Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has announced an order for 55 new electric buses during a visit to the Northern Ireland-based manufacturer Wrightbus.
As part of a commitment to buy from UK-based companies where possible, the Mayor confirmed plans to purchase a fleet of zero-emission electric vehicles to join the Bee Network, Greater Manchester’s joined-up public transport system.
The Mayor also saw some of the 76 electric double-decker buses from a previous order already in production and expected to go into service from April.
It’s part of a £66m investment in the firm’s electric models, with the latest order pushing the total number of buses bought from Wrightbus to 293. Elsewhere, the Bee Network has also supported Scottish-based Alexander Dennis, with almost 500 buses made at the company’s Falkirk and Scarborough bases now serving Greater Manchester’s communities.
Speaking from the Wrightbus’ headquarters in Ballymena, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said:
“Through local control of the Bee Network, we’re proving that when you invest properly in public transport, you don’t just transform how people get around, you drive real economic growth.
“This latest order for 55 new Wrightbus vehicles is part of our commitment to buy from UK-based manufacturers wherever we can to support and protect jobs, and strengthen our homegrown industries.
John McLeister, Wrightbus Sales Managing Director for UK and Ireland, said:
“We were delighted to welcome Mayor Andy Burnham and show him around the factory here in Ballymena.
“Orders like this aren’t just about creating jobs in Northern Ireland, this is about the ripple effect they can have across the whole UK supply chain, strengthening businesses like McKenna Brothers from Middleton in Manchester, who supply the blinds and screens for our buses.
“I’m glad to say that while some manufacturing sectors have been in decline in recent years, the UK still has a thriving bus industry of which we’re very proud to be part of, despite the constant threats of imports from overseas.”
(Picture: Ark Media)(
