Yutong U11DD electric double-decker in Bristol
First Bus is the first of the large groups to take delivery of the Yutong U11DD battery-electric double-decker. Its West of England subsidiary put the first examples into service in mid-March from Weston-super-Mare depot, although others in corporate livery were received at Taunton depot at around the same time and many more will follow for Bristol and the First Essex operation.
Those at Weston are in the regional Westbus green livery. While not the most imaginative, its rollout will be an improvement on the situation for First's urban fleet in Bristol, which is a dreadful collection of a large number of liveries - many obsolete and/or from other parts of the country - and a mish-mash of route branding in which interest has evidently been lost. Some kind of consistency cannot come soon enough there, although the Weston operation with its Badgerline branding looks to be in a much better position.
Here 30024 (YK25 OJP) is seen in central Bristol working an X1 to Weston. It is not the only vehicle with First to have carried that fleet number; it was initially carried by a Leyland Olympian in the PMT fleet many years ago.
These vehicles, as with other Yutongs on order for First subsidiaries in England, are part-funded by the second round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme. Use of taxpayer subsidy for buses produced in China has proven controversial in some corners, with domestic builder Alexander Dennis having made its position clear on the matter. Nevertheless, Yutong products in both bus and coach have garnered a good reputation.
Yutong U11DD electric double-decker in Bristol
First Bus is the first of the large groups to take delivery of the Yutong U11DD battery-electric double-decker. Its West of England subsidiary put the first examples into service in mid-March from Weston-super-Mare depot, although others in corporate livery were received at Taunton depot at around the same time and many more will follow for Bristol and the First Essex operation.
Those at Weston are in the regional Westbus green livery. While not the most imaginative, its rollout will be an improvement on the situation for First's urban fleet in Bristol, which is a dreadful collection of a large number of liveries - many obsolete and/or from other parts of the country - and a mish-mash of route branding in which interest has evidently been lost. Some kind of consistency cannot come soon enough there, although the Weston operation with its Badgerline branding looks to be in a much better position.
Here 30024 (YK25 OJP) is seen in central Bristol working an X1 to Weston. It is not the only vehicle with First to have carried that fleet number; it was initially carried by a Leyland Olympian in the PMT fleet many years ago.
These vehicles, as with other Yutongs on order for First subsidiaries in England, are part-funded by the second round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme. Use of taxpayer subsidy for buses produced in China has proven controversial in some corners, with domestic builder Alexander Dennis having made its position clear on the matter. Nevertheless, Yutong products in both bus and coach have garnered a good reputation.