Unintended Consequences ?
The phased introduction of the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 means that whilst single-deck buses over 7.5 tonnes must be fully compliant from 1st January 2016, double deckers have a further 12 months grace. Therefore, Olympians can still be legally used on registered local bus services until January 2017. Not that I'm complaining. However a less able-bodied bus passenger who could until now easily board an elderly low-floor Dart may have a different opinion.
First South West (Devon & Cornwall as was) still operates a diminishing number of Volvo Olympians in Cornwall. However, their days appear to be numbered as more replacement Volvo B7TLs are due to be cascaded from South Yorkshire.
Surprisingly, one of the Olympians still giving sterling service in Cornwall is former First Cymru Palatine II-bodied 34162, which was new to the Bristol fleet and arrived in South Wales with her three sisters in 2008. She transferred to the South West in August 2014 after being replaced at Pontardawe depot by a former Hampshire & Dorset Alexander ALX400-bodied Volvo B7TL, bowing out after operating on the Llanelli Eisteddfod Park & Ride contract in the first week of the month.
In this late May 2014 shot, she is leaving Neath's Victoria Gardens on Service 903 (Neath-Pontardawe-Ystalyfera-Ystradgynlais-Abercraf), which caters for Neath Port Talbot College students.
Unintended Consequences ?
The phased introduction of the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 means that whilst single-deck buses over 7.5 tonnes must be fully compliant from 1st January 2016, double deckers have a further 12 months grace. Therefore, Olympians can still be legally used on registered local bus services until January 2017. Not that I'm complaining. However a less able-bodied bus passenger who could until now easily board an elderly low-floor Dart may have a different opinion.
First South West (Devon & Cornwall as was) still operates a diminishing number of Volvo Olympians in Cornwall. However, their days appear to be numbered as more replacement Volvo B7TLs are due to be cascaded from South Yorkshire.
Surprisingly, one of the Olympians still giving sterling service in Cornwall is former First Cymru Palatine II-bodied 34162, which was new to the Bristol fleet and arrived in South Wales with her three sisters in 2008. She transferred to the South West in August 2014 after being replaced at Pontardawe depot by a former Hampshire & Dorset Alexander ALX400-bodied Volvo B7TL, bowing out after operating on the Llanelli Eisteddfod Park & Ride contract in the first week of the month.
In this late May 2014 shot, she is leaving Neath's Victoria Gardens on Service 903 (Neath-Pontardawe-Ystalyfera-Ystradgynlais-Abercraf), which caters for Neath Port Talbot College students.