First Bus Manchester buys local for Bee Network as planning for Rochdale bus services begins
- Order for 17 buses awarded to Mellor
- Investment of more than £2.3m
First Bus Manchester is buying locally as it begins to build preparations for running Rochdale bus services as part of the new Bee Network from March next year.
The bus operator together with Transport for Greater Manchester has selected Rochdale manufacturer Mellor with an order for 17 of its Strata Plus single-decker buses.
Mike Watson, the First Bus Manchester Director leading the mobilisation of its plans for Rochdale, said: “We’re delighted to announce this order with Mellor and look forward to seeing the first vehicles coming off the production line.
“This also supports high-skilled jobs locally and regionally. As we begin to invest in the Rochdale area First Bus Manchester is determined to help build the economy and link key communities.”
The Strata Plus features include audio visual next stop technology, USB charging points and Wi-Fi connectivity. The order represents a total investment of over £2.3m through the TfGM franchising process.
Richard Matthews, UK Sales Director for Mellor, commented: "Mellor's unwavering commitment to engineering excellence, sustainability and accessibility positions us as a perfect fit for driving forward Greater Manchester’s Bus Strategy.
“Not only are we proud to be serving our local community with our reliable, low-emission buses, but we are delighted to see investment from our own city region back into the local area.
“We do believe that the North West, with its manufacturing heritage and tech innovation sectors, has the potential to be a hub for sustainable transport and specialist vehicle technology.”
Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “I am very pleased that First Bus has chosen to work with a local manufacturer to boost our burgeoning fleet of state-of-the-art Bee Network buses.
“This investment in more buses equipped with audio-visual announcements and Wi-Fi connectivity is just another demonstration of how committed we are to providing a truly integrated and accessible public transport network for the people of Greater Manchester.”
Mike Watson added: “These buses are fitted with the latest on-board features to provide connectivity on the move, better journey information while travelling and greater comfort. This will give customers a great travel experience as we play our part in developing the Bee Network across Greater Manchester.”
Ends
Notes to editors
Media enquiries to Richard Harrison, PR Manager, First Bus North 07973 668116 richard.m.harrison@firstbus.co.uk
About First Bus
First Bus is one of the UK’s largest bus operators. Making journeys easier for our customers, we were the first national bus operator to accept contactless card payments across all of our services and our First Bus App is voted ‘best in class’ amongst UK bus operators. Our most recent investments are in new, state-of-the-art buses across our key networks.
We work proactively with our local authority partners, making a positive impact on air quality, tackling congestion and improving customer experience. We are focused on First Bus becoming a leader in the transition to a low-carbon future and are committed to operating a zero emission bus fleet by 2035. We also operate the Aircoach network in Ireland.
First Bus is an equal opportunities employer and a division of FirstGroup.
About Mellor
Part of the WN VTech group, Mellor is an innovative bus designer and manufacturer based in Rochdale. It combines zero-emission emission technology with size appropriate design to transform bus routes and provide inclusive and sustainable transport for cities and regional environments around the world.
Boasting a 60-year history, it is a leading manufacturer of size-appropriate buses to suit a wide range of operations, with a manufacturing facility comprising state-of-the-art production equipment and processes.