Changing Gear

The Greater London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was introduced in 2008 to reduce traffic pollution in the capital. Currently vehicles must meet Euro 3 standards to avoid a charge, but from January 3 it will be Euro 4, and that’s a trend set to continue.

“We’re in the process of replenishing our fleet to the latest Euro 5 standard,” David Thompson, director at Fastway Tour Bussing, comments. “Soon, any coach manufactured before 2008 won’t make the grade.”

It’s a sensible long term strategy, but with new, compliant vehicles costing anything from £300,000, it will be difficult for all companies to make that level of investment. In a sector where buses typically get sold down the chain, the biggest impact will be felt by smaller operators running older vehicles, and consequently by the younger, lesser established bands they serve.

“I think we’ll see a move to companies buying vans instead and spending £10,000 putting bunks in to make six or eight berth sleepers,” Thompson says. “At the moment there is an option for older, non-compliant vehicles to pay a charge to travel in and out of London, and I haven’t heard anything to suggest that’s going to change,” Paul Ward, managing director of SilverGray Niteflite explains. “However with higher standards being enforced in many cities across Europe, it can only be a matter of time for the rest of the UK. And a call to insist on Euro 4 or better would obviously take out most of the older buses in the industry.

“Typically, we’ve fitted exhaust systems to bring our vehicles up to the required standards but with the cost of making Euro 3 engined buses Euro 4 or better about £6,000, is it worth it on the basis that they may only have a couple more years?”

Paul Ward, SilverGray Niteflite

Inside Story

There is also word from the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) that the process of internal fit out will be subject to greater regulation from 2012.

“Legislation is definitely coming but I can’t get an answer as to when or what it will mean,” Ward continues. “We’ve got two 14m double deckers on order that I want to have on the road by the start of next season but no-one seems to be able to tell me whether we will be able to fit them at our workshop or not. Because we completed one of our recent builds under the EU bus directive, we’ve been informed that, with a few alterations to meet the new regulations, we should be able to continue building our interiors. But getting someone to sign a definitive is becoming troublesome.”

“All the bigger band bus companies fit out their vehicles themselves,” Thompson says. “But in the context of the EU regulations, it’s important to remember that only a small number of band buses are built each year. This is a specialist industry.”

“If the fit out [and certification] has to be done at the factory, that will make the cost of putting a bus on the road to our standards something like £550,000,” Ward adds. “The cost of touring would rise significantly.”

New Model

Longer, European-style buses, up to 15m, have been permitted on UK roads for some years now, and they’re much in demand. They allow for more bunks, Fastway for example added two 16 berth Van Hool vehicles to the fleet this year, or greater comfort through bigger kitchen/lounge areas and/or deluxe bedrooms.

Mike Moulds, owner of MM Band Services, bought his first bus eight years ago and has built a business focused on premium vehicles. Last year he too invested in three new coaches from Belgian manufacturer Van Hool. Apart from made to measure kitchens and bathrooms, all mod cons and entertainment systems as standard, these buses have advanced features wherever possible.

“The latest thing we’ve added is air conditioning that you can control individually for each bunk,” Moulds continues. “We’ve continually invested in our fleet and that puts us in a good position. The average age of our vehicles is three years. Clients do want new buses, and operators who’ve just been taking the profits in recent years might now find the tighter finance market means they’re not in a position to upgrade.”

ABC Nightliners’ newest sleeper buses, a 12 berth and a 10 berth, were converted from football team coaches. One carried Snoop Dogg and the other his band for European dates in July.

“It’s been a good year,” manager David Collier says. “If there are big tours out, the bigger operators get booked up and we pick up more work. We’ve got the luxury artist buses, but we have more economical options too. Sometimes we’ll split the work with other companies, and maybe just carry the crew, and we also have day buses which we’ve supplied to the likes of The X Factor and Simon Cowell’s new show Red or Black.”