Cover picture:First West Yorkshire 69333 (YJ08 CDO), a Wright Eclipse Urban-bodied Volvo B7RLE, on the A61 Scott Hall Road guided busway in Leeds. DANIEL STAZICKER

Contents

NEWS
Go North East unveils BRT plan; C-charge agreed for Manchester; Stagecoach buys Rapsons; Transdev does twin deal in York; Darwen plans reverse into Optare; Yellow Buses sets up new open-top venture

BUS PEOPLE
New chief executive for Transdev Blazefield; Chris Hilditch moves north; chairman nominated for TfL; Plaxton strengthens management

INSIDE TRACK
Has the government reached Stupid Events Week?

GLOBAL NEWS
Second Souter deal in New Zealand; setback for Megabus USA; Dutch strikes; Italian trolleybuses; German cities buy CapaCity artics

IN LONDON
New buses for all in latest route awards; new route to the Isle of Dogs; new mayor makes his mark; TravelWatch chairman fired

MILLAR'S TALES
Remembering Liverline; the odd buses of Atonement; Excelsior specials

A PLAGUE ON ALL YOUR HOUSES
Roger Davies blames everyone for the state of the Leeds bus service

ROADLINER, A SELF-MADE COMPANY THAT MAKES ITS MARK
The story of a seven-year-old company that punches above its weight

DARTMOOR BY DART
How Devon County Council has developed its Sunday Rover bus network

INDIAN SUMMER FOR DOUBLE-DECK BACK LOADERS
A pictorial tribute to the halfcab Ashok Leylands of Mumbai