Mayor Backs Scarborough Bus Builder

North Yorkshire's Mayor says he is pressing the government to ensure that there's an emphasis on buying British Buses.

David Skaith says firms like Scarborough's Alexander Dennis should be at the forefront of any bus replacement programs in the UK.

"I had a round table, maybe a month or so back with the bus minister and other representatives around the table about the procurement process for Local authorities and Combined Authorities to be able to purchase buses and making sure a big emphasis on buying British effectively and the opportunity around Alexander Dennis and making sure that areas like ours weren't overlooked because somewhere like Manchester, London put in an order for a thousand buses and if we need some there, we'd be a long way down the pecking order.

So on that side, we have really pushed forward the importance of buying that British element of it."

The Mayor says it's key that major firms on the Yorkshire Coast get government support and thinks bus building is one area where the government could help British firms like Scarborough's Alexander Dennis.

"We do have a member of my team who works directly with, government and works closely with those larger employers Alexander Dennis, Schneider, McCains other ones over in this patch as well, to make sure that they are being supported by government.

It's making sure that a Alexander Dennis are supported and they are around those tables when we're dealing with government around procurement make sure we're emphasising buying British buses, which hasn't always been the case unfortunately.

We know that, for example, Chinese buses get heavily subsidized by government, so actually can a lot of time be much cheaper.

But our saying to government was actually, that's all well and good, but the knock on effect of supporting jobs in areas like Scarborough is far more than just those reduced costs so it's really looking at social value element of it as well."

Earlier this year the government announced investment of nearly £38 million to bring 319 new green buses to communities across England by Spring 2027. The government expects around 60% of government-supported zero-emission buses to be made in Britain, which they believe will create jobs and spearhead growth across the sector.

Last month Alexander Dennis announced that it won't now consolidate its operations in Scarborough and will keep its Scottish sites open. The firm had planned to close its facilities in Falkirk and Larbert, with 400 jobs at risk, and to move all bus body manufacturing to its site in Scarborough.

However, it said a new a £4m furlough agreement with the Scottish Government will allow the company to bring its manufacturing back online in Scotland.

Alexander Dennis, the world’s largest manufacturer of double-decker buses and Britain’s biggest bus builder, had blamed increased competition from Chinese electric bus manufacturers for the need to make cuts.

Earlier this week the bus manufacturer confirmed it has received a firm order for 17 next-generation zero-emission buses from transport operator First Bus. The company will build twelve Enviro200EV models and five Enviro100EV models for delivery in 2026.

MP for Scarborough and Whitby Alison Hume, welcomed the development "It's good news for them and many people in my constituency that see this order being placed," she said, after visiting the First Bus stand at the Labour Party conference where the order was discussed.

The order follows what is described as a "successful and ongoing field trial" of an Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV double-decker bus by First Bus operating companies across the country.

Marie Connell, National Account Manager for Alexander Dennis, commented on the new order.

"We are grateful for the confidence placed in us with this first order from First Bus for our next-generation Alexander Dennis electric buses,"