Government ministers and metro mayors met yesterday to reaffirm their commitment to low-emission transport and support for UK bus manufacturing.
Mayors from across the UK, including David Skaith (York and North Yorkshire), Richard Parker (West Midlands) and Steve Rotheram (Liverpool City Region), were joined by Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill and Scottish Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop for the meeting, which marked the fifth gathering of the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel.
The meeting was chaired by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood.
Discussions centred on strengthening the domestic supply chain for zero-emission buses and ensuring long-term investment in UK-based manufacturing.
One of the key aims of the session was to provide greater certainty for manufacturers by exploring a 10-year pipeline of orders. Currently, around 60% of zero-emission buses funded through government schemes are being built in the UK. Ministers and mayors agreed that continued collaboration between local and national government would be vital to supporting skilled jobs, regional growth, and the transition to cleaner public transport.
The panel also emphasised the importance of maximising social and economic benefits from public spending on new buses. Ensuring these investments contribute to local employment, sustainability, and inclusivity was a shared focus.
This meeting follows the panel’s inaugural session in Sheffield earlier in the year and coincides with the progress of the Bus Services Bill through Parliament. The Bill aims to grant local authorities greater control over service planning and introduces new powers to phase out new diesel buses in England from 2030 at the earliest.
The government recently announced nearly £38 million to fund 319 new zero-emission buses in 12 English cities, with projects in Nottinghamshire, Hull and the West of England among the largest. Further investment of £28 million has also been directed to Sheffield and Bradford to improve air quality on urban routes.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: ‘It was great to bring mayors together today for the fifth meeting of the bus manufacturing expert panel, where we committed to building a strong pipeline of future zero-emission bus orders.
‘By mapping out future demand, we’re giving industry the certainty they need to grow – supporting jobs, delivering better buses for passengers, and accelerating our journey towards a cleaner, greener transport system, while delivering our Plan for Change.’
Jason Prince, Director, Urban Transport Group, yesterday said: ‘Investing in buses, especially greener, cleaner buses is good for our transport systems, our health and the economy. Government, operators and our members, working together through the manufacturing panel to unlock the full potential of greener buses will help realise these benefits for passengers and their local communities.’
Photo: Egor Litvinov
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