Jobs boost for Rochdale bus manufacturer

As a result of Greater Manchester’s approach to re-taking control of its public transport services, hundreds of brand-new buses are being built across the UK, in turn creating skilled opportunities for young people starting out their career.

One local firm benefitting is Mellor. The Rochdale-based company has built buses that are now in service in the town and is building other buses that will operate in the south of Greater Manchester from 5 January 2025.

Mellor is building 28 buses, 21 of which are currently in service and the remaining 7 will be brought into service next year.

As the first area to bring buses back under local control in almost 40 years, Greater Manchester can now set the standards for buses and make sure passengers are travelling on the best vehicles possible.

On Thursday 17 October,  the Mayor of Greater Manchester visited the company to see new buses roll off the production line and meet some of the apprentices whose roles have been created thanks to Bee Network bus orders.

The orders have supported the creation of 15 new apprentice roles. This builds on the hundreds of buses – totalling tens of millions of pounds, delivered and ordered for the Bee Network. This demonstrates how investment in public transport – in this case the Bee Network, can deliver jobs.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Greater Manchester is proving the case for change when it comes to public transport.

“As the first area to re-take control of our buses in almost 40 years, we are keeping fares down, improving the reliability and standard of buses and getting more people back onboard through the Bee Network.

“We are also proving how investment in public transport supports economic growth, not just in Greater Manchester but across the UK, with franchise contracts and bus orders helping to secure jobs and deliver new ones – like those at Mellor in Rochdale.

“I was particularly pleased to meet the young apprentices with bright futures ahead of them and who are benefitting thanks to the Bee Network, and as we develop our plans to transform technical education through the MBacc, we want to encourage even more young people into the industry.”

The new fleet is serving smaller local estates and communities, with the compact buses specifically designed for narrower roads in more rural and outlying areas. These areas were often not prioritised by operators before franchising, with companies tending to target busier, more profitable routes. 

By improving services to areas that were previously overlooked, the new buses play a crucial role in connecting people to local services, work and leisure opportunities.

The apprentices receive on-the-job training, working alongside a highly skilled workforce who often act as mentors, along with a college day release programme to back up what they’re learning.

It’s all part of the Greater Manchester Mayor’s vision to transform technical education, with work underway to create clear pathways for young people into diverse, skilled careers offered by the creation of the Bee Network MBacc pathway.