Alexander Dennis Limited (“ADL”), a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. (“NFI”), one of the world’s largest independent global bus manufacturers, today announced that three Plaxton Leopard coaches supplied to the London Borough of Havering are the first of the type to provide space for up to four wheelchair users on each vehicle.
The three new Plaxton Leopard coaches join the borough’s passenger transport service fleet, which is available for private hire to schools and local organisations. While the council-owned fleet includes smaller vehicles as well as high-capacity double deckers, these are its first full-size coaches in over ten years.
Offering room for 59 passengers each when in fully seated configuration, the London Borough of Havering’s Plaxton Leopard coaches are built to meet the UK’s PSV Accessibility Regulations with a side-mounted wheelchair lift and a flexible interior that can be changed rapidly to accommodate up to four wheelchair users in each vehicle.
Simon Blake, Head of Transport at the London Borough of Havering, comments: “We were looking for robust coaches that would provide a versatile addition to our fleet, and the Plaxton Leopard exactly fits the bill. These three new coaches will give local organisations and schools great options to accommodate wheelchair users on trips, while maintaining high standards of comfort for larger groups and longer journeys.”
ADL Sales Account Manager, Mark Taylor says: “The Plaxton coach line-up offers the market’s greatest range of accessible vehicle options, which has allowed us to tailor these Leopards to the specific requirements of the London Borough of Havering, who were keen to offer room for multiple wheelchair users in a versatile coach that will feel at home on a variety of uses, opening up opportunities to maximise the return on this forward-thinking investment.”
