Ballymena firm Wrightbus gets order for 48 London buses

The Ballymena-built buses will be used by Stagecoach services operating in London

Bus-builder Wrightbus has secured a new order to deliver 48 zero-emission buses for use in London.

The double deck Electroliner buses will be operated by Stagecoach and are due to be ready by the end of this year.

It is the latest big contract secured by the County Antrim firm, which won a £25m deal last month to supply 117 electric buses for use in England.

Ian Gillott from Wrightbus said the new order was significant for the Ballymena manufacturer and the wider economy.

"It strengthens the reputation we have forged in the zero emission transport sector and will help play an important part in the UK's ambitions for decarbonisation," he said.

"Our electric buses - the GB Kite Electroliner BEV and the StreetDeck Electroliner BEV, which is the world's most efficient double deck battery-electric bus - are manufactured and assembled at our Ballymena factory, which means support for jobs in Northern Ireland and wider across the UK through our domestic supply chain."

Stagecoach engineering director Sam Greer said: "The investment we are making in zero-emission vehicles will support our strategy to having a zero-emission bus fleet across all our operations by 2035."

Louise Cheeseman, Transport for London's director of buses, said: "With the help of partners like Wrightbus we are transforming the bus network and London's air quality to build a better, greener city for all Londoners."

Haulier signs deal for major Belfast warehouse

Logistics firm Manfreight, based in Craigavon, County Armagh, has signed the lease on a new £9m warehouse, which is being funded by Belfast Harbour.

The 50,000sq ft temperature-controlled facility is part of the port infrastructure investment programme.

Built by Newry construction company Felix O'Hare and Co it is due to be completed next year.

It will be the first warehouse in Northern Ireland to be constructed to BREEAM Excellent environmental standards.

A BREEAM assessment looks at how the project shapes up on issues including waste, pollution, management and land use and ecology.