Leeds City Council has taken delivery of 15 new Mellor Orion buses to add to its fleet of 166 vehicles, 20 per cent of which are Mellor.

The Orions have been specifically configured to provide optimum functionality and comfort for the Council’s adult social care programme.

This vehicle boasts an ultra-flat low floor and wide wheelchair accessible side and rear entrances with fold out ramp, for ease of access for passengers with all abilities. The bus has the capacity to carry up to 16 passengers at a time, which is ideal for local services such as those provided by the Council.

Carl Snowden, General Manager Fleet Services at Leeds City Council, said:

“We had a demo of the Orion and really liked the look and feel of the bus.

“We have had great success with previous Mellor vehicles in our fleet which offer the comfort and accessibility required by our passengers. However, these are the first low floor buses we have ordered.

“By replacing our older vehicles with less polluting Euro VI models, these newer minibuses will help the Council reduce its own contribution to air pollution in Leeds.”

The Orion complied with the technical specification of the tender requirements from the Council, fitted the needs of their passengers and came with a budget and delivery time that suited the customer.

Jane Dransfield, Area Sales Manager for Mellor, said:

“We are delighted that Leeds City Council has returned to us for this significant order. The 15 vehicles with ultra-flat floors are perfect for adult social care where the passengers have a variety of needs including vehicle access.

“The exceptional fuel economy also makes the Orion the logical choice for cost-conscious customers like city and county councils where budget cuts are common.”

Leeds City Council has taken delivery of 15 new Mellor Orion buses for adult social care.