Optare’s stylish new Versa midibus has now entered service in the Lancashire Pennines with Transdev Blazefield’s Burnley and Pendle operation.

Three of the 19 ordered by the Transdev subsidiary were handed over by Bob Coombes, Optare Group Managing Director, to Giles Fearnley, Blazefield’s Chief Executive, at a ceremony in Burnley on Thursday 07 February.

All 19 Versas were delivered on time to enter service on Sunday 10 February on Transdev Burnley and Pendle’s new Starship branded network. Many of the routes in Burnley and Nelson are into built-up areas where the compact size and exceptional manoeuvrability of Versa will prove well-suited to the local operating conditions.

“With its unique and highly attractive swept-back styling we see in Versa a bus that has got great kerb-appeal,” says Russell Revill, Blazefield’s Lancashire Managing Director. “It has a bright interior with a very spacious feel about it. The seats are comfortable and the ride is very smooth.

“The low entry height, flat floor and well-placed hand rails make it easy to use by our many elderly passengers whose mobility is often reduced. All of these features will undoubtedly help to attract more people out of their cars and on to the buses.”

Bob Coombes said that he is delighted that Transdev Blazefield have chosen Versa for their enhanced Starship services in the Lancashire Pennines.

“Blazefield enjoy a reputation for innovation and for providing high quality public transport services,” he says. “There is no doubt that Versa’s modern styling will help to attract increased numbers of passengers. It also has much commonality with our tried and tested Solo model, of which over 3,000 are now in service across the UK, and so should prove an economical, reliable and durable vehicle for them to operate.”

Blazefield have chosen a high specification for their first Versas. The 37 passengers are seated on Esteban Civic V2 seats and standees take the total capacity to 52. There is an eight camera CCTV system, and a powered ramp provides fast and safe access for passengers in wheelchairs or with reduced mobility.

To cope with the terrain in this hilly part of Lancashire, the 11 metre Versas are powered by the six-cylinder Cummins ISBe engine rated at 201 bhp (150 kW). This features an integrated KLAM proportional retarder activated automatically through the brake pedal and which provides smooth retardation when approaching stops as well as reducing power consumption leading to better fuel efficiency. An Allison 2100 Series five-speed automatic transmission completes the driveline.

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