Translink orders 100 electric buses from Wrightbus

Northern Ireland bus operator Translink has ordered 100 electric buses from Wrightbus – including 60 for the Belfast Metro Network and 40 for the Ulsterbus network operating outside Belfast. All the new electric buses are due to start operating in summer 2024.

According to the partners, the buses ordered are partly examples of the double-decker StreetDeck Electroliner and partly units of the GB Kite Electroliner solo bus. The exact split between the bus models is not known. The Northern Ireland government is significantly involved in the financing: It is funding the procurement of the vehicles and the associated charging infrastructure with 88 million pounds (about 102 million euros).

Translink is the largest operator of buses in Northern Ireland and began introducing zero-emission vehicles in March. Since then, 100 electric buses have gone into service on the Belfast Metro public transport network. This mainly covers the city of Belfast and some neighbouring towns. With the 60 more electric buses planned for the network, a good half of the Belfast Metro service fleet will be emission-free, according to Translink.

Translink also operates 1,100 buses in the province of Northern Ireland under the Ulsterbus label. 40 of the newly ordered electric buses will be made available for this service “in the North West, Coleraine and Craigavon”.

The buses will be assembled by Wrightbus in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. The manufacturer is well back in business following its insolvency in 2019. Among other things, Wrightbus agreed a framework contract with Ireland’s National Transport Authority in the summer. This provides for the delivery of up to 800 battery-electric double-decker buses over a period of five years. In Germany, Regionalverkehr Köln (RVK) had also recently placed an order with Wrightbus for 20 guaranteed and 40 optional hydrogen-powered buses.

bbc.com, wrightbus.com, translink.co.uk, infrastructure-ni.gov.uk