Latest news with #AlexanderDennisLtd
Daily Record
18-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Future of bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis Ltd could have 'profound impact' on West Lothian communities
Gregor Poynton MP urged the Scottish Government to take immediate action Gregor Poynton MP has urged the Scottish Government to take immediate action to safeguard the future of bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis Ltd and the livelihoods of its workers. The Livingston MP has written to Scotland's First Minister John Swinney and Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop. The move follows the announcement that Alexander Dennis, based in Falkirk, intends to shift manufacturing operations to England—placing hundreds of skilled Scottish jobs at risk. In recent years, Alexander Dennis Ltd has played a critical role in delivering low and zero-emission buses for public transport networks across the UK. The company has supplied over 160 vehicles for Greater Manchester's Bee Network, while the Scottish Government has placed an order for 44 buses out of a potential 252 under its own zero-emission bus scheme. The majority have been awarded to manufacturers based outside Scotland. However, Deputy Fist Minister Kate Forbes confirmed that Alexander Dennis Ltd has received £58 million of Scottish Government subsidies for zero-emissions buses since 2020 under the scheme and its predecessor. In his letter, Mr Poynton said: 'The potential loss of these highly skilled jobs would have a profound impact on local communities, including many constituents within the Livingston constituency. 'The transport industry is a cornerstone of our economy and an essential service in the daily lives of people across Scotland. Supporting a Scottish-based manufacturer of low-emission and zero-emission buses aligns not only with economic priorities but also with our shared goals around sustainability, skills retention, and fair work. 'Beyond the immediate impact on jobs, we must also consider the wider ramifications for Scotland's industrial future. The loss of another major employer represents a setback for our national economy and undermines the skills and experience we have worked so hard to foster. It is vital that a comprehensive strategy is put in place to support the workforce, safeguard jobs, and prevent further industrial decline.' The MP emphasised the far-reaching implications of further industrial decline for communities across the central belt. He added: 'We must act swiftly and decisively to support Alexander Dennis and secure the future of bus manufacturing in Scotland. 'It is astounding that a company so clearly aligned with the Scottish Government's policies on net zero, green jobs, and sustainable transport is not being prioritised in public procurement. Instead, contracts are being awarded to firms based outside of Scotland, risking the future of our own workforce.' Scotland's Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes responded: 'The absolute focus right now is on supporting Alexander Dennis Ltd its workforce, as well as the families and communities they support. We also recognise the significance of the company within the local economy and across the wider supply chain. 'The Scottish Government has committed to exploring all viable options throughout the consultation period to allow the firm to retain their hard-working employees and manufacturing and production facilities at Falkirk and Larbert. 'We will continue to work in close collaboration with the company, trade unions, Scottish Enterprise, Transport Scotland and the UK Government. 'Since 2020, Alexander Dennis Ltd secured orders for more zero emission buses than any other single manufacturer through the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund and its predecessor the Scottish Ultra Low Emission Bus Scheme. Alexander Dennis Ltd has received £58 million of Scottish Government subsidy for vehicles under these programmes.'
Daily Record
14-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Alexander Dennis closure risks leaving communities 'hollowed out' as union calls for public ownership
EXCLUSIVE: The GMB warned repeated job losses across Scotland's manufacturing sector risks leaving communities "hollowed out". A trade union has called for a Scots bus manufacturer to be nationalised if a rescue deal cannot be agreed to prevent 400 job losses. Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL) announced last week plans to shutter its two factories in Camelon and Larbert and centralise its operations in Yorkshire. The move would bring an end to more than 100 years of bus building in the Falkirk district and comes just weeks after the closure of the oil refinery in nearby Grangemouth. The GMB trade union has today warned that repeated job losses across Scotland's manufacturing sector risks leaving communities "hollowed out". Louise Gilmour, the union's Scottish secretary, branded the threatened closure "absurd" given the demand for more environmentally friendly vehicles. John Swinney last week blamed strict procurement rules on state subsidy on why the Scottish Government was not able to place more orders with the Falkirk-based firm. ADL recently completed work on more than 160 new buses for the Greater Manchester combined authority, which brought bus services back under public control. But buses remain privatised across Scotland - meaning companies can choose to order cheaper imports from China instead of ordering from the UK. In a letter to Swinney and Ian Murray, the Scottish Secretary, Gilmour warned communities were being "hammered". She said: "It is absurd that a country with a bus network as extensive as Scotland's is not able to sustain its only bus manufacturer. "In the long term, procurement rules must be reviewed placing a clear and considerable preference on domestic manufacturing. An industrial strategy which mandates domestic manufacturing content is also needed. "Both governments have a role in delivering this. The public ownership of Scotland's bus networks to place this emphasis in procurement must now be fast tracked. "However, the short-term future of the sites must be secured urgently. Promises of leaving no stone unturned have been heard by our members before. "Our members do not need warm words. They need a strategy with a backbone. If required, the public ownership of the site must be an option." The union chief also said the GMB had written to ADL last month with an offer to work together to secure the Scottish sites, which was rejected by the firm. She added: "The planned closure of these sites are in addition to job losses at Tarmac in East Lothian and the closure of Aggregate Industries in North Lanarkshire as both companies seek to move operations to England. "It also follows the closure of Grangemouth. So not only is Scotland's manufacturing base being hollowed out, these losses are hammering communities in the Falkirk area. "Our members have seen contract after contract for buses go overseas. Our buses are built in China whilst our ferries are built in Poland. They have seen more orders from Manchester local authorities than they have from Scotland. "It is not party political to point this out – it is a fact and a reflection of the clear failures to heed warnings from trade unions. It has only been a few months since Scottish jobs were lost from Alexander Dennis. This should have been foreseen and prevented." The Record asked the Scottish and UK Governments for comment.
