Pioneering UK bus manufacturer Wrightbus is celebrating another milestone in its growing partnership with Transport for Wales (TfW), with a fleet of its buses now carrying passengers across the country.
Fourteen new Wrightbus double-deck diesel buses have recently entered service on the TrawsCymru network as part of a major investment in public transport across the country.
The company has also secured an additional contract to supply six single-deck zero-emission electric buses, which will be delivered in 2027, adding to its global operational fleet of more than 3,000.
To mark the next phase of the partnership, representatives from TfW visited Wrightbus’s headquarters in Northern Ireland to meet the company’s specification team and begin work on the new vehicles.
The visit included a tour of the factory, giving the TfW team an insight into the manufacturing process behind Wrightbus’s award-winning buses and the opportunity to explore the different design and specification options available.
The latest order represents another significant milestone for Wrightbus as it celebrates 80 years at the forefront of UK bus manufacturing and innovation, and follows in the week it launched business operations in Australia.
Christian Reynolds, Managing Director of Wrightbus, said: “It’s fantastic to see our buses carrying passengers across Wales, helping to improve connectivity for communities.
“We’re equally delighted to be building on that success with a further order of six electric buses. Welcoming the TfW team to our factory in Ballymena was a great opportunity to demonstrate the expertise and innovation that goes into every Wrightbus vehicle and to begin shaping the next generation of buses for Wales.
“As we celebrate our 80th anniversary, we’re proud that buses designed and built in Northern Ireland and supporting a supply chain from all corners of the continent are continuing to play such an important role in the future of public transport across the UK.”
The new Wrightbus buses form part of TfW’s investment in expanding the TrawsCymru network, improving long-distance public transport links between towns and rural communities while supporting the Welsh Government’s ambition to create a greener and more accessible transport network.
Lee Robinson, Executive Director for Regional Transport and Integration at TfW, said: “The success of the TrawsCymru network highlights the important role buses play in connecting communities, particularly in rural parts of Wales, while providing sustainable transport options for passengers.
“These new Wrightbus vehicles are part of our investment to modernise the fleet across the network, helping to improve the customer experience and strengthen the T Network by making journeys between bus and rail simpler and easier.
“As we work with local authorities across Mid Wales ahead of franchising, investments like this are helping us build towards a fully integrated, fully franchised bus network for Wales.”
Founded in 1946, Wrightbus pioneered aluminium framing and low-floor technology, built the iconic New Routemaster for London and developed the world’s first hydrogen double-deck bus.
Today, Wrightbus employs more than 2,300 people across its operations in Northern Ireland, Germany and Malaysia, supporting a further 7,500 jobs throughout its global supply chain.
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