Nottingham (Bus), 25-07-2017

Nottingham Community Transport 978, Carrington St Nottingham, 25-07-2017

978-2017_07250053

One of the BYD electrics in use on the Queens Drive Park & Ride. This service originally ran from wasteland off Queens Drive, now a retail area, before moving to a purpose built site near to Clifton Bridge. Barton Transport and later Barton Buses built the service up under contract to the County Council, but when the City became a unitary authority NCT won the next tender (as they did from Dunn Line on Colwick), and the services ceased to be solely dedicated Park & Ride - reducing their attractiveness in journey time terms in the process. However, with most recent round of tendering Nottingham Community Transport won, partly on the basis of being willing to operate electric vehicles, following experience gained on the Locallink services already operated under contract.

These vehicles are likely to remain unique in the UK, as future BYDs will have more input from Alexander Dennis. A couple of rides indicate that build quality is doubtful, with sundry rattles from internal panels, grab rails flexing with the body and a very loud and intrusive motor noise - something of a cotrast with the Solos.

Nottingham Community TransportBusBYDK9URGBNottinghamLJ16NMMHBDBElectric Bus