Wrightbus

[gilesbus1]

RE: Wrightbus
Is the future bleak now for Wrightbus in the UK outside London.

I ask this for two reasons really firstly the sale of some of First's operations, but small, but often to Stagecoach who only evver buy ADL's because there Cheif Executive has an interest in them, although the work is obtained FAIRLY as the OFT have already investigated that relationship. Also with Giles Fearnley's decision at what is left of FirstGroup to dual source for example much of the Manchester order and the Glasgow order has gone to ADL this year, where previously those orders would have gone to Volvo and Wrightbus. Also another thing of note is the failure of the WrightStreetlite to do much damage to ADL or Optare except perhaps in Reading it really has failed to sell, and also the failure of Wrightbus and Volvo to pick up any work at either Newport or Nottingham both of which with previous types no longer being availble have switched to ADL.

Therefore if the Hong Kong and Singapore work dried up that would leave it mostly working for TfL on Borismasters and Highbrids for Arriva plus the odd GoAhead and Arriva order. Is there anything significant in this? Is it the fact that Wrights and Volvo are revising the Gemini next year/the year after and therefore people don't wasnt what will be an old product?

Is it to do with Weight are these much heavier than ADL's and therefore too expensive to operate?

Or is it that the designs which where revolutionary are now having in service issues with quality so operators are not keen to take them on?

Or is it the fact that slots are not available at Wrightbus because of TfL, Kowloon Motorbus and Singapore Bus Sewrvices having the majority of them?

Or is it that operators want to get back at Wrightbus for building the Borismaster as its something they would rather not operate, but which is being forced on them by Boris, so therefore in order to get back at Wrightbus order no commercial products from them or cut back substantially orders from them?