April big bus registrations up 53%
“¢ Last year’s orders still support strong big bus registrations.
“¢ April’s coaches down 46% to 69 units due to major impact of recession.
“¢ Small minibuses down 53% to 54 but larger single-deckers up strongly.
“April’s big bus registrations show the benefits of last year’s strong sales but the recession has hit the coach and small minibus sector hard,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive. “Manufacturers are increasingly worried about falling orders, so it is imperative that the government takes action to restore confidence among bus and coach operators.”