Merseyside's second-biggest bus operator Stagecoach is to purchase 55 new vehicles for its Liverpool city region routes in a £9.7m investment.

The firm’s Merseyside and South Lancashire division says the new buses will have CCTV and free wi-fi.

They will also include the first Stagecoach Gold vehicles in the region. These luxury buses feature hand stitched Italian-designed leather seats, Euro 4 standard engines, designed to help cut exhaust gas emissions and a new interior design which includes noise-reducing moquette fabric.

Elisabeth Tasker, managing director of Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire, said: “We’re committed to making sure that our customers have an unbeatable experience when travelling with us, and a key part of that commitment involves keeping our fleet well-maintained and equipped.

“Stagecoach is one of the UK’s most sustainable bus operators and has reduced carbon emissions by 30%t in the last five years, so investing in new vehicles which harness advances in technology and engineering to cut emissions and ensure we remain a cleaner, greener mode of transport is a key priority.

“The introduction of our fantastic Stagecoach Gold buses to the region is a key element of this significant investment and we’re delighted to be offering this new standard of sustainable, comfortable, high-spec vehicles to our customers.”

The 18 Stagecoach Gold buses will operate on the 1 and 2 Service between Liverpool and Chester, while 24 Gold buses will be placed on the 125 Service between Bolton Preston and Chorley. The company will also be adding 13 new buses to its 19 Service from Liverpool to Gillmoss. The buses will be operational from next year.

The firm’s fleet investment is part of a national investment of £80m across Stagecoach in the UK.

Source: LiverpoolEcho