REGIONAL bus operator, Go North East, has undertaken a major £8.3m investment programme with the introduction of the first of 70 new vehicles to be brought into operation this year.

The new buses will replace existing vehicles within the group's 750-strong fleet during the next 12 months.

This is the third consecutive year that Go North East has invested heavily in new fleet - and against a backdrop of rising fuel costs.

The current investment includes 13 Dennis Trident double deckers, which all provide the latest low floor, easy access design including wheelchair ramps. The double deckers represent an investment of £1.9m, and a further £1.6m will be spent on 14 single decker Volvos. These will be brought into service in and around the Gateshead area.

A further 14 new low floor mini buses, worth more than £1.1m, will be introduced in the Sunderland area, and 17 single decker vehicles, worth over £2m, will be introduced in the Stanley and Consett area.

A mix of nine single and double decker buses will be brought into service on North Tyneside.

Martin Harris, commercial director at Go North East, said: "Through further investment and our working partnerships with local authorities, key businesses and other transport operators, we are improving the overall bus journey experience.

"We are committed to constantly improving our service and working towards greater integration of all public transport.

"Since pioneering the concept of low floor buses outside of London, Go North East has become a leader in this area, enabling more people to travel by bus.

"Gateshead is fast developing as the hub at the centre of our growing Easy Access network with services from and to Gateshead's Metro Interchange and Heworth Metro radiating out to a growing number of towns."

lThe French consortium bidding to take over Go North-East's parent transport group, Go-Ahead, questioned whether the company had the funds to improve its services.

Patrice Garnier, chairman of C3D, said in a letter to Go-Ahead shareholders that accepting the 650p-a-share £326m bid made by C3D in July was the right way forward.

The move is the latest stage in the battle by C3D, which consists of transport group Caisse des Depots-Developpement and financier Rhone Capital, to take over Go-Ahead.