Pontypridd-based Edwards Coaches has placed a £2.75m order for 10 Mercedes-Benz Tourismo M coaches, announced at Euro Bus Expo. The coaches will arrive in March 2015 ready for the new summer brochure season. A separate order was also placed for three new Mercedes-Benz OC500 chassis tri-axle Caetano-bodied National Express coaches costing £855,000. Edwards’ National Express work goes from strength to strength and these new coaches have extra seating capacity, going from 48 to 57 seats per coach.
Edwards Coaches: “This is the largest tour coach order placed by us and probably any other tour company in the UK for 2015. “The decision to buy new coaches was based on significantly-improved holiday sales and also to celebrate the start of our 90th anniversary celebrations – 1925 to 2015. “Next year will be a significant milestone in the company’s history and our long-term goal is to operate a fleet of tour coaches all within three years of age over the next two years. “This huge investment firmly cements our company values. There will be no compromise on quality; we will be offering our customers, staff and drivers first-class travel with the safest and best coaches on the road, allowing our own maintenance team to work on the best vehicles that money can buy.” The 13m tri-axles will each have 49 seats with a centre toilet, wood-effect floor, Luxline seats with leather headrests and a built-in vacuum cleaner, along with “a further two-page list of optional extras. The decision to make this huge investment by the Edwards family was due to the confidence and enthusiasm of all our staff.”