Rochdale-based Mellor building new Bee Network buses to run on local community routes
The bespoke buses are among hundreds of new vehicles being manufactured in the UK for Greater Manchester’s Bee Network
Orders helping to secure jobs and deliver new ones in Greater Manchester and across the UK
Greater Manchester’s pioneering Bee Network is creating a new model for driving economic growth and boosting the UK’s homegrown manufacturing industries – including local bus firm Mellor.
As a result of the city-region’s approach to re-taking control of its public transport services, hundreds of brand-new buses are being built at locations across the UK, in turn creating skilled opportunities for young people starting out their career.
One local firm benefitting is Mellor. The Rochdale-based company has built buses that are now in service in the town and is building other buses that will operate in the south of Greater Manchester when buses come back under local control from 5 January.
Mellor is building 28 buses, 21 of which are currently in service and the remaining 7 will operate early next year across the south of Greater Manchester.
As the first area to bring buses back under local control in almost 40 years, Greater Manchester can now set the standards for buses and make sure passengers are travelling on the best vehicles possible.
On Thursday 17 October, the Mayor of Greater Manchester visited the company to see new buses roll off the production line and meet some of the apprentices whose roles have been created thanks to Bee Network bus orders.
The orders have supported the creation of 15 new apprentice roles. This builds on the hundreds of buses – totalling tens of millions of pounds – delivered and ordered for the Bee Network. This demonstrates how investment in public transport – in this case the Bee Network – can deliver jobs.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Greater Manchester is proving the case for change when it comes to public transport.
“As the first area to re-take control of our buses in almost 40 years, we are keeping fares down, improving the reliability and standard of buses and getting more people back onboard through the Bee Network.
“We are also proving how investment in public transport supports economic growth, not just in Greater Manchester but across the UK, with franchise contracts and bus orders helping to secure jobs and deliver new ones – like those at Mellor in Rochdale.
“I was particularly pleased to meet the young apprentices with bright futures ahead of them and who are benefitting thanks to the Bee Network, and as we develop our plans to transform technical education through the MBacc, we want to encourage even more young people into the industry.”
The new fleet is serving smaller local estates and communities, with the compact buses specifically designed for narrower roads in more rural and outlying areas. These areas were often not prioritised by operators before franchising, with companies tending to target busier, more profitable routes.
By improving services to areas that were previously overlooked, the new buses play a crucial role in connecting people to local services, work and leisure opportunities.
The apprentices receive on- the- job training, working alongside a highly skilled workforce who often act as mentors, along with a college day release programme to back up what they’re learning. It’s all part of the Greater Manchester Mayor’s vision to transform technical education, with work underway to create clear pathways for young people into diverse, skilled careers offered by creation of the Bee Network MBacc pathway.
John Cliffe, Head of Operations at Mellor said: "We are thrilled to welcome Mayor Andy Burnham to Mellor and couldn’t be prouder to support the Bee Network expansion with our vehicles. These vehicles not only improve access to public transport by offering enhanced operational efficiency through their compact size and low carbon emissions, but they also play a crucial role in connecting communities and reducing social isolation.
“These apprentices are beginning their exciting career journey with us as part of an 18-month program, designed in collaboration with Hopwood Hall College. Throughout the program, they will rotate across various departments, gaining hands-on experience in all areas of the business. This is our first cohort under the new Woodall Nicholson Apprenticeship scheme, which leads to a qualification as a “Vehicle Converter.” We’re extremely proud to have developed this course in partnership with Hopwood Hall College, and we look forward to welcoming many more apprentices in the future.”
As well as Mellor, other manufacturers that are a hive of activity include Alexander Dennis, who are building 415 Bee Network buses in Scotland and Scarborough and Northern Ireland’s Wrightbus, who is building 162 buses.
In addition to creating job opportunities, Wrightbus say every pound generated by them creates another £3 in the wider economy, and every job ensures another three jobs are safe across the supply chain.
Transport is an enabler to unlock Greater Manchester’s full potential and close a productivity gap costing an estimated £8.9 billion per year - the largest of any city in the UK.
In September 2023 Greater Manchester became the first area in the country to take back control of its bus network in almost 40 years under the historic Bee Network, a process that will be completed on 5 January next year when the third and final phase is rolled out in the south of Greater Manchester.
The Bee Network is Greater Manchester’s vision for an integrated London-style transport system, incorporating bus, tram and active travel, with rail joining by 2028.
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