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 A
further 15 Optare Soroco luxury minicoaches have
been ordered by easyBus to support expansion of
their high-frequency London express airport
transfer service to include Gatwick as well as
Stansted and Luton airports.
This
second order will double the easyBus Soroco
fleet to 30 with the new vehicles being
progressively introduced from April onwards. All
are 19-seaters to a luxury specification that
includes Diavia air conditioning, Kiel Lite
seats, and extensive use of soft trim throughout
the saloon.
Bob
Coombes, Chief Executive of the Optare Group,
was recently at Gatwick to hand over the first
of the new batch of Sorocos to easyBus
owner Stelios - the serial entrepreneur and
founder of the easyGroup of companies, which
includes fast expanding easyJet.
 Commenting
on the order, Stelios said: “'Flights
to Gatwick are usually great value, but onward
transport can be relatively expensive, so I am
delighted to be adding an easyBus service
between Gatwick Airport and Central London in
order to keep giving consumers great value. The
Optare Soroco minicoaches used on the Stansted
service have proved very popular with passengers
and drivers alike, I am pleased to be able to
bring more of these vehicles to Gatwick where I
am sure they will prove to be equally popular.'
Mr
Coombes said: “We are very pleased to have
secured this significant further order from
easyBus to support their growing airport
transfer operation. They have been impressed by
the quality and suitability of our Soroco
product and by the back-up service we offer
through Unitec. We are hopeful that as the
concept develops further, more orders may
follow.”
 Although
often used on relatively light-duty touring and
executive coach operations, Soroco is proving to
be well suited to the very intensive easyBus
airport transfer service. The
model is coachbuilt on the proven and reliable
Mercedes-Benz 515 CDi chassis which is powered
by a 150 bhp engine, enabling good journey times
to be maintained. Choosing the automatic
transmission option is also helping to reduce
driving effort in congested
London
traffic conditions.
Since
their introduction towards the end of last year,
the Sorocos have become a familiar sight on
London
’s streets in their distinctive easyBus orange
livery. This includes a large image on the back
of each coach of Stelios extolling the virtues
of using the service to reduce carbon emissions.
Fares
for the service start from £2 one-way and vary
according to demand, operating on the well known
easyJet principle of "the earlier you book,
the less you pay". Peak periods and times
cost more than less popular periods. Passengers
reserve and pay for their seats in advance
through the easyBus website (www.easyBus.co.uk)
or can pay the driver (providing there are seats
available) or at the easyBus ticket desk at the
airport.
For
further information please contact:
David
Rowlands, Automotive PR, 020 7494 8050, drowlands@automotivepr.com
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