Bus franchising emerged as a key theme amongst speakers and suppliers as zero-emission electric buses dominated the biennal Birmingham show
Delegates poured into the Birmingham NEC for Euro bus Expo this week
Euro Bus Expo returned to Birmingham’s NEC for the first time in two years following the cancellation of Coach & Bus Live. Traditionally the larger event of the two, Euro Bus Expo continues to draw interest, with the industry now favoring a biennial format. Since the last show in 2022, the UK bus landscape has undergone significant changes, particularly in the area of bus franchising.
At the time of the last event, Greater Manchester was gearing up for its franchised Bee Network. Today, a new government has pledged to make bus franchising available across England, with similar plans emerging in Scotland and Wales. Greater Manchester has now franchised roughly
two-thirds of its network and is set to complete the transition in the coming months.
Given these shifts, franchising emerged as a central topic at Euro Bus Expo, with clear indications that the industry and suppliers are aligning with this new regulatory model. Adam Leishman, founder and executive chairman of Ascendal Group, addressed the topic in a ‘Masterclass’ session, drawing on his experience with varied regulatory models in London, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia.
Leishman, one of the few UK operators who had previously advocated for franchising, strongly supports the concept. However, he cautioned against limiting franchising opportunities to large companies, suggesting that smaller operators often bring valuable innovation. “Don’t just make it a game for the big guys,” he urged, calling on authorities to encourage diverse bidding.
Leishman later added: “I think it would be a tragedy to lose what they [smaller operators] bring to the industry.”
Don’t just go for lowest cost bids. It’s fraught with danger … It ends up being more costly than the big looked from the outset
He also warned: “Don’t just go for lowest cost bids. It’s fraught with danger … It ends up being more costly than the big looked from the outset.”
Leishman cited an example from Australia, where a low-cost bid failed, and the resulting embarrassment prompted voters to take revenge at the ballot box.
He suggested that franchising authorities would be wise to understate ‘shadow bidding’ so that they know roughly what it costs to run the service and can filter out unrealistic bids.
Summarising his views, Leishman said that franchising should be implemented on a horses for courses basis. There was, he said, no particular model that should be adopted.
Beyond bus operators, suppliers are also adapting to the franchising shift. Journeo, for example, showcased a system that provides franchising authorities with a live, comprehensive view of network performance. The platform integrates data from multiple sources, enabling real-time analysis of aspects such as onboard system functionality and bus speeds, consolidating what was previously fragmented data into a single, user-friendly hub.
Passenger, a leading provider of websites and apps for UK bus operators, is also adapting to franchising. Tom Quay, CEO of the Bournemouth-based supplier which has grown to become the dominant supplier of websites and apps to Britain’s bus sector, told Passenger Transport that it required the development of bidding teams to respond to public sector tender documentation, whereas commercial operators were free to simply choose a supplier to start doing business with them.
With these bidding skills now essential to do business in the UK, Quay said that Passenger was now taking a fresh look at opportunities for international expansion.
Of course, the stars of any bus and coach show are the vehicles themselves. While Switch Mobility and Wrightbus were absent, there was still much to see.
The award for the largest stand potentially went to Pelican, the UK importer of Chinese bus and coach manufacturer. It demonstrated a number of vehicles, including a double decker for First Bus and a single decker for Stagecoach, both zero-emission electrics.
Alexander Dennis, BYD and Irizar vied for the star of the show award, with ADL showing a highly impressive new generation Enviro400EV double decker bound for Transdev Blazefield’s high profile Route 36 service. Meanwhile, the Scottish manufacturer’s former Chinese partner, now going it alone, showed its new BYD B12 single-decker in the colours of Hertfordshire-based Uno alongside the already launched BD11 double-decker. Like Two years ago, Irizar arrived with an electric tram bus destined for Go-Ahead London, this time for its recently launched Fastrack contract in Kent Thameside.
Finally, one interesting newcomer to the UK bus scene was Turkish manufacturer Karsan who debuted its e-JEST battery-electric minibus in right hand drive form. With a very continental layout, it remains to be seen whether the type will make any headway in the UK.
This article appears in the latest issue of Passenger Transport.
DON’T MISS OUT – GET YOUR COPY! – click here to subscribe!
