The Just Transition Commission welcomes the close collaboration between different levels of government, as well as constructive engagement with trade unions, to address the proposed closure of operations at Alexander Dennis Ltd.’s Falkirk site and suspension of production at Larbert.

As a major manufacturer of zero-emission buses, Alexander Dennis Ltd. can have a critical role to play in achieving a just transition in Scotland, as we invest in improving our public transport. The company has a proud industrial heritage in the Falkirk area that goes back more than a century and is deeply rooted in the community.

Job losses in this sector would be a major blow to the regional economy at a particularly sensitive time, following the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery and while the renewal of the industrial site through Project Willow is at a relatively early stage.

We call on all stakeholders to work together positively towards a solution that avoids any cliff edge for workers, supports the retention of jobs at Falkirk and Larbert and manages any changes with due regard to just transition principles. This should include specific measures to achieve a long-term solution, such as furlough, to support constructive progress and avoid a disorderly and unjust transition.