Cover picture:Eastbourne Buses 401 (V654 LWT), an Alexander ALX400-bodied DAF DB250 new to UK North. Tom McReynolds

Contents

NEWS
Stagecoach set to buy Eastbourne Buses; TfL presses ahead with artic replacement; Optare chief executive quits; Bill becomes an Act; First restructures West Yorkshire business; BRT plans advance in three UK cities

BUS PEOPLE
Blackpool MD rejoins Stagecoach; Ex-Go North East MD for Transdev London; industry mourns Go-Ahead's Matthew Bradley

INSIDE TRACK
American solution stifled progressive civic pride

GLOBAL NEWS
Arriva boosts ridership in Swedish city; new buses for Essen guideway; Hungarian city converts diesels into trolleybuses

IN LONDON
East London sweeps the board with new contracts; keen tendering drives up standards; RTLs return to Willesden

MILLAR'S TALES
Santa goes Dutch with a unique Bristol; leaping RT and crazy Ks

LONDON iBUS INFORMATION IS EVERYTHING
How TfL and its contractors are progressing with this bus service revolution

3 GROUPS, 2 CONTINENTS, 3 COACH EXPERIENCES
First and Stagecoach in America, National Express in England

EDITORS' CHOICE
Three Buses editors' all-time personal favourite buses

PICTUREVIEW
Hail and farewell: Arrivals and departures at Go South Coast

YOU WRITE
Your thoughts on Optare's new Solo, Plaxton's new Elite, yellow schoolbuses and…yes, London bendybuses

FENTON FILE
A Seddon Pennine 7 with Duple lookalike body

PUBLICITY MATTERS
Your chance to help Go North East improve its communications