A futuristic, hybrid electric bus is being showcased for the first time in Wales to encourage local authorities to emulate Newcastle upon Tyne and introduce the environmentally friendly vehicle to their towns.

The state-of-the-art vehicle, which Stagecoach already successfully operates in New Zealand, is being showcased in South Wales from 12-21 January.

Fitted with 30 seats and equipped with space for 20 standing passengers, the Designline-manufactured vehicle has undergone minor modifications for operational use in the UK.  The £200,000 bus runs emission-free in densely populated areas, and the battery-powered technology (which is recharged whenever the brakes are applied or by a diesel turbine) ensures it is extremely quiet on the road.  Electronics on the bus are so sophisticated that an engineer can “dial‿ in by laptop from anywhere in the world, and even send a message to start the vehicle.

John Gould, Managing Director of Stagecoach in South Wales, said: “This hybrid bus has real potential to improve the quality of life in our towns and demonstrates our commitment to minimising the impact of our operations on the environment."

“In 2004, we partnered with the Welsh Assembly Government and Caerphilly County Borough Council to encourage more people to leave their cars at home and travel by bus on two key routes in the town. One of our primary objectives now is to work with local authorities in South Wales who appreciate the positive environmental consequences hybrid electric buses have for transport strategies."

Stagecoach has already won the UK’s first local authority contract to run nine hybrid electric buses on a premier service in Newcastle from late spring 2005.