[Falkirk, 18.07.2025] Falkirk MP and Co-Chair of the British Buses All-Party Parliamentary Group, Euan Stainbank, has called on the UK Government to take immediate steps to protect hundreds of skilled jobs at Alexander Dennis, warning that the loss of one of Scotland’s last major manufacturing employers would be a “devastating blow” to the region’s economy.
In a joint letter to Simon Lightwood MP, the Minister for Local Transport, Mr Stainbank and Brian Leishman MP (Alloa and Grangemouth) set out a clear, three-part plan to keep the company viable and secure its future in Falkirk and Larbert.
The intervention follows a welcome statement from the Prime Minister at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, in which he confirmed that: “We are working with mayors and local leaders to develop a pipeline of orders,” and that “The Minister for Local Transport is hosting an urgent meeting of the bus manufacturing expert panel.”
Mr Stainbank said:
“The Prime Minister’s comments are promising that the UK Government will play its part in taking urgent action to save jobs. The time to act is now, before we lose yet another core industry in Falkirk.
“Alexander Dennis is not just a world-class bus manufacturer—it’s one of the largest private employers in our region. If it goes, the impact on families, communities and our local economy will be catastrophic.”
The letter outlines three urgent asks of the Government ahead of the expert panel meeting:
- A pipeline of orders totalling 70 buses in 2025 and 320 buses in 2026 allocated to Alexander Dennis’s Falkirk and Larbert sites, ensuring production levels and job retention.
- A short-term furlough scheme for a minimum of 18 weeks to support staff during the gap between any confirmed orders and the start of production.
- Procurement reform to strengthen support for UK manufacturers under the 2023 Procurement Act—specifically using the powers to permit authorities to exclude non-treaty state competitors, such as those from China, whose market share has grown rapidly since 2023.
Mr Stainbank warned that the combined loss of Alexander Dennis and the threatened closure of the Grangemouth refinery could inflict long-term damage far beyond the immediate job losses.
Mr Stainbank added:
“The economic failure to maintain a zero-emission bus manufacturer in Scotland would be an industrial failure of the new. We are urging both Governments to follow up on their engagement and record investment in English city transport and quickly and decisively support the solution required to keep these jobs in Falkirk.”
The MPs are calling for clear actions to be quickly articulated by both governments and the company and are working closely with trade unions and local leaders to ensure the voice of the workforce is heard at every stage.
Mr Leishman said:
“There is no time to delay, both Governments must work together to secure the future of bus manufacturing in Scotland.
“This is yet another huge industrial issue in the area and losing more jobs just simply does not bear thinking about.
“Euan Stainbank and I will continue to press everyone involved to find a solution that keeps these vital jobs in the area.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- The letter that Euan Stainbank MP (Falkirk) and Brian Leishman MP (Alloa and Grangemouth) sent to Simon Lightwood MP, the Minister for Local Transport is available here.
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