Berlin awaits Enviro500s amid double-decker shortage

摘要

Berlin's BVG municipal hopes to take delivery in September of its first two tri-axle Alexander Dennis Enviro500s amid an acute shortage of double-deckers in the German capital. The pre-production pair are currently being built at the UK manufacturer's Falkirk plant, with a further 198 set to follow, 20 next year and the rest in 2022, says BVG spokesman Petra Nelken. The 128-passenger, three-door, twin-staircase Enviro500s will replace BVG's 13.7m three-axle MAN Lion's City A39 double-deckers. The first of these — classed in Berlin as DLs — entered service in 2005. Out of 416 delivered, only around 200 are still in daily service, with 130 being overhauled or repaired. Some have already left the fleet.