Alexander Dennis and Lothian unveil 100-seat monster bus

Alexander Dennis (ADL) and Lothian have unleashed an absolute monster on the world – their brand new 100-seat Enviro400XLB three-axle double decker.

Developed in close collaboration with Volvo and based on their B8L tri-axle chassis, 42 of these high-capacity buses will enter service in Edinburgh from January onwards. They will be built at ADL’s factory in Falkirk.

With Lothian’s services in the Scottish capital seeing consistent growth, the operator collaborated with Alexander Dennis to develop the 13.4m Enviro400XLB. Offering 100 seats and able to carry up to 131 passengers in total, it delivers an unrivalled capacity for busy routes in the capital, while its front and middle doors will speed-up dwell times at bus stops. It has been built to even higher standards than bus users in Edinburgh are familiar with, with comfortable high-backed seating, wifi, USB charging, mood lighting and audio-visual stop announcements.

Alexander Dennis’s Enviro400XLB is the first bus for the United Kingdom to be mounted on Volvo’s recently launched three-axle B8L chassis, powered by the efficient 350hp Euro 6 D8K engine.

ADL Chief Executive Colin Robertson handed over the first bus to Lothian Managing Director Richard Hall on 8th November in a ceremony at the manufacturer’s Falkirk plant that was attended by Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson, and representatives of Scottish Enterprise, Transport Scotland and CPT Scotland.

Richard Hall, Managing Director of Lothian, said: “Buses are the lifeblood of Edinburgh and the Lothians, transporting over 350,000 customers every day and are integral to the local economy. We are delighted to be able to work with other businesses who share our passion for innovation with a commitment to deliver a high quality, reliable and unique product for our operations in Scotland, which could be utilised in the wider UK market. We look forward to continuing to build on our strong relationships with both Alexander Dennis and Volvo and are excited about the future of public transport in our country.”