- New bus, coach and minibus market falls -37.7% in Q1 2026
with 1,578 units reaching the road.
- Decline driven primarily by a -56.0% fall in minibus uptake,
with single- and double-deck markets also diminishing.
- Zero emission bus volumes fall but market share reaches a
record high of 37.3%.
UK registrations of new buses, coaches and minibuses fell -37.7%
to 1,578 units in Q1 2026 as demand eased following last year's
17-year high, according to new data published today by the
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).1
The third consecutive quarterly decline was driven primarily by a
-56.0% drop in minibus registrations, from 1,299 units to 572.
The wider market also softened, with single-decker registrations
down -15.5% to 584 units and double-deckers down -22.1% to 422
units. The year-on-year fall is amplified by comparison with an
unusually strong Q1 2025, when overall registrations surged by
49.8% thanks to Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) grants.
Every UK nation and region recorded lower registrations. Wales
saw the sharpest proportional fall, down -75.7% to 36 units,
becoming the smallest national market, swapping places with
Northern Ireland which dipped -7.5% to 37 units. England remained
the biggest market, accounting for 88.5% of UK registrations,
despite volumes falling -28.5% to 1,397 vehicles. Scotland, where
uptake more than doubled last year due in part to the ScotZEB
programme, declined -73.8% to 102 units.
Zero emission bus volumes fell -20.4% to 588 units, yet
out-performed the overall market as nearly two in five (37.3%)
new buses registered were ZEVs – a record market share and clear
evidence of the sector's rapid transition to electric and
hydrogen.
With the market slowing after two years of growth, recent
announcements auger well for future growth. The government's
vision for buses, published at the start of April, aims to make
bus journeys simpler and more affordable for passengers, helping
boost ridership, and the local authority zero emission bus order
pipeline anticipates a further 23,381 deliveries by the end of
2035.2 However, support is still needed, particularly
for local authorities that face greater challenges in
transitioning to zero emission bus fleets, such as those in more
rural areas.
Stimulating investment into fleets will help accelerate the
decarbonisation of road transport while also delivering
significant improvements in air quality and reducing noise
pollution across the UK. Action is needed, however, to speed up
grid connections at bus depots, which often require significant,
costly upgrades to provide the power needed to keep fleets fully
charged.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “After
the bus market's boost over the past two years, a decline was
always inevitable as the market stabilises. With zero emission
buses taking such a high market share, however, all signs point
to a market that is eagerly transitioning. Manufacturers have
made massive investments in zero-emission buses and public
funding schemes have helped drive adoption. With more local
commitments to ZEV bus procurement, the market can grow, and the
UK can get ever closer to a nationwide zero emission bus
network.”
