By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Accept
routeonerouteonerouteone
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Search
© 2024 routeone News. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Switch Mobility Sherburn plant closure consultation to commence
Share
Font ResizerAa
routeonerouteone
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd
- Advertisement -
-
routeone > News > Switch Mobility Sherburn plant closure consultation to commence
News

Switch Mobility Sherburn plant closure consultation to commence

Builder claims it will eventually satisfy UK bus orders from India or UAE should closure go ahead

routeone Team
routeone Team
Published: March 27, 2025
Share
Switch Mobility to consult on closure of Sherburn in Elmet plant
SHARE

Closure of the Switch Mobility bus manufacturing plant in Sherburn in Elmet looks inevitable after parent Ashok Leyland announced that it will commence a consultation on that move.

Ashok says that the proposal has come about thanks to “general economic uncertainty in both the UK and Europe.” If the closure progresses, all orders in hand will be completed and aftermarket support for existing vehicles will be maintained.

The manufacturer came out of Optare and saw the Switch Mobility moniker adopted for battery-electric buses. It says that “when markets recover” it will continue to cater to UK and other European demand from plants in India and the United Arab Emirates.

The e1 heavyweight battery-electric single-decker was launched in 2022 for left-hand drive European nations but has struggled to gain traction in a highly competitive market.

Ashok adds that it plans to “double down on the high-growth India EV market, which is poised to grow multi-fold in the next few years.” Switch has over 1,800 battery-electric bus orders for the Indian market. It also offers zero-emission light commercial vehicles there.

Speaking about the Sherburn closure proposals, Ashok Leyland Managing Director and CEO Shenu Agarwal says: “While Ashok Leyland remained committed to the UK market over the last 15 years, adoption of zero-emission passenger vehicles has been tepid. This seems to be the right time to cut down losses in the UK market.”

Chief Financial Officer K M Balaji adds that potential closure of the Sherburn in Elmet plant by Switch Mobility “is expected to mitigate the losses of UK operations.”

He continues: “The current cash flow requirements of Switch UK will be borne out of GBP 45 million of equity infusion already approved by the board of Ashok Leyland in February this year.

“Switch India is doing much better than expected and should not require significant equity infusion in the near future. On an overall basis, the value accretion from Switch EV business is expected to be much more than the investments made in those entities.”

The most recent accounts for Switch Mobility, to 31 March 2024 and including all group operations, show a loss of £43.4 million on a turnover of £66.6 million, with the latter figure representing an almost trebling from the previous financial year. In FY2023/24, the UK accounted for £24.9 million of turnover but that from the rest of Europe was just £117,000.

In 2022, then-Switch CEO and Executive Vice Chairman Dr Andy Palmer said that it had ceased the manufacture of diesel buses at Sherburn in Elmet. That was subsequently reversed to permit assembly of the diesel Optare Solo with a major order from Stagecoach.

Delivery of the diesel Solo to Stagecoach and at least one other customer has continued, but uptake of Switch-branded battery-electric bus models here has been slow and hurt by competition from other marques.

TAGGED:Ashok LeylandBusclosureconsultationmanufacturingSherburnswitch mobility
Share This Article
Facebook LinkedIn Threads Email Copy Link
Previous Article Johnsons Coaches names Mencap, Myton Hospices as 2025 charity partners
Next Article Yutong delivery for Safeway Coaches of Batley Safeway Coaches takes delivery of three new Yutong additions
- Advertisement -

Latest News

Temsa HD12 and HD13 delivered to Cresta Coaches under Asset Alliance rental deal
Temsa pair join Cresta Coaches on Asset Alliance rental agreement
Deliveries
Go-Ahead London – Managing Director
Careers Jobs
andy burnham tfgm £15.6 billion (1) The funding announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves today (4 June) has been allocated to several combined mayoral authorities to use on rail, tram, road and bus infrastructure. Transport for Greater Manchester revealed today that part of the £2.5 billion it will receive will go towards making the Bee Network fully battery-electric by 2030. An as-yet undecided portion of that will support a planned investment in 1,000 new zero-emission buses over that period, the mayoral authority said. That is part of plans to build the UK's "first fully integrated, zero-emission public transport system", with trams and trains also set to benefit. Liverpool City Region's already announced BRT system is among the projects to which its £1.6 billion will be allocated. Under those plans - due for realisation by 2028 - a high-speed network will be served by articulated buses which are modelled on the 'Glider' in Belfast. It is due to link Liverpool city centre with John Lennon Airport, and Liverpool FC and Everton FC's respective stadia along three routes. Although the model of bus has not been confirmed, a Van Hool Exqui.City on loan from Belfast was last year used as a demonstrator. That 18m vehicle can accommodate around 30% more passengers than a typical bus and has three sets of double doors. The funding will also go towards buses elsewhere in the city as the region heads towards franchising services by 2027. Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram with a 'Glider' which was on loan from Belfast last year - an example of the sort of bus which could serve the new BRT Bus services in the East Midlands region will be boosted by the funding, thanks to the £2 billion handed to it today by the government. Some of that allocation will be used for a rapid transit network on the Trent Arc between Nottingham and Derby. Between the two cities, the Freeport, Infinity Park Investment Zone and Ratcliffe-on-Soar will also benefit from the improved bus services. South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority's newly announced commitment towards bus franchising has been boosted by £350 million in funding as part of that region's allocation. The funding for West Yorkshire will help build new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield. Likewise, the Tees Valley Mayoral Authority will put its sum towards a new £15 million bus station in Middlesbrough. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says: "Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands – opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life as we deliver our Plan for Change. "For too long, people in the North and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve. With £15.6bn of government investment, we’re giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain’s renewal so you and your family are better off."
TfGM’s all-electric bus plan boosted by new £15.6 billion package
News
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Bus
- Advertisement -
-

routeone magazine is the indispensable resource for professional UK coach, bus and minibus operators. The home of vehicle sales and the latest bus and coach job vacancies, routeone connects professional PCV operators with complete and unrivalled news coverage.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • GDPR Policy
  • Sustainability
  • Advertise
  • Latest Issue
  • Share Your News
routeonerouteone
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd