WYCA invests £100m in electric buses
An order has been placed with manufacturer Wrightbus for 193 single- and double-decker vehicles, which will form a central part of the forthcoming integrated Weaver Network.
The Weaver Network, which is in the roll-out stage, will be the region’s integrated transport network, joining up buses, trains, a mass transit system, walking, wheeling, and cycling under one umbrella.
The first bus service will launch in a year’s time, and currently around 150 Weaver Network bus shelters are being installed across the region and a central hub is being planned to coordinate the region’s 400+ routes and 1,300 bus services.
Publicly controlled buses will be introduced in stages across West Yorkshire between Spring 2027 and late 2028.
Timetables, fares, and routes in the region will be set by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority rather than private operators, and will see money made from fares going back into improving services.
It comes after £230m worth of infrastructure improvements were approved at a Combined Authority meeting in March, which will see enhancements to roads to make it easier to travel around the region.
Wrightbus managing director Christian Reynolds said: “This award reflects a clear commitment to UK manufacturing and the domestic supply chain in a highly competitive global market.
“Securing this contract enables us to demonstrate the strength, quality and competitiveness of UK-built zero-emission vehicles.
“For over 80 years, Wrightbus has sustained a nationwide supply chain, and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s successful franchising model ensures this economic contribution continues – driving investment, innovation, and long-term industrial growth in the UK. We are proud to see these vehicles serving key routes in West Yorkshire.”
Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said: “These beautiful new buses herald the start of a new era for public transport in a better-connected West Yorkshire.
“We’re proud to be buying from a UK firm – it’s another benefit of a publicly-controlled bus network.
“I can’t wait to see them weaving their way through our streets in less than a year’s time.”
