Over 200 new low and zero-emission buses for Liverpool City Region

Bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis has announced that it has been selected by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as the supplier for at least 207 new low and zero-emission buses, in the latest round of vehicle procurement ahead of the region’s start of franchised bus services.

The firm order is worth £57m and includes 117 low-emission Enviro400 double-deckers, 60 low-emission Enviro200 single-deckers in two vehicle lengths, and 30 zero-emission Enviro100EV. The contract includes options for additional vehicles. If fully exercised, these could increase the number of buses to 357 at an investment value of £95m.

All new buses will be fully built or completed in Britain to the City Region’s high specification for the ‘Metro’ bus network and delivered in 2027.

They will join 109 low-emission Enviro200 that have been delivered in time for the start of the first tranche of franchised services in St Helens and the Wirral on 6th September 2026, and 58 zero-emission Enviro400EV double-deckers that Liverpool City Region Combined Authority procured from Alexander Dennis earlier.

The Liverpool City Region’s new Enviro400 and Enviro200 low-emission buses will use Alexander Dennis’s SmartPack efficiency technology, which combines engine stop/start with e-cooling and auxiliary load management, to reduce emissions by 18 to 24 per cent compared to conventional Euro V models.  They could be converted to electric operation in the future through the manufacturer’s AD Repower service.

Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “We are completely renewing our fleet with ultra-modern, accessible buses that give our residents the premium, reliable experience they deserve. This is about building a fully integrated transport network that is fit for the future. We are creating a system that connects our communities seamlessly – making public transport the first choice for the 1.6 million people who call the Liverpool City Region home.

“From Autumn 2026, when St Helens and Wirral lead the transition into public control, we will finally have the power to design a network that puts passengers first. Combined with our new battery-powered trains, electric buses, and our brand-new Mersey Ferry, we are modernising every corner of our transport network to drive our region forward.”

Matthew Lawrence, head of franchising and bids for Alexander Dennis, said: “We are delighted that the Liverpool City Region found our bids to be the most commercially advantageous in four of the six lots available in this latest procurement, taking the total number of buses the City Region has ordered from us for its franchised fleet to around 400.

“Work will soon begin to build these buses in our UK factories in the North of England and Scotland, showing how investment in bus franchising provides wider economic benefits for communities across the country. We are working closely with the social value team at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to demonstrate the value being brought to the local area through these orders.”