Wrightbus has announced a new order to deliver 48 zero-emission double-deck StreetDeck Electroliners for Stagecoach in London, set to be in operation by the end of the year.
The new vehicles will be manufactured at Wrightbus’s headquarters in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, creating “hundreds of high-skilled jobs” and supporting the growth of the local economy. The order follows a series of recent successes for the company, including a £25.3 million contract to supply 117 battery-electric vehicles to First Bus across the UK.
Ian Gillott, Managing Director (Parts and Services) at Wrightbus, expresses his excitement about the deal: “We are delighted to announce another significant order for Wrightbus. It has been a real team effort between Wrightbus and Stagecoach to deliver this exciting deal.
“We can’t wait to see these buses in operation in London, which will help passengers enjoy comfortable and cleaner transport. It strengthens the reputation we have forged in the zero-emission transport sector and will help play an important part in the UK’s ambitions for decarbonisation.”
Mr Gillott also highlighted the company’s commitment to domestic manufacturing, noting that its electric buses, the GB Kite Electroliner and the StreetDeck Electroliner, are manufactured and assembled at its Ballymena factory. This, the company says, not only supports job growth in Northern Ireland but also benefits the wider UK economy through the domestic supply chain.
Sam Greer, Engineering Director for Stagecoach, says: “We are pleased to be adding a further 48 zero-emission buses to our fleet in London. The investment we are making in zero-emission vehicles will support our strategy to having a zero-emission bus fleet across all our operations by 2035.”
Louise Cheeseman, Transport for London’s (TfL) Director of Buses, praises the partnership with Wrightbus. “With the help of partners like Wrightbus, we are transforming the bus network and London’s air quality to build a better, greener city for all Londoners,” she says. “By bringing these new electric buses to London, Stagecoach and Wrightbus are bringing us closer to making our fleet, already one of the largest in Europe, fully zero emission.”
