The introduction of an Optare Solo into their 60-vehicle fleet has marked a move into stage carriage work for the first time by long-established Scottish coach operator Prentice Westwood.

The West Calder based company has won a contract to run an hourly service seven days a week connecting Livingston Hospital with Edinburgh and the local communities along the route. It operates between 6.00 am and 10 pm, providing a much-needed service to hospital workers, particularly those on shifts, as well as people attending daytime clinics or visiting patients.

The service is subsidised jointly by Edinburgh City Council, West Lothian Council and the National Health Service.

“The Optare Solo met the contract terms in several respects,” says Robbie Prentice, managing director of the company started by his grandfather some 60 years ago. “It’s fully DDA compliant and easy to use by people with reduced mobility or in a wheelchair, which you get on a hospital service. At 32 seats the capacity is good and its compact size suits the route well, which is a mix of A and B roads and takes in part of the Edinburgh City by-pass.

“This is the first Optare vehicle we have had in our fleet and we made the decision after speaking with other local operators of Solo who spoke well of the model. It’s an attractive looking bus with good passenger appeal. It’s straightforward to work on and our drivers – who are from a stage carriage rather than a coaching background – are very happy with it.”

The Solo is an 8.8 metre model powered by the proven Mercedes-Benz 904LA engine. Rated at 115 kW (154 bhp) at 2200 rpm, the engine provides ample power to cope easily with all road and load conditions whilst delivering good fuel economy. It uses SCR technology to achieve Euro 4 emissions compliance and Robbie Prentice reports that the addition of Adblue presents no problems, being just another part of daily checks and routine servicing.

The engine is matched to an Allison B2100 five-speed automatic transmission, with a lock-up torque converter in gears 3, 4 and 5. An integral Klam electro-magnetic retarder, which is standard on Solo, ensures smooth retardation and reduces power consumption. Together these features contribute to better fuel economy.

The new bus is fitted with 32 Esteban Civic VO seats of which three are tip-ups in the wheelchair bay. Full air suspension all-round ensures a smooth ride and the ability to dump air from the front bags allows the bus to ‘kneel’ enabling a class-leading step height of just 200 mm (8 inches).

For further information please contact:

Martin Hayes/Belle Wilson, Communications Advisors +44 (0)20 7494 8050