Buses still under thE grim reaper's sickk
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There's a distinctly anorexic look at British fleets at the moment and with orders well down it's impossible to detect signs of recovery. Noel Milner surveys the scene
SLASHED FLEETS meant that "Fight for Survival" was the title of the last CM survey of British public bus fleets published two years ago — unfortunately this title retains its relevance this year. Bus fleets have been even further reduced, and pure survi'vsl is even more of a struggle — not only for the bus operators but, more crucially, for manufacturers.
Since the last survey, the recession and reduced bus grants, combined with much rationalisation to make services more efficient, have diminished most fleets and orders for new buses are at an all-time low. Many of the fleets surveyed do, however, expect to order a few buses next year but they had not finalised details at the time of our survey.
The orders' league table this year is topped by MCW, which has over 625 Metrobuses ordered although these are for delivery over several years. Leyland Bus is second and third, although Hestair-Dennis with the Dominator has ousted the trusty Atlantean from fourth place.
The Leyland Titan, with 281 buses ordered, is in a healthier position than two years ago, though this is from only two customers. That aside, it could keep the Leyland plant at Workington in business despite a record low in Leyland National orders.
Titan's underframe sister, Olympian, is in third place with 223 orders recorded and will probably overtake its integral sister when more NBC requirements are finalised.
The Dennis Dominator, fourth, is now firmly established with 108 orders listed.
Fifth comes the highest placed single-decker chassis, the Leopard from Leyland, which although coming to the end of its production is still in demand. The faithful Atlantean, sixth, is still popular with 61 orders outstanding and the possibility of a number more next year.
Bus orders from Ulster have pushed the now-out-of-production Bristol RE single-deck chassis into seventh place with over 50 examples supplied to the bo dybuilder though still to be cornpleted.
Eighth place goes to the frontengined Ailsa from Volvo which now commands a loyal and growing following.
Number nine is Scania which although nowhere near its declared ten per cent market share target has pleased operators that have tried it.
Tenth, in what must be its last year, is the Leyland Fleetline, with its last eight chassis being bodied in Wigan before delivery to Cleveland Transit.
New competition brought in by the 1980 Transport Act has, as yet, made no significant change to British bus fleets. The decline is deepening and the position looks even bleaker than in 1980.
The size of the fleets and the level of orders both emphasise the crucial nature of the Bus and Coach Council's publicity campaign to bring about a greater official acceptance of the role of the bus in society.
Newcomers in the fleet analysis order tables include the Dennis Lancet mid-engined single deck chassis and its heavier Dorchester stablemate.
One surprise is the first frontengined Volvo B57 single-deck which is to be bodied by Alexander for Scottish Bus Group company Alexander (Northern).
Although the new mid-engined Volvo Citybus does not feature, a number of orders are being placed and the model is sure to have made an impression on the next CM survey in 1984.
Britain's newest chassis manufacturers, Ward Motors, has secured an order in the municipal sector but details were not available at the time of the survey.
The effect on London's particular problems of the Fares Fair and the Law Lords' case is obvious, with the fleet reduced by over 1,000 buses since the last survey.
Its controversial policy of premature disposal of its Fleetline fleet is continuing and now only 797 of its originally over 2,000-strong fleet remain.
Its MCW Metropolitan fleet has been reduced from 155 to 93 and even the much-loved fleet of "vintage" AEC Routemasters has been reduced, by about 230, leaving 2,579 in operation.
New Leyland National singledeckers have ousted the remaining AEC Swifts and Merlins from the fleet, and the narrow Bristol LH single-deckers have also suffered a reduction.
On the bright side the new generation MCW Metrobus and Leyland Titans are proving successful in service and are joining the fleet in large numbers. LT now has 805 MCW Metrobuses in service and 575 Leyland Titans.
The largest drop in the levels of new bus orders and buses in service is in the state-owned sector with a total fleet reduction of over 2,000 and a severe drop in the requirements for new buses.
In all, the future for the bus industry is even grimmer than seemed possible two years ago,
and unless the Governmei display greater commitment ar there is a much more active ma keting by the operating Indust of its services, it is difficult to Si how the present British man facturing capacity can be su tamed.
Despite the problems, an e cellent variety of new an proven bus designs are now c the market and it would be terrible shame if any are shelvE through lack of orders.
THE ANALYSIS. was prepare from information supplied t the individual undertakings i the summer and the figures ar their anticipated fleet strengt on November 1.
The figure after each name ir dicates the present fleet strengt and the figure in parenthesis i the 1980 total. Throughout th analysis the abbreviations use are: F = front engine, R = reE engine or rear underfloor or gine, U = mid underfloor engin whether horizontal or uprigh. Where possible, vehicles ar listed by make and model.