Left-hand Bornbardiel
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BOMBARDIER (Ireland) Ltd developing a left-hand drive tv to meet the demands of tl Middle East market, and is ix suing business in that area.
The US/Canadian-owned col pany, which was established Manufacture single and doubt deck buses and coaches for C ras lompair Eireann, is u derstood to be aiming its effor at Iraq in particular, where ti Baghdad undertaking alrear operates Leyland and MA double-deckers.
A company spokesman wou not be drawn on the specific de tination of the left-hand dri‘ prototype, but he did confir
that a vehicle is being built, ar that the company hopes to ha,
it ready by the end of this yet He said the detailed specificatic would depend on "operator r quirements", but indicated th there is a strong Middle East i terest in Rolls-Royce diesels.
Bombardier has already built development right-hand dri■ double-decker with Rolls-Royi engine and ZF automatic tran mission, although the Cl contract calls for Detroit diest Allison transmission and Roc well axles. The monococqi.
construction used in the Ge man-designed buses means th, a very wide range of runnin gear can be fitted.
The urgency with which e; port business is being treated the Shannon-based compan has been heightened by the Iris Government's decision to re: trict the amount of cash avai able to CIE for buying nel buses.
CIE wanted the IRE2Or (£15.9m) already made availabl for buying 250 double-deckers t be increased to 1R£29m, so the Bombardier could continue t build vehicles in economice numbers, but the Governmer has only raised this to a "ve: generous"1R£25m.