Mulleys Motorways YJ23 EKO near Honington - 25 Mar 2023 (P1140741)

Saturday 25 March 2023 – Two new Optare MetroDeckers were delivered to Mulleys Motorways on Friday 24 March 2023 registered YJ23 EKN and YJ23 EKO.

An interior shot taken on board YJ23 EKO. On the upper deck there are two tables each with two forward facing and two rearward facing seats. In this view taken from the staircase, the rearward facing seats on the nearside set are visible which are back to back with the front seats. Between the two is a rubbish bin.

Powered by Mercedes-Benz engines these integral buses are and were part of an order placed by Reading Buses in June 2018 to operate the Green Line branded route 702 from London to Slough, Windsor and Legoland. Reading Buses cancelled the order in July 2020 as part of a number of financial cutbacks made following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Passenger capacity is for 75 seated passengers plus 8 standees. When a wheelchair passenger is carried the number of seated passengers is reduced by 3. All seats have seatbelts.

The vehicles feature a number of interior refinements not otherwise expected on normal service buses. The seats feature a drop down tray with cup holder, a coat/bag hanger (a retractable stud pushed to reveal and push again to retract), light switch, USB point and phone charger.