So says the CEO of Transdev, and that’s why they have invested more than a million pounds in new buses for the express Cityzap York-Leeds route that competes directly with fast trains.
The new buses are built in Britain and feature a custom-designed ‘Sky Class’ specification, which Cityzap says will bring new levels of comfort and sophistication to the service.
The voice of BBC Look North weatherman Paul Hudson is also featured announcing next stops and key information throughout the journey.
TransDev CEO Alex Hornby, says he’s optimistic that passenger numbers, for both commuting and leisure travel, will return to the levels seen before the Covid pandemic.
We asked him if he was not nervous spending all this money on a new fleet when much of the talk now is that commuting to work is a thing of the past.
“I think we have to remain ambitious and our belief is that people are social animals. I think they are missing the working environment and certainly the social environment,” he said.
“And we know with what York and Leeds offer it’s more than just about work – it’s about shopping, entertainment, education, mini-breaks.
“We think we have to have buses that people are really proud to be seen on.”
Key features of the new buses, which begin entering service this Sunday, 13 December 2020, include:
- High-comfort luxury seating, with spacious group tables
- Double glazed tinted windows and a glass ceiling to let in natural light
- Wireless and USB mobile device charging at every seat
- Superfast and free Wi-Fi to stay connected every inch of the way
- Low emission engines – meeting and beating the toughest environmental standards
- Full colour next stop displays showing live bus and rail connections at key calling points
Transdev also operate the Coastliner bus network, which gives access to some of the finest scenery in Britain, crossing the heart of the North York Moors National Park and serving popular country and coastal destinations, including historic York, Malton, Pickering, Whitby and Scarborough.
Its York and Country subsidiary provides local bus services in and around York, and the dedicated Castle Line bus service from York and Malton to Castle Howard.
