TRANSPORT group Stagecoach is to expand its bus fleet after yesterday announcing it will spend £50m on more than 460 vehicles.

The company, which operates about 8,000 buses and coaches and carries nearly two million passengers a day, will roll out the vehicles from April for services outside London.

The majority of the buses will be made by UK-based Alexander Dennis, with others supplied by Optare and a joint venture of Plaxton and Volvo.

Last year, Sunderland-based Arriva North-East spent £3.5m on 27 new easy-access buses that now operate on routes in and around Durham City.