Latest news with #MellorBus
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Guardian
Minibuses for rural routes are in production
It was interesting to read the letter (13 June) from Mike Parker regarding rural buses, making the argument that minibuses suitable for rural routes should be manufactured. And that such a business would be ideal for an entrepreneur. Ironically, it was only a few days before that letter, on 4 June, that Rachel Reeves made her transport funding announcement of £15.6bn from the premises of Mellor Bus in Rochdale, which, along with its sister company, Treka Bus in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, make a range of buses, including 16-seater ones suitable for rural routes. Mellor and Treka are both part of the Woodall Nicholson group. That group's business was acquired in 2023 by a Belgian entrepreneur, Guido Dumarey, to add to his portfolio. So there are suitable buses and there is an entrepreneur – let's hope he keeps those businesses manufacturing in the UK. It is a pity that the chassis used for the buses are of European origin (Mercedes and Iveco/Fiat) as there are no UK manufacturers of suitable chassis – now there's an opportunity. But, as both Ford and DAF stopped making that type of chassis in the UK years ago, I can't see any obvious candidate. Maybe Renault/Stellantis would or could make one available from their Ellesmere Port factory. Richard BramallSheffield Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
The Herald Scotland
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Reeves set to extend £3 bus fare cap until 2027
Instead, it will continue across England until March 2027 as the Government seeks to ease cost-of-living pressures on the public. The Government has previously said that, without the cap, fares could rise by as much as £12 for a journey between Leeds and Scarborough, or £5.50 for a ticket between Hull and York. Rachel Reeves delivers a speech as Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander (second right) and Andy Burnham (right), Mayor of Greater Manchester, look on during a visit to Mellor Bus in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, earlier in June (Peter Byrne/PA) A Treasury source said: 'We understand the cost of living is a priority for the British people. That is why we are investing in Britain's renewal to make working people better off.' But the Liberal Democrats criticised the decision not to return to the £2 cap that had been in place between January 2023 and December 2024. The increase in the cap was announced at the budget in October, with the Government arguing the lower rate was not financially sustainable, although some metro mayors decided to fund an extension of the £2 cap in their areas. Lib Dem transport spokesman Paul Kohler said: 'Household budgets are still really feeling the squeeze, so many will be really disappointed to see that the Government is moving to make the bus fare hike permanent. 'This will hit those who rely on public transport to get around to their local high street or to work and school in the pocket. People have been telling them they got this wrong, but Labour clearly isn't listening.'
Western Telegraph
10-06-2025
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Reeves set to extend £3 bus fare cap until 2027
As first reported by the Mirror, the Chancellor is understood to be preparing to announce an extension to the cap beyond the end of 2025. Instead, it will continue across England until March 2027 as the Government seeks to ease cost-of-living pressures on the public. The Government has previously said that, without the cap, fares could rise by as much as £12 for a journey between Leeds and Scarborough, or £5.50 for a ticket between Hull and York. Rachel Reeves delivers a speech as Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander (second right) and Andy Burnham (right), Mayor of Greater Manchester, look on during a visit to Mellor Bus in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, earlier in June (Peter Byrne/PA) A Treasury source said: 'We understand the cost of living is a priority for the British people. That is why we are investing in Britain's renewal to make working people better off.' But the Liberal Democrats criticised the decision not to return to the £2 cap that had been in place between January 2023 and December 2024. The increase in the cap was announced at the budget in October, with the Government arguing the lower rate was not financially sustainable, although some metro mayors decided to fund an extension of the £2 cap in their areas. Lib Dem transport spokesman Paul Kohler said: 'Household budgets are still really feeling the squeeze, so many will be really disappointed to see that the Government is moving to make the bus fare hike permanent. 'This will hit those who rely on public transport to get around to their local high street or to work and school in the pocket. People have been telling them they got this wrong, but Labour clearly isn't listening.'
Daily Mail
07-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 'Rachel Reeves looks exhausted. She can't deliver': Labour ministers drip poison to DAN HODGES on why the Chancellor is doomed... and tell the woeful reason she thinks it's all gone wrong
It was the expression that spoke for a nation. As Rachel Reeves delivered her speech on new transport investment, workers at the Mellor Bus factory in Rochdale appeared less than impressed. And when she embarked on a lecture about the Treasury Green Book, one increasingly desperate employee looked as if he was contemplating making a break for it and hurling himself into the River Roch. Asked at the end of her address what they thought of Reeves's announcement, one of his colleagues simply responded: 'My legs ache.'
Daily Mail
04-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Chancelbore of the Exchequer: Weary factory workers steal the show in the background at Rachel Reeves' trains and spending speech
Rachel Reeves made a serious speech about a serious subject in Rochdale today, vowing to to pour money into local public transport and revealing she will U-turn on cuts to winter fuel payments. But staff at Mellor Bus didn't appear to be gripped by her lengthy address. Lined up behind the Chancellor of the Exchequer at their site in in Rochdale, Greater Manchester they appeared pretty disinterested in proceedings. Ms Reeves spoke and took questions for almost an hour, during which it was the staff's display of ennui that caught the eye of people watching. Some remained totally passive as she blamed the Tories for looming spending curbs and talked up £15.6billion of capital investment for mayoral authorities in the North and Midlands. But others appeared restless as the event dragged on, catching the eye of those watching on social media. One quipped: 'Poor guys now looking bored, fidgeting, swallowing yawns. Not a great visual.' And another added: 'I wonder how much productivity is lost by these seemingly daily and horribly lengthy sermons by Starmer/Reeves, etc?! 'Company employees standing around, clearly bored to tears and not working! Mad!!' A common feature of recent political speeches by ministers - also including the PM - is a row of workers from whichever manufacturing site they have chosen as a backdrop. Keir Starmer was similarly backed by a huge crescent of workers in Glasgow on Monday as he unveiled the strategic spending review. The package unveiled by Ms Reeves includes funding to extend the metros in Tyne and Wear, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands, along with a renewed tram network in South Yorkshire and a new mass transit systems in West Yorkshire. The borrowing-funding splurge on major investment is being overshadowed by intense haggling over day-to-day budgets. Ms Reeves is due to announce spending plans for the next three years in a week's time, but several Cabinet ministers have yet to reach settlements with the Treasury. Tensions with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper surfaced today with warnings that cuts for police will mean some crimes effectively being ignored. Ed Miliband is also embroiled in horse-trading over Net Zero funding, while Angela Rayner is said to be holding out over cash for housing and local government. Economists have been warning that Ms Reeves faces having to hike taxes again and break her fiscal fules, with demands for defence spending heaping more pressure on the government's books. In her speech, the Chancellor said: 'Over the next week you will hear a lot of debate about my so-called self-imposed fiscal rules. 'Contrary to some conventional wisdom, I didn't want to come into politics because I care passionately about fiscal rules. 'I came into politics because I want to make a difference to the lives of working people, because I believe as strongly now as I did when I was inspired to join the Labour Party almost 30 years ago that every person should have the same opportunities to thrive and to succeed.'
