The bus operator Go Ahead announced a £500 million investment to decarbonize its fleet. The investment is aimed at financing the production of up to 1,200 new zero-emission buses over the next three years. The project, which will be developed by bus manufacturer Wrightbus, will accelerate the transition to greener buses across the country, including in Plymouth, Gloucestershire, East Yorkshire, London, and the Isle of Wight.  4r3448

According to information from the UK government, the project includes the creation of a new dedicated manufacturing line and a partnership with Wrightbus, based in Northern Ireland, which will up to 500 jobs in the UK manufacturing sector. In addition to directly ing 500 manufacturing jobs, the £500 million investment for Wrightbus will also back 2,000 additional jobs across the UK supply chain by 2026. 

The government statement also highlights that the Secretary of Transport will announce plans to create a new UK Bus Manufacturing Expert . This will bring together industry experts and local leaders to explore ways to ensure that the UK remains a leader in bus manufacturing, help local authorities meet their transport ambitions, and start seizing opportunities to adopt zero-emission transport technologies. 

It is expected that the Secretary of Transport will meet with key industry leaders, including Wrightbus owner Jo Bamford and CEO Jean-Marc Gales, to reaffirm the government's commitment to decarbonizing local transport and fostering an environment for investment in the UK's manufacturing industry, generating sustained economic growth and ing employment. 

The announcement comes ahead of the International Investment Summit, which will bring together UK leaders, high-profile investors, and companies from around the world to discuss how we can deepen our partnership to drive investment and growth. 

It is also expected that later this week the British Prime Minister will convene the first Nations and Regions Council, bringing together the First Ministers, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, and regional mayors from across England, as the government forges new partnerships and restores relationships to secure long-term investments aimed at driving growth and raising living standards across the UK. 

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh noted that Go Ahead's £500 million investment demonstrates the industry's confidence in investing in the UK. "We are creating the right conditions for businesses to thrive so that we can jobs and accelerate the decarbonization of the transport sector," she said. 

Haigh stressed that buses are the most widely used public transport mode and have been a priority for her government from the outset. In fact, improving bus services and providing greener transport are two of her top five priorities. 

Last month, the Secretary of Transport announced a package of measures to empower local leaders to regain control of their bus services and deliver services based on community needs, to increase ridership and provide better services for all. 

Building on this, the government's new Bus Bill will be introduced in Parliament later this year, ending the current postcode lottery by taking steps to improve bus services no matter where you live. 

Matt Carney, CEO of Go-Ahead Bus, said, "this multi-million-pound investment and partnership with Wrightbus will accelerate the transition to a zero-emission fleet across the UK." 

Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales emphasized that the agreement with Go-Ahead is highly significant and represents a major boost to the UK economy. "It will local manufacturing, jobs, and skills for the next three years and beyond. We have always been proud to the UK supply chain, and our partnership with Go-Ahead will ensure even more money is spent on securing good green jobs."