First Bus invests £78m in low-emission engines

UK manufacturing firms Wrightbus and ADL will produce most of the vehicles

First Bus, part of transport company FirstGroup, is investing £77.7 million in 385 new buses, of which 90% will be fitted with ultra-clean Euro 6 engines.

The investment includes two "virtual electric" (part-hybrid, part-electric) buses, which will enter service in Bristol from December, while five double-decker buses, scheduled to operate in Stirling in Scotland, will be fitted with flywheel technology originating from Formula 1.

The order is a big boost to British manufacturing supporting hundreds of UK jobs. Ballymena-based Wrightbus will manufacture 248 vehicles. Falkirk’s ADL has secured an order for 117 vehicles, while Volvo has won a contract to build 20 double decker chassis in Sweden, with the bodies manufactured by Wrightbus. 

"I'm delighted the overwhelming majority of our new vehicles will be fitted with Euro 6 engines. The advances in engineering are remarkable and our investment represents one of the most environmentally friendly bus orders ever placed."

Among towns and cities getting the new buses are Bradford, Glasgow, Halifax, Slough in Berkshire, Swansea, Leicester and Southampton. All the new buses will be delivered during the current financial year. All will have free wi-fi and leather seats.