Up to 500 jobs could be created through a new partnership between Wrightbus and the Go-Ahead Group to deliver new buses worth £500m
Up to 500 UK manufacturing jobs are set to be supported after bus operator Go Ahead announced a £500 million investment to decarbonise its fleet, including creating a new dedicated manufacturing line and partnership with Northern Ireland-based bus manufacturer Wrightbus.
The investment is set to fund the manufacturing of up to 1,200 new zero-emission buses over the next three years, accelerating its transition to greener buses across its fleets in Plymouth, Gloucestershire, East Yorkshire, London and the Isle of Wight.
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh was expected to meet with key industry leaders as CBW went to press including Wrightbus owner Jo Bamford and CEO Jean-Marc Gales to reaffirm the Government’s commitment to decarbonising local transport and fostering an environment for investment in the UK manufacturing industry, bringing sustained economic growth and supporting jobs. The Transport Secretary will also announce plans to create a new UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel to explore ways to ensure the UK remains a leader in bus manufacturing, help local authorities deliver on their transport ambitions, and begin to seize opportunities to embrace zero-emission transport technologies.
The Transport Secretary said: “The number one mission of this Government is growing the economy. The half a billion pounds Go Ahead is announcing today shows the confidence industry has in investing in the UK. This announcement will see communities across the country benefit from brand new, state of the art green buses – which will deliver cleaner air and better journeys.
“We’re creating the right conditions for businesses to flourish, so we can support jobs and accelerate towards decarbonising the transport sector.”
Go-Ahead Bus CEO Matt Carney commented: “This multi-million pound investment and partnership with Wrightbus will accelerate the transition to zero-emission fleets across the UK. We are proud to be working in partnership with the UK Government and local authorities to deliver transformational environmental change for communities, while supporting UK jobs and the growth of the country’s supply chain”.
Wrightbus CEO, Jean-Marc Gales added: “The deal with Go-Ahead is hugely significant and represents a huge boost to the UK’s economy. It will support homegrown manufacturing, jobs and skills for the next three years and beyond. We’ve always been proud to support the UK’s supply chain and our Go-Ahead partnership will ensure even more money can be spent securing good green jobs.
“We must also not forget that this deal represents a massive step forward in our ambition to help decarbonise the transport sector with our world-leading products. It was heartening today to hear the Government reaffirm its commitment to a green transport sector.”
For every vehicle manufactured, 10 trees will be planted by Go-Ahead and Wrightbus in the towns and cities where the buses are deployed.
