Sprinting in: New minibus fleet is ordered for town

Stagecoach have confirmed that Ashford will be getting a new fleet of minibuses.

The town’s major bus operator has placed an order for 30 of the Mercedes Benz Sprinter City 45 minibuses with the German manufacturer.

But the company is being very tight-lipped about when they will begin operation and on which routes.

Stagecoach are currently advertising for drivers for the new vehicles but have not released any other details about the 17-seater minibuses’ use at this stage.

Stagecoach marketing manager Rebecca Day said: “We can confirm that we are receiving up to 30 new Mercedes minibuses for use in Ashford.

“At this stage we cannot confirm which route(s) they will be used on. Full details will be announced in due course.”

The company uses a mix of single and double decker buses, but it has not been confirmed whether the new minibuses will replace exist vehicles.

Nationally, the company announced in April a new fleet of around 480 vehicles will be introduced in the 2016-17 financial year.

Stagecoach group chief executive Martin Griffiths said: “We are investing in state-of-the-art, cleaner, greener vehicles, digital technology and smart ticketing to raise the bar and deliver an even higher standard of service. These latest vehicle orders are an important part of our strategy to encourage even more people to take the bus.”

All new vehicles will be fitted with CCTV and most will also have wi-fi installed giving free internet access to passengers.

What do you think? Write to Kentish Express, 34-36 North Street, Ashford TN24 8JR or email kentishexpress@thekm group.co.uk

The kind of Mercedes Sprinter minibuses that could soon be coming to Ashford