Up to 500 UK manufacturing jobs are set to be supported as bus
operator Go Ahead today [Tuesday 8 October] announces a major
£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. Built for
operator Go Ahead, this investment will accelerate the transition
to greener buses across the country including in Plymouth,
Gloucestershire, East Yorkshire, London and the Isle of Wight.
The Transport Secretary is expected to meet with key industry
leaders today 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. This panel will bring together
industry experts and local leaders 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 announcement comes ahead of the International Investment
Summit which will gather UK leaders, high-profile investors and
businesses from across the world to discuss how we can deepen our
partnership to drive investment and growth.
The Transport Secretary is expected to hold several bilateral
meetings at the Summit with international business leaders and
make clear the UK is “open for business” so that she can help
attract further investment to support the delivery of our
transport priorities across the country.
The Prime Minister will also convene the first Council of Nations
and Regions later this week, bringing together First Ministers,
Northern Ireland's First Minister and Deputy First Minister and
regional mayors from across England, as the government forges new
partnerships, resets relationships to secure long term investment
with the aim of boosting growth and living standards in every
part of the UK.
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.”
“Under this Government, Britain is open for business.”
The Transport Secretary will also announce plans to create a new
UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel. This panel will bring together
industry experts and local leaders to explore ways to ensure the
UK remains a leader in bus manufacturing, help local authorities
to deliver on their transport ambitions, and begin to seize
opportunities to embrace zero emission transport technologies.
Go-Ahead Bus CEO, Matt Carney said:
"This multi-million pound investment and partnership with
WrightBus will accelerate the transition to zero-emission fleet
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 said:
“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, ten trees will be planted by
Go-Ahead and Wrightbus in the towns and cities where the buses
are deployed.
Buses, as the most used form of public transport, have been
prioritised by this Government from the outset. The Transport
Secretary has made improving bus services and delivering greener
transport two of her five core priorities.
Last month, the Transport Secretary announced a package of
measures to empower local leaders to take back control of their
bus services and deliver services based on the needs of
communities, to grow passenger numbers and deliver better
services for all.
Building on this, the Government's new Buses Bill is set to be
introduced in Parliament by the end of this year and will bring
an end to the current postcode lottery by taking steps to improve
bus services no matter where you live.
Further details on the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel will be
confirmed in due course.
