When Greater Manchester took the bold step to bring buses under local control, the decision was about more than transport. It was a commitment to integration, the idea that when public authorities set the vision and operators deliver with precision, the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
The network is now proving that franchising can deliver simpler fares, coordinated timetables and a consistent standard of service across a whole region.
With franchising powers expanding, the question is no longer if change will happen, but how quickly we can scale the benefits, and whether we seize the chance to build something genuinely world-class.
We know what it takes to make that leap. From Paris to Perth, and Stockholm to Southern California, our teams operate 24,000 buses and coaches worldwide – 5,600 of them already running on alternative fuels. That experience matters. The º£½ÇÊÓƵ’s opportunity is not just to run more buses, but to reimagine how they integrate with trams, trains and other modes into a seamless, low-carbon network.
The political will for cleaner fleets is clear. But electrifying or hydrogen-converting a bus network isn’t just about buying new vehicles, it’s about rewiring depots, retraining staff and managing a complex energy supply chain. Our Energy Transition Centre of Excellence exists to help cities get that right first time. In France, we’ve deployed smart charging systems that shave peak electricity demand by up to 40%. In Sweden, 100% of our bus and coach fleet runs on alternatives to diesel. And in California’s Foothill Transit, we’ve pioneered hydrogen fuel-cell buses capable of covering the longest and hilliest suburban routes.
The same thinking can be applied here, accelerating Manchester’s ambition to make its network entirely zero-emission while ensuring the transition supports local jobs and supply chains.
But a greener bus is only as good as the network it’s part of. Businesses know that transport efficiency feeds directly into economic productivity – delayed deliveries and missed meetings cost money.
Any transformation on this scale needs a workforce ready to run and maintain the new systems. That means targeted apprenticeships, advanced driver training and modernised depots.
At KeolisAmey Metrolink, our Manchester tram team employs nearly 1,000 people and has developed a pipeline of local talent through apprenticeships, graduate schemes and grassroots recruitment. The same principles can supercharge the bus sector.
In September, Manchester will play host to the seventh annual º£½ÇÊÓƵ Bus Summit. This is a chance for political leaders, transport authorities and operators to discuss how to scale the franchising model, fund the zero-emission transition and embed genuine multi-modal integration. Clean, connected and commercially sound public transport is within our grasp. The challenge, and opportunity, is to move from pilot projects to nationwide practice. As an operator with both deep local roots and global expertise, we stand ready to help power the º£½ÇÊÓƵ’s next clean-travel chapter.
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