and are equipped with modern heating and ventilation. The buses also incorporate low floor access for parents with young children, people with disabilities and elderly passengers, and many feature a special ‘kneeling’ mechanism to help boarding from the pavement. All coaches are fitted with special lifts to assist boarding for wheelchair users.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Steve Stewart, Head of Media and Public Affairs, Stagecoach Group
Tel: 01738 442111 or 07764 774 680

Notes to Editors:

Stagecoach is one of UK’s biggest bus and coach operators, connecting communities in more than 100 towns and cities. The company runs over 8,000 vehicles from Devon in south-west England to Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland, carrying around 2 million passengers every day.