Propelled towards the end of the 1990s by accessibility imperative
requiring low floor buses both in London and the rest of Britain, Dennis
developed a tri axle Trident double decker for Hong Kong and then
adapted the design as a two axle version for Britain.
Orders came thick and fast between 1999, when the first Tridents for
London entered service with Stagecoach and 2006, when the Enviro 400, a
combination of its unified body builders, replaced it.
In those years over two thousand of the type appeared in London, ordered
by Stagecoach, First London, United, Metroline, Metrobus, London
General, Blue Triangle, Connex, Armchair, and Hackney Community
Transport.
The body work was by Alexander ALX400, Plaxton, (Precedent) and East
Lancs, to two available lengths,
while badging itself progressed although Trans Bus, until this troubled
organisation was suspended in 2004 by todays Alexander Dennis.
Versatile and personable, the Trident in all its forms lasted two
decades in London, the last examples being withdrawn from service in
2020