GRIMSBY bus company Stagecoach has announced a £4 million investment in new buses for North East Lincolnshire.
The company will be rolling out 28 new vehicles to the town's bus network at the end of November.
The investment is the biggest spend on new vehicles for the area in nearly a decade and will replace half the Stagecoach fleet in operation in the area.
Five of the new buses will be double-deckers used on the route between Grimsby and Louth. The other 23 single-decker buses will be used in the town and surrounding areas.
All the state-of-the-art vehicles will be fully accessible for disabled passengers and use low-sulphur diesel. Stagecoach say the five buses for the Grimsby to Louth route will have high-back luxury seats and wi-fi.
The investment will support the ongoing multi-million-pound development by North East Lincolnshire Council to transform the heart of Grimsby.
The council's £6 million project includes the creation of a new pedestrian and cycle link from Grimsby Town railway station to Victoria Street and a redevelopment of the town's bus station to include the Riverhead Exchange public transport hub.
New bus stops and shelters have also been built and these will incorporate "real-time" travel information displays.
Stagecoach plans to rebrand the buses with the new tagline Easi, along with colour-coded bus routes and a London Undergound-style route map – all designed, they say, to make the bus network easier to understand and use.
The company now plans to go out to the community to find out what changes residents believe should be made to routes and timetables. An extensive consultation process will begin later this month.
Michelle Hargreaves, managing director of Stagecoach East Midlands, said: "We are absolutely delighted to announce this significant investment in Stagecoach's operation in and around Grimsby.
"This investment, in conjunction with the plans already announced by the council, represents a huge and exciting development of public transport in the area.
"But we are also absolutely committed to ensuring we put our passengers and the residents at the heart of our plans, so we will be embarking on a wide-ranging consultation.
"Our creation of the Easi brand isn't just about a new logo. It's about creating a 21st century bus network that really is easy to follow and convenient to use. We aim to make our buses the first choice for value for money, comfort and convenience."
Councillor Chris Shaw, leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, welcomed the investment in the borough, adding: "Grimsby's town centre is undergoing a rapid transformation and it's great news that Stagecoach is putting so much money into the borough's public transport.
"It comes on top of more than £80 million that's currently being invested in the borough – £23 million of it in Grimsby town centre with our Riverhead redevelopment, the Freshney Place multiplex plan and the planned new Cartergate office block.
"Private sector confidence in the borough is growing all the time and, as a result, North East Lincolnshire is becoming a better place to live, work and invest.
"Good quality public transport is a prime consideration for employers when deciding where to locate their businesses, so Stagecoach's investment will have benefits for all."
