UK registrations of new buses, coaches and minibuses has grown 10.4% in 2025 to reach 9,259 units, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Zero emission vehicle uptake rose 62.2% in 2025 to 2,523 units, representing 27.3% of all new public transport vehicles joining the road. Scotland recorded the highest growth, up 162.3% to 1,188 units, in part driven by the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB), a government-backed programme designed to accelerate the shift to greener bus fleets.
The performance positions the UK as Europe’s largest zero emission bus market by a significant margin, due to government incentives such as the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) fund, which has assisted in accelerating the transition to cleaner, greener public transport across the country.
The SMMT called for ongoing investment to enable the continued renew of fleets at scale, as well as progress on grid connections to bus depots, and upgrades to power required for large-scale vehicle charging.
Growth for the year was driven by single and double-deck bus and coach deliveries, up 24.9% and 25.5% to 2,465 and 2,010 units respectively. Minibus uptake fell -0.7% to 4,784 units in 2025 as a result of a weak performance in the second half of the year. England accounted for 82.8% of the market, with registrations up 4.8% to 7,671 units.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:
“Strong growth in Britain’s bus, coach and minibus market is clear evidence of an industry committed to cleaner, reliable and accessible transportation for all. The substantial increase in the uptake of zero emission vehicles has been enabled by significant manufacturer investment and targeted government schemes, but momentum must be maintained.
“Upgrading bus fleets can be complex and costly – challenges that industry and government must address together so Britain can maintain its leadership in green public transport and accelerate our journey towards Net Zero.”
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