Greater Manchester orders 55 more electric buses for Bee Network

Greater Manchester is set to expand its zero-emission bus fleet after Mayor Andy Burnham confirmed an order for 55 new electric buses from Northern Irish manufacturer Wrightbus.

The announcement was made during a visit to the company’s factory in Ballymena, County Antrim, where Burnham also viewed 76 double-decker electric buses from an earlier order that are currently in production.

The latest purchase forms part of a wider £66 million investment in the Bee Network and takes the total number of Wrightbus vehicles either already in service or being built for Greater Manchester to 293. Further orders are expected later this year.

By the end of 2026, around half of all buses operating in Greater Manchester are expected to be electric, with the region aiming for a fully electric fleet by the end of the decade.

Burnham said the order reflects both the region’s transport ambitions and its commitment to supporting UK manufacturing.

“Through local control of the Bee Network, we’re proving that when you invest properly in public transport, you don’t just transform how people get around, you drive real economic growth,” he said.

“This latest order for 55 new Wrightbus vehicles is part of our commitment to buy from UK-based manufacturers wherever we can to support and protect jobs, and strengthen our homegrown industries.”

The Bee Network says the new electric buses will play a direct role in improving air quality, particularly in known emissions hotspots across the city-region.

Greater Manchester has also been sourcing vehicles from other UK manufacturers, including Alexander Dennis, with almost 500 buses in the region built at its sites in Falkirk and Scarborough.

Wrightbus employs more than 2,100 people directly and supports around 7,500 jobs through its wider supply chain. The company said the benefits of orders such as this extend beyond Northern Ireland into businesses across the UK, including suppliers in Greater Manchester.

John McLeister, Wrightbus sales managing director for the UK and Ireland, said the deal demonstrates the strength of British bus manufacturing despite growing competition from overseas.