Three of the new low-emission buses will be to a length of 9.7m with 34 passenger seats, with the remaining two seating 30 in 8.9m bodies. They will be built to the employee-owned operator’s specification and are expected to be delivered in the autumn of this year.
The new order follows the recent delivery of five similar Enviro200, and the addition to the Stephensons fleet last year of nine Enviro200 and five Enviro400 double-deckers.
Stephensons’ new Enviro200 will be fitted with Alexander Dennis SmartPack efficiency technology, combining engine stop-start, e-cooling and auxiliary load management. In addition to reducing carbon emissions by up to 24%, this improves fuel economy and bestows the low-emission bus status that qualifies the vehicles for Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) incentive payments, delivering a double financial benefit to the operator.[1]
Bill Hiron, Chairman of Stephensons of Essex, said: “The Alexander Dennis Enviro200 has earned itself a primary position in our bus fleet with solid performance and great fuel economy, giving us a dependable and cost-effective workhorse. We are therefore delighted to confirm our investment in another five buses, which will further enhance our customers’ journeys when they arrive in our fleet towards the end of the year.”
Martin Dunleavy, Regional Sales Manager for Alexander Dennis, shook hands on the deal at the ALBUM Conference and said: “Stephensons of Essex is a fantastic example of the independent operators that are a pillar of the ALBUM group of operators, delivering high quality services through consistent investment.
“Thanks to Bill and the Stephensons team for the confidence expressed through this repeat order, which will take the number of new Alexander Dennis buses in the Stephensons fleet to 24 in less than two years. We look forward to building these buses in our British factories in the coming months.”
Established in 1972, and headquartered at Rochford near Southend-on-Sea, Stephensons operates a fleet of around 140 buses and coaches from seven depots on bus routes and school services in Essex, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The company has been an employee-owned trust since 2024, when Bill Hiron sold the business to its employees.
