Plea for three-way MCW bus
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A PLEA for money to develo a new type of bus which, it wa claimed, would eventuall replace current vehicles wa made in the Commons la! week.
It came from David Gilro Bevan (Tory, Yardley) wh said that a Midlands conso. tium was proposing to build tri-modal vehicle based on Metro-Cammell chassis whic would move for one-third of F life off fixed overhead ele4 tricity input, which it woul store in a battery layer unde neath. It would run off th stored energy for two-thirds4 its life.
The third form of powe said Mr Bevan, was a "pod" take diesel when it was outsic its energy range.
He was convinced that this vehicle were put togeth, it would earn millions 4 pounds for this country. The. was an alternative but it fu not reached this country yet.
He asked the Governmei to consider an initiative to pi together great private ii stitutional money to "prin the pump" for the enterpri. so that this country wou hold the initiative.
Mr Bevan said that the were other exciting new tec niques being developed in ti area — British Leyland ha, just formed a new techn logical company to devel( vehicles for the future whi Lucas had its one-ton hybri electro-battery vehicle well the development stage, wi prototypes on the road.
He warned that the whole the bus industry and its expc earning capacity would be p in danger if the bus grant we removed. The governme should not phase out th grant but keep it.
Mr Bevan reminded ti House that as Chairman Transport in the We Midlands he had signed t first E7/2m order for 75 Men buses and 75 Titans, whi, preserved 3000 jobs Birmingham. There were nc orders for about 1100 Metz buses and about 800 Tita and they were going fast in production.