Jobs boost thanks to new buses

13 May 2013 12:05 PM

A manafacturing plant has opened in Northern Ireland to build the chassis for the New Bus for London.

The order for 600 state-of-the-art hybrid buses is set to safeguard 220 jobs - including 50 new roles and 18 apprenticeships - at the Wrightbus factory in County Antrim.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who formally opened the new plant, said the family-run company's expansion highlights how investment in the city's transport system can boost economic growth throughout the UK.

Latest research, carried out by Transport for London, found that work on improving the city's transport supports 59,000 jobs across the UK.

The Mayor explained: 'The programme of transport improvements we want to see in the Capital is bursting at the seams with job generation potential, and that is why protecting investment in London transport should be the Government's top priority as they consider how best to conduct this summer's spending review.'

As well as the manufacture of the chassis and superstructure in Northern Ireland, a number of components are being made by companies around the UK including engines from County Durham, seats from Shropshire, seat covers from Yorkshire, wheelchair ramps from Hertfordshire, and flooring from Cornwall.