UK Bus Market Achieves Record Growth in 2024
Key Ideas
- UK's bus and coach market experienced a second consecutive year of growth in 2024, reaching its best performance since 2008.
- Registrations of buses, including minibuses, increased by 70.1%, with the majority of the volume composed of minibuses.
- The zero-emission bus market also thrived, with the UK leading in ZEV bus registrations in Europe, showing a 35.5% increase in demand.
In 2024, the UK's bus and coach market witnessed significant growth, marking its best year since 2008, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The market saw a 70.1% increase in registrations, with 8,390 buses, including a substantial number of minibuses, joining the country's roads. Single and double-decker bus deliveries also saw notable growth percentages. The report highlighted robust demand in all segments, with minibuses more than doubling and accounting for over half of the market. Particularly noteworthy was the zero-emission bus market's performance, with the UK leading in ZEV bus registrations in Europe. The ZEV market saw a 35.5% increase in demand, driven by increased model availability. The SMMT Chief Executive praised the sector's recovery, emphasizing the positive impact of government funding in achieving net zero goals and improving air quality through sustainable public transport.