(03/03/2013 00:35)SNL 824 Wrote:  yeah - but if f the users are finding them a problem already - then they're a problem . The customer is right - eco is b*****s if if it doesn't make the passengers happy.

(03/03/2013 00:18)Wright Eclipse Wrote:  

(03/03/2013 00:14)CX54 DKD Wrote:  

(03/03/2013 00:06)K853 MTJ Wrote:  Publicity aside, it looks bad if they run an old Cadet on a route that was supposed to receive brand new buses to enter service on the day before, while the new buses are going out on routes they arent supposed to. Clearly after today, theyve paid the price in the form of a new bus with a nice car shaped dent in the back of it!

Have they actually been publicising that they'll be for the Busway routes? I can't find anything on their Facebook page but as a user of the Runcorn fleet, you'll know better than me if they've had notices on the buses etc. If not, I don't see an issue but otherwise, I'd agree with you, it looks shoddy.

Interesting to note on the Facebook page that they're already receiving complaints about the narrow doorways (and buggy areas?) from parents with double prams. Not a great start to their operation with, as you say, one enduring a rear shunt, another facing a brick attack and the public complaining about their design!

but at least on plus side the green peace,tree hugging people that go on & on & on about greener buses will be over moon at these buses

(03/03/2013 00:35)K853 MTJ Wrote:  Original announcements on the Arriva site state they are for busway circulars, and the original GBF funding was stated to be for 10 MAN EcoCity gas buses for Busway circular routes. If you look in Buses magazine when the funding was announced, that also mentioned theyre for use on the busway :-) of course drivers have known about it for a while so word will have inevitably spread by word of mouth.

This was something I noticed when I had my first look around 5001, the entrance area between the wheelarch and the cab was rather narrow. This is despite the cab being big enough for the driver and a mate to bunk in together with room to spare! As what is stil a very new vehicle type, design flaws are expected, but something like such a narrow entrance area is quite a big oversight in the design IMO. At the end of the day they are really nice buses overall and built to a good spec, and its nice to see alternative fuel sources starting to creep their way into Arrivas fleet.

(03/03/2013 20:26)DVL418 Wrote:  No design flaw as will be DDA compliant - not aware of many buses that can comfortably cope with unfolded double width child pushchairs.