Plaxton waits for Dublin Bus deal
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• Plaxton is ready to build its Verde body on to the Daf SB220 underframe, if an order for up to 40 from one operator is signed.
Dublin Bus expects to place the order by the end of the year for the Verde, which until now has been available only on the Scalia N113 and Dennis Lance chassis (CM 21-27 March).
It hopes to take delivery of the single-deckers during the middle of next year.
They will replace older vehicles in its 800-strong fleet, which has an average age of more than 10 years.
Dublin Bus wants to reduce the average age of its fleet of 676 double and 125 single-deckers to eight years by the end of 1994 — a process it estimates will require 70 new buses a year.
Any replacement vehicles will have to meet its own operational requirements, including a sliding security screen for the driver. And they will have to conform to Irish regulations such as an emergency switch being accessible to the driver, for hazard warning lights and engine shutoff.
Plaxton, which launched the 11.4m all-aluminium Verde eight months ago, is not commenting on the negotiations.
It has already sold around 20 to Worksop-based dealer Stuart Johnson, which has found a buyer for five of them with Barnsley-based Yorkshire Traction.