Arriva North West - Birkenhead Depot

[Barney]

RE: Arriva North West - Birkenhead Depot

(06/09/2023 10:32)W176 XMA Wrote:  I read on another forum buses could be split around the provinces from London, is it likely any will make their way up here?

About 12 years ago, Arriva did cascade ex-London stock after extensive rebuilding and refurbishment to the provinces including Merseyside. Apart from a few ADL 200s a few years ago that policy seemed to have been abandoned.

London is now moving towards an all-electric fleet and there will be surplus mid-life buses in the near future. However, it is significant that Arriva's parent company (DB) is keen to sell its English operations and I do wonder if, as seems likely, franchising is introduced in the next few years whether Arriva would be interested in bidding for any of the tranches as new stock would be a requirement.

Whatever the future holds, unless there is a influx of new or refurbished stock, it is inevitable the Arriva Merseyside's fleet age profile will continue on an upward trajectory to the point where Merseytravel will impose its 15-year age limit.