New £1.9m fleet of buses in the region

The new single-decker buses will operate on Stagecoach’s popular ‘11’ and ‘22X’ Barnsley routes, and will feature wifi, an advanced electrical system and improved suspension for passenger comfort.

The new models also carry five extra passengers and are 200kg lighter, making them more fuel efficient.

Paul Lynch, managing director of Stagecoach Yorkshire, said: “The new buses are operating on two busy and important routes in South Yorkshire. The 11 is one of the first routes we improved when we took over from Yorkshire Traction and it now carries 20 per cent more passengers than it did ten years ago, over 500,000 passengers every year.

“The bigger 22X route carries more than 1.25m passengers annually. It’s an important spine service for Stagecoach, serving lots of important places and employment hubs, such as Manvers, so we are proud to be improving this route.

“We like to innovate and investment is key to our success. In ten years, we have introduced more than 300 new buses and the average age of our fleet is just seven years in Barnsley and six and a half in Rotherham, compared to the industry average of eight years.”

The Mayor of Barnsley, Coun Brian Mathers, said: “When I think back to what the bus network was like before Stagecoach and what it’s like now, it’s great. The new buses are smart, light and airy and accessible to those with limited mobility.”