Verstehen
West Yorkshire's new Weaver Network electric buses take shape in factory
Überblick
A fleet of 193 fully electric double-decker buses for West Yorkshire's publicly controlled Weaver Network is currently being manufactured at a factory in Ballymena. Funded by a £100m Department for Transport grant, the buses will feature custom local fabrics and are set to operate in parts of Leeds and Kirklees from next year as part of the region's bus franchising rollout led by Mayor Tracy Brabin.
Wichtige Punkte
- A fleet of 193 fully electric double-decker buses is being built at the Ballymena factory for West Yorkshire's Weaver Network.
- The £100m project is funded by the Department for Transport and represents one of the largest new bus orders outside London.
- Bus franchising allows the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to control routes, timetables, and ticket prices, replacing previous private operators.
- Seat fabrics are manufactured by Camira Fabrics in Meltham, featuring designs inspired by local textile heritage and regional artists.
- The first contracts to run services have been awarded to FirstBus and TransDev, causing concern for some smaller local operators like Square Peg.
- The new buses are expected to enter service in Kirklees and parts of Leeds starting from April next year.