Treka CitySprint minis join Liverpool City Region Metro Network
Seven Treka CitySprint low-entry minibuses have been delivered to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) for use on large contracts under the franchised Metro Network.
Three of the minibuses have been allocated to Stagecoach Merseyside at St Helens depot and are already in service. The other four are for the Wirral contract that will be handled by Go North West from Laird Street depot in Birkenhead, commencing on 25 October.
All are finished in Metro Network yellow livery. Inside, seats are high-backed and trimmed in the franchised operation’s standard scheme. Wood-effect flooring is also fitted.
Treka has converted the vehicles at its plant in Brighouse. The builder’s engineers have worked with LCRCA to tailor the CitySprint product to local requirements. It is based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter underframe.
The manufacturer adds that CitySprint – which also suits demand-responsive and community transport applications – has been developed around the needs of modern passenger transport, coupling compact dimensions and efficient operation with the accessibility, technology and comfort that customers expect.
Further elements of the specification are saloon air-conditioning, audio-visual next-stop announcements and an induction loop, and a wheelchair user bay with two tip-up seats. Treka notes that building the vehicles in the UK has allowed easy access to the factory for LCRCA staff to offer feedback in real-time during the production phase.
Adds National Sales Director Richard Matthews: “Seeing these British-built buses entering service in the Liverpool City Region is something the whole Treka team can be proud of.
“It has been a genuinely collaborative project, with LCRCA working directly with our team throughout the build.
"It is also a great example of the value of British bus manufacturing, combining UK skills and engineering with the parts, technical support and aftercare operators need through the life of the vehicle.”
Each CitySprint comes with a seven-year conversion warranty and UK-based parts availability, technical expertise and aftercare.
That gives what Treka says is “direct access to the people behind the product throughout the vehicle’s working life.”
LCRCA Fleet Lead (Franchising) James Rowlands notes how the CitySprints will be used where larger buses are unsuitable and are helping the shift in operating landscape to bring modern and accessible buses to more communities.
“Working directly with Treka throughout the build has meant we could see the vehicles taking shape, involve the people who will be operating them, and make sure that the final product works for drivers, operators, and most importantly, passengers.”
[adrotate banner="44"]
Nicholson Coachbuilders vehicles set to debut at Euro Bus Expo
Nicholson Coachbuilders will launch its luxury and VIP small coach range at Euro Bus Expo at the NEC Birmingham on 3-5 November, with the new Altair, Horizon and Meridian products to be displayed by the Woodall Nicholson group company.
That three-model range leans on more than 200 years of coachbuilding expertise and heritage. It will satisfy the premium tourism, executive and VIP market, the builder says. Woodall Nicholson first announced the Nicholson brand in the early part of 2026.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Iveco Daily platforms form the base for the products. They couple what Nicholson says is “traditional craftsmanship with modern design, CAD-led development, prototyping and specialist manufacturing to create highly bespoke vehicles around the needs of individual customers.”
The Nicholson Altair is built on the Sprinter 519 and conceived as what the manufacturer says is “a private lounge in motion.” It conveys seven passengers and has double-glazing along with extensive acoustic insulation to enhance privacy and comfort.
Other standard items include heated, cooled and massage seating, integrated tables, multimedia systems, refreshments and cabin ambience controls to allow “each commission to be unique,” Nicholson adds.
The Meridian also sits on the Sprinter 519. It seats 19 passengers plus courier and couples manoeuvrability with a premium passenger environment and “appropriate” luggage capacity.
Nicholson says the Meridian has been designed with hotel, airport and city transfers in mind along with private tours. It adds that the product gives buyers freedom to develop a specification that reflects their needs, or scope to choose vehicles from stock.
On the Daily underframe, the Horizon provides similar performance and interior comfort to the Meridian. It can carry up to 29 passengers and their luggage as well as a courier. It will suit longer-distance journeys and has a highly configurable interior, the builder says.
Speaking about the new models, Nicholson Coachbuilders Head of Sales Louis Wilcox adds: “At the heart of the collection is Nicholson’s commissioning approach. Rather than offering a predetermined luxury specification, each vehicle can be developed around the service it will perform and the passenger experience the operator wants to create.
“As part of the Woodall Nicholson group, Nicholson Coachbuilders has access to a myriad of engineering expertise, built on decades of partnership with OEMs such as Mercedes-Benz and Iveco, alongside an extensive aftermarket service and support network.
“The launch of the Nicholson coach collection marks an exciting new chapter for the business and brings our coachbuilding heritage into a market where we believe there is real opportunity for something more individual.
“Euro Bus Expo gives us the ideal opportunity to introduce Nicholson to the UK coach industry and demonstrate what commissioned coachbuilding can bring to the modern premium passenger transport experience.”
Euro Bus Expo is free to attend. Registrations are open and can be made via the show website.
ABC Coach Hire welcomes another Mercedes-Benz Tourismo
ABC Coach Hire of Pendlebury in Greater Manchester has taken delivery of a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo M/2, supplied by Daimler Buses UK.
The two-axle vehicle joins existing Tourismos in an otherwise varied fleet, with the operator noting that it was selected off the back of high build quality and strong back-up. Fitted are 55 seats in Luxline upholstery, with the exterior completed in silver.
Entry into service was mid-September with a 76-plate registration mark. Power comes from the OM 470 engine developing 422bhp coupled to a ZF gearbox.
Usage will be on corporate duties, tours, and some of the business’s wider private hire work. A polished grille and alloy wheels complete the visual presence, with the latest Tourismo continuing sustained fleet investment by ABC Coach Hire in recent years.
[adrotate banner="44"]