World of Leather

A short while ago it was reported that the forthcoming new Enviro 200's for Plymouth Citybus would feature leather seats among other luxuries and be fitted out to a high standard. It is all part of trying to get more passengers enticed back onto the buses.

Plymouth passengers have already had a taste of high spec interiors and decent leather seats with the Park and Ride fleet last year. These have proved very popular and are certainly the most comfortable buses in Plymouth these days. If the new Citybus fleet is as good as these - and they should be - then Plymothians are in for a treat!

It does seem that there is a trend developing across the country for leather seating and other luxuries. There are a few fleets that have introduced new buses into service this year that feature them. Blazefield Group (now Transdev) started using high spec leather seats a good few years ago. National Express West Midlands have just placed a fleet of Enviro double deckers with leather seating etc. New National Express coaches will also feature leather seats. Go Ahead group have placed leather seated coaches into service from Oxford. Arriva have used leather on some of their recent new services. Stagecoach are experimenting with gold service buses.

Leon Daniels from First Group answering a question about bus interiors had this to say about their plans:

"You will also see an increase in leather seats - on all coaches, vehicles used on longer distance services, on the new Green Line double-deckers (all in black), and on a batch of forthcoming standard double-deckers for Aberdeen (in purple). The Aberdeen vehicles will form a trial of leather seats on ordinary bus work."

So, it seems if you have a fetish for leather - its time to get back onto the bus!