Local transport minister joins bus manufacturers, metro mayors and others to discuss how to transform the fleet while supporting UK bus builders
The UK bus manufacturing panel in Sheffield last week
Greener bus travel, new UK jobs and bigger business was on the agenda as government ministers met local leaders and industry bosses at the first UK bus manufacturing panel last week.
Local transport minister Simon Lightwood hosted the debut event at Canon Medical Arena in Sheffield, alongside industry experts from organisations including UK-based bus builders Alexander Dennis and Wrightbus, the Urban Transport Group and the Confederation of Passenger Transport.
The government announced plans to create the new UK bus manufacturing expert panel last October, amid mounting political pressure to adopt a ‘Buy British’ rule in bus procurement (PT323).
The previous month had seen Canadian-owned Alexander Dennis announce potential job losses at its factory in Falkirk, Scotland, while claiming government funding for zero-emission buses had favoured foreign competitors (PT321). Chinese manufacturers have won significant UK bus orders in recent years
Last week’s inaugural meeting of the panel explored ways of ensuring that the UK remains a leader in bus building while helping local authorities to deliver their transport ambitions.
We are prioritising high quality buses that meet the needs of passengers
Metro mayors Oliver Coppard (South Yorkshire) and Tracey Brabin (West Yorkshire) also attended to discuss how they can work with industry to boost zero emission bus manufacturing and support jobs across the UK.
Commenting on the event, Lightwood said: “It was great to kick off our first bus manufacturing expert panel … By creating a pathway for UK manufacturing growth, we are not just transforming our fleets – we are prioritising high quality buses that meet the needs of passengers, boosting regional economies to drive up living standards, and putting a coalition of highly skilled manufacturers and passionate local leaders at the heart of our zero-emission future.”
The event featured various panels, with discussions including the importance of prioritising the manufacture of high quality, zero-emission buses across the regions. Manufacturers stressed the economic benefits of the technology felt by the workers building and using buses, and said it had potential to support jobs across the country, and help the government deliver on its promise of growth through its Plan for Change.
Other discussions included how agencies can work together to build a “passenger first” bus network, with enhanced accessibility and inclusivity.
The UK has everything it needs to make it the world leader in the manufacture of zero-emission buses
It comes ahead of the Bus Services Bill which will give local leaders the ability to take greater control over their local bus services. The Bill will also include a measure to end the use of new diesel and petrol buses across England from no earlier than 2030, alongside handing power back for local authorities to operate their own services.
It is currently progressing through Parliament, and the government says that it wants manufacturers to have a seat at the table as forward-thinking measures on zero emission buses are considered.
Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Northern Ireland-based bus builder Wrightbus, said: “We have been abundantly clear that we want to position ourselves as a global leader in zero-emission transportation, through both our Wrightbus and newly-launched Rightech brands: 95% of all our sales in 2024 were zero-emission compared to 95% diesel in 2019.
“The UK has everything it needs to make it the world leader in the manufacture of zero-emission buses so it is important that manufacturers like us have these opportunities to speak to political leaders, policymakers and those across the industry so that we can work together to achieve these goals.”
Meanwhile, Jason Prince, director of the Urban Transport Group, commented: “The UK has a successful history of building buses and has the potential to be a global leader when it comes to manufacturing zero emission buses. The government’s new panel – of which we are pleased to be a part of – will bring together leaders from across the sector to help secure the UK’s strong bus manufacturing position and to deliver new jobs, greener buses, cleaner air and regional economic growth.”
This article appears in the latest issue of Passenger Transport.
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