Weaver Network: £90m Bus Vote as Leeds Rollout Nears

Combined Authority members decide on 30 July whether to fund the balance of a 193-bus order and up to 63 more, ahead of franchising reaching Leeds from May 2027

West Yorkshire’s political leaders will decide next week whether to commit a further £90m to new buses for the Weaver Network, the region’s incoming publicly controlled transport system. The money would cover the balance of an already-ordered fleet of 193 electric buses and potentially 63 more, taking total vehicle investment across the first two rounds of franchising to just over £120m for 256 buses. Combined Authority members vote on Thursday 30 July. For Leeds businesses, the more significant date is May 2027, when franchising first reaches part of the city.

Why This Matters For Leeds

Staff who can get to work on time and customers who can reach city centre and district businesses depend on a network that runs predictably, whilst franchising puts route and fare decisions in public hands for the first time in four decades. For smaller operators there is direct opportunity in the tiered contracts, and for Yorkshire suppliers like Camira there is work attached. The bigger prize is integration: buses, rail and eventually mass transit under one system, which is what makes the city genuinely easier to do business in.

What the Weaver Network Money Buys

The £90m would fund the remainder of a contract signed in May with Wrightbus, worth up to £100m, for 193 single and double-deck electric buses built at the manufacturer’s Ballymena plant. Delivery runs in stages from spring 2027 to late 2028, with a possible further 63 vehicles joining the fleet in round two. Across all three rounds of franchising, the programme is expected to deliver around 576 new buses in total. There is a Yorkshire element to the supply chain: Huddersfield textiles manufacturer Camira Fabrics is producing the seat upholstery for the entire fleet. Each vehicle will carry two wheelchair spaces, flexible areas for pushchairs and luggage, and USB charging points.

“Dozens of state-of-the-art electric buses are on the production line as we speak, while work is ongoing to bring depots and facilities into public control.”

— Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire

What It Means for Leeds

Leeds is split across the rollout. Round one, from May 2027, covers services primarily in Kirklees, Dewsbury, Huddersfield and one of two Leeds zones. Round two follows in early 2028 taking in Five Towns, Wakefield and further parts of Leeds, with the network fully franchised by late 2028. The change itself is substantial: from next year the Combined Authority, rather than private operators, sets timetables, fares and routes, with fare revenue reinvested in services. There is an opening for smaller businesses too. Contracts are tiered, with Tier A aimed at large bus companies and Tiers B and C at SMEs and independent local operators and 25 operators had joined the bidding market by last October. For employers, the Weaver Network’s promise is more predictable journeys for staff and customers.