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NEWS


Ballymena-built Wrightbus fleet hits Liverpool roads in £150m transport investment
The first Wrightbus ultra low-emission buses are hitting the streets of Liverpool as part of a £150 million investment in a new 560-strong fleet. Ballymena-built buses are beginning to arrive on the streets of Liverpool as part of a major £150 million investment in a new public transport fleet. Many of the 560 new ultra low-emission buses being introduced across the Liverpool City Region have been manufactured by Wrightbus in Northern Ireland, providing another significant or
Sep 7


Wrightbus calls on public to help rebuild lost archive as Ballymena manufacturer marks 80 years
Paul Savage (left) with Christian Reynolds in front of the 80th anniversary mural. Wrightbus is asking generations of workers, passengers and bus enthusiasts to help recover eight decades of its history after significant archive material was lost before the Ballymena manufacturer was rescued from administration in 2019. As the company marks its 80th anniversary, it has launched a public appeal for photographs, stories and personal memories that can help rebuild a record stret
Aug 25


Wrightbus backs Irish FA’s Galgorm football centre as supporters outnumber objectors
CGI of the proposed new Irish FA National Football Centre at Galgorm One of Ballymena’s biggest employers has thrown its weight behind plans for a major Irish FA National Football Centre at Galgorm, as the planning file shows around 110 representations supporting the development compared with 64 opposing it. Wrightbus has formally backed the proposed centre at Fenaghy Road, arguing that an investment of this scale could increase visitor numbers, support businesses across hosp
Aug 25


Wrightbus expertise helps propel hydrogen supercar to 406mph world record
Jo Bamford CBE flanked with the Ryze Power team - Head of Engineering Pratik Nayek, Head of Power at HydraB Steven Hardman and Ryze senior engineer Jay Acanthe. Ballymena bus manufacturer Wrightbus has played a supporting role in a remarkable feat of British engineering after a hydrogen-powered supercar smashed a world land speed record at more than 406mph. Wrightbus owner Jo Bamford CBE said expertise developed through almost a decade of hydrogen work helped provide the refu
Aug 12


Wrightbus gives London’s iconic Routemaster buses a new lease of life through major refurbishment programme
One of London’s famous red Routemaster buses undergoing extensive refurbishment by Ballymena headquartered Wrightbus London’s famous red Routemaster buses are being given a new lease of life through a major refurbishment programme led by Ballymena-based bus manufacturer Wrightbus. The latest bus to complete the programme has returned to passenger service after a comprehensive overhaul, with dozens more set to follow over the coming year as part of a project designed to extend
Jul 30


Wrightbus strengthens Transport for Wales partnership with new bus orders as Ballymena-built fleet hits the road
A growing partnership with Transport for Wales (TfW) has delivered another boost for Ballymena-based bus manufacturer Wrightbus, with a new fleet of buses now carrying passengers across Wales and further electric vehicles already on order. The latest milestone sees 14 new Wrightbus double-deck diesel buses enter service on the TrawsCymru network, while the company has also secured a contract to build six zero-emission single-deck electric buses for delivery in 2027. For Wrigh
Jul 22


Ballymena bus builder Wrightbus expands into Australia with major zero-emission push
Jo Bamford CBE, Executive Chairman of Wrightbus Wrightbus is expanding into Australia as the Ballymena-based manufacturer continues to grow its international footprint and strengthen its position as one of the world’s leading zero-emission bus makers. The move marks another significant milestone for the company, which this year celebrates its 80th anniversary and now has more than 3,000 zero-emission buses in service across the UK and Europe. It also follows a series of major
Jul 14


125 Ballymena-built Wrightbus electric buses to power Bee Network expansion in Greater Manchester
Another major order for electric buses has been placed with Ballymena manufacturer Wrightbus, strengthening the company’s growing role at the centre of the UK’s transition to cleaner public transport and securing further work for Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector. Transport for Greater Manchester has confirmed an additional order for 125 electric buses for the Bee Network, with the fleet to be built by Wrightbus as the region pushes towards a fully electric bus network
May 28


Wrightbus secures £7m Hong Kong deal for next-generation electric buses
A major new international deal has handed Ballymena bus manufacturer Wrightbus another boost in the global race for zero-emission transport, with the company securing a £7 million order from Hong Kong for its next-generation electric double-deck buses. The landmark agreement will see 20 of Wrightbus’s newly developed 6x2 StreetDeck Electroliner buses supplied to Hong Kong operator Citybus, marking the first global order for the new triple-axle model and strengthening the comp
May 20


Wrightbus growth surge puts Ballymena at centre of clean transport revolution
Inside Wrightbus during Manufacturing Month tour of its Ballymena site Wrightbus’s rapid expansion and growing global footprint have been hailed as a major economic boost for Ballymena and Mid and East Antrim, as local manufacturing leaders and council representatives toured the company’s flagship production facility during Manufacturing Month. The visit brought renewed focus to the scale of Wrightbus’s impact on the local economy, with the Ballymena-based manufacturer now pr
May 18


Heritage buses to roll out as Wrightbus launches 80th anniversary celebrations with Stormont rally
Pic: Phill McAlinney at Irish Transport Heritage Dozens of historic and modern buses will take to the roads of Northern Ireland this weekend as leading manufacturer Wrightbus marks the start of its 80th anniversary year with a major public rally culminating at Stormont. The large-scale event on Saturday, April 25 will see a convoy of heritage buses and coaches travel from the Ulster Transport Museum in Cultra to the Stormont estate, bringing together decades of engineering hi
Apr 21


Wrightbus explores self-driving future as Ballymena firm leads major UK transport innovation study
Factory floor, Wrightbus Ballymena Ballymena-based bus manufacturer Wrightbus is taking a leading role in a new UK Government-backed project exploring whether autonomous vehicle technology could help tackle some of the most urgent challenges facing public transport, including chronic driver shortages, rising costs, and the pressure to decarbonise services. The zero-emission bus manufacturer has been selected as lead partner in ASPIRE, one of just eight projects chosen under t
Apr 10


Allister brands overseas bus contract decision ‘outrageous’ in backing for Wrightbus
North Antrim MP Jim Allister at the wheel of a Wrightbus electroliner vehicle. North Antrim MP Jim Allister has sharply criticised the decision to award the bulk of a £45 million Scottish Government contract for zero-emission buses and coaches to a Chinese manufacturer, describing the move as “outrageous” and warning it represents a failure to support UK industry. The intervention comes as pressure continues to mount over the allocation of public funding away from domestic ma
Mar 31


Jo Bamford brands overseas zero-emission bus funding a ‘national scandal’
Jo Bamford, Wrightbus The owner of Ballymena-based Wrightbus has launched a sharp attack on the use of taxpayer-funded grants to support overseas manufacturers, branding the move a “national scandal” and warning it risks undermining jobs and investment in Northern Ireland. Jo Bamford, who rescued Wrightbus from administration in 2019 and helped transform it into one of the UK’s leading zero-emission bus manufacturers, spoke out after the Scottish Government allocated the lar
Mar 30


Ballymena’s Wrightbus named the UK’s top bus supplier on major public sector buying framework
Wrightbus manufacturing facility in Ballymena A major boost for Ballymena’s manufacturing sector has been announced after global bus maker Wrightbus was ranked the number one supplier on a key UK public sector procurement platform. The recognition places the Ballymena-based company at the top of the list for operators and local authorities purchasing buses and coaches with 36 seats and above, reinforcing its growing reputation as a leader in both zero-emission and traditional
Mar 18


Mulholland welcomes Wrightbus electric bus order for Greater Manchester’s Bee Network
North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham during his recent visit to Northern Ireland. North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland has welcomed confirmation that 55 new electric buses will be built in Ballymena for Greater Manchester’s Bee Network, describing the investment as a major vote of confidence in Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector and workforce. The buses will be produced by Ballymena manufacturer Wrightbus, with the order forming part of
Mar 17


Andy Burnham confirms 55 electric bus order during visit at Ballymena’s Wrightbus
(L-R) Christian Reynolds, Managing Director of Wrightbus; Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester; John McLeister, Wrightbus Sales Managing Director for UK and Ireland Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has confirmed a new order for 55 electric buses from Ballymena manufacturer Wrightbus, reinforcing confidence in UK manufacturing and strengthening the region’s growing zero-emission transport network. The announcement came during a visit to the company’s headquarters and
Mar 14


From Ballymena to net zero: Minister sees future of travel as 322 zero-emission buses hit roads
Minister Kimmins is pictured with Sarah Schaefer, ESG Director and John McLeister, Managing Director of Sales for the UK and Ireland The push to decarbonise Northern Ireland’s transport network took centre stage in Ballymena this week as Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins visited Wrightbus to see first-hand how the sector is shaping the journey to net zero. Touring the factory floor, the Minister met staff and viewed progress on zero-emission bus technology that is already
Mar 2


‘National pride matters’: Jim Allister urges UK to back British-made buses
North Antrim MP Jim Allister speaking in the House of Commons, and Wrightbus Ballymena-built Electroliners in service for Translink in Northern Ireland North Antrim MP Jim Allister has called on the UK Government to take decisive action to support the British bus manufacturing industry, warning that current procurement practices risk undermining one of the country’s most strategically important advanced manufacturing sectors. Speaking during a Westminster Hall debate on Tuesd
Jan 28


Wrightbus opens doors to future engineers with Apprenticeship Open Night and Insight Day
Leading UK manufacturer Wrightbus is opening its doors to the next generation of engineering and manufacturing talent as part of Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Week and National Apprenticeship Week, with two dedicated careers events at its Ballymena headquarters. The bus maker will host an Apprenticeship Open Night and a dedicated Insight Day, offering up to 60 individuals the opportunity to explore careers in advanced manufacturing and engineering across a wide range of dis
Jan 27
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