logo
Bus manufacturer enters administration after loss of Alexander Dennis contract

Bus manufacturer enters administration after loss of Alexander Dennis contract

STV News10-07-2025
A Fife-based bus manufacturer has made 81 employees redundant after it entered administration.
Workers at Greenfold Systems Ltd in Dunfermline were previously put on notice of potential job losses as a knock-on effect of bus company Alexander Dennis planning to pull out of Scotland.
Around half the staff on site were working on parts for the Larbert-based company.
On Thursday, Callum Carmichael and Michelle Elliot of FRP Advisory, together with Shona Campbell of Henderson Loggie LLP, were appointed as administrators.
The company employed a total of 90 staff, with nine staying on a short-term basis to complete a customer contract.
Callum Carmichael, joint administrator of Greenfold Systems Ltd and partner at FRP, said: 'Greenfold Systems was a well-regarded business that had carved out a specialist role in the commercial vehicle supply chain.
'Unfortunately, the loss of a major customer contract had an immediate and severe impact on its financial position. Our priority now is to support the affected employees and to maximise returns for creditors.'
Graeme Downie, Labour MP for Dunfermline and Dollar previously wrote to First Minister John Swinney about the threat of job losses at Greenfold. STV News GSL Around half the staff on site were working on parts for Alexander Dennis.
He believes the 'lack of action' shown by the SNP leader is 'unacceptable'.
The MP said: 'First and foremost, this news is devastating for the workforce and their families, and my office is here to help in any way we can to get people the support they need to find work.
'This news today is not the fault of the management or the staff at Greenfold Systems who have worked tirelessly to maintain a viable business.'
'I warned the First Minister of exactly this impact on the supply chain as a result of the failure of the SNP to support bus manufacturing in Scotland.
'It is unacceptable that the First Minister has taken no action and hasn't even had the courtesy to reply to my letter, instead seeming content to let the workers at Greenfold suffer the consequences of his government's action, or lack of action. '
The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.
Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘I should be living independently – but I can't afford it'
‘I should be living independently – but I can't afford it'

The National

timean hour ago

  • The National

‘I should be living independently – but I can't afford it'

The full-time worker's inability to buy or rent her own place is ­highlighted as it was claimed that planning permission for build to rent and student accommodation ­outstrips affordable housing by over 20 to one in the city. Liz Davidson is just one of the many people affected by Glasgow's housing emergency. She has lived in Partick since she was five years old but says there is no way she could ­afford the new housing currently being built in the area. 'There are two developments ­going on near where I live, neither of which is at all affordable to me,' she said. READ MORE: Scottish Government minister joins march in support of Palestine 'I work a full-time job and they would want about 75% of my ­wages for a one-bedroom flat. Because of this, I've had to make the hard ­decision to stay living with my gran in her flat, which is a social home. 'At 37, I should be living independently and starting a family but I can't afford to. That's not my shame, it's Glasgow City Council's. They seem to think they're above the rules when it comes to building affordable housing.' The National Planning Framework 4's requirement is that all developments include 25% affordable homes or provide 'commuted sums' to help pay for infrastructure. However purpose built student ­accommodation is exempt from the rule, making it more attractive to ­investors. Campaign group Living Rent claim developments of purpose built ­student accommodation (PBSA) and build to rent in Glasgow outstrip ­affordable housing by 23 to one. They say only 447 units of affordable housing (mid-market rent and ­social housing) were approved between February 1 2023, and March 1 2025, while 53.7% of all applications granted planning permission are for PBSA developments in Glasgow. The majority of build-to-rent and PBSA developments are in the city centre, without any affordable ­housing units. The figures show that the ­council could be doing much more to ­alleviate the housing crisis, Living Rent claims. Only two developments by private corporations had an ­affordable ­housing contribution, one of 15% and the other of 13%, the Living Rent study says. In addition, the researchers could find no evidence of Glasgow City Council agreeing commuted sums for build-to-rent or private developments that failed to provide the 25% affordable housing component. The council declared a housing emergency in November 2023 ­citing an 'overwhelming increase' in ­homelessness. READ MORE: I went to the 'first legal wedding' at the Edinburgh Fringe – here's what it was like As of September 2024, there were more than 7000 people living in ­temporary accommodation, of which 3100 are children. This is costing the city £36 million a year for B&B spend, a 40% increase over the last three years. Glasgow has also seen a 22% ­increase in homelessness applications in the year from September 2023 to 4241. This is not helped by the rise in private rental prices. Since 2010, rent has increased 81.8% for a two ­bedroom property, over 30% above inflation (50%). Bianca Lopez, a Living Rent's spokesperson, said Glasgow was quickly becoming a city that ­prioritised the interests of developers over the wellbeing of its residents. 'Glaswegians don't need more student accommodation or expensive build-to-rent,' she said. 'We need ­social and affordable housing. 'Across Glasgow, people are ­being forced out of their communities, pushed into poverty and, in some ­cases, made homeless by the shortage of affordable places to live. 'Our report exposes the hypocrisy of Glasgow City Council and their failures to take action on ­affordable housing, despite announcing a ­housing emergency. 'It's unbelievable that the ­council has chosen to prioritise private ­developers' profits over the homes that Glasgow so badly needs.' Lopez said the council needed to prioritise affordable homes in its planning system and shift the balance away from unaffordable tenures such as PBSA and build to rent. 'It needs to implement the 25% ­requirement in NPF4 across the board. Only then will it be able to deliver the social and affordable housing that Glasgow deserves,' she said. What is the council saying? A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: 'We do not recognise these figures. Around a half of all homes built in Glasgow every year are affordable/social, and comparing student rooms to new homes with a number of bedrooms is not comparing like for like. In Glasgow, there is a very high proportion of social homes built compared with the figures for any other Scottish or UK local authority.' The spokesperson added that ­planning applications did not lead to a development. 'If a housing association puts in a planning application for a development of social/affordable homes, then it will have support for funding and will in all likelihood be built out,' he said. 'This is not always the case for PBSA or build to rent.' However Living Rent said this was ignoring the 'fundamental point' of their research. 'The council is trying to pull the wool over our eyes by citing past data and ignoring the fundamental point of what our research says: their ­planning approvals are favouring ­unaffordable housing which will push up rents and push us out of the city centre,' said a spokesperson. 'Unless action is taken now, ­Glaswegians who have lived here their whole lives will be forced out by high rents and a lack of social housing. Glasgow needs social and affordable housing developments to be prioritised not PBSA and build-to-rent developments. 'If the developments that have received planning approval go ahead or developments seeking approval are granted permission, Glasgow and particularly the city centre would become increasingly gentrified. 'Our city centre will be a playground for the rich, all the while enabling foreign investment funds huge returns.' With regards to comparing student accommodation with other housing developments, Living Rent said it would be wrong to count a student development as one unit when it contained hundreds of beds. 'Many social housing developments did not specify the number of beds, so the 'unit' metric is imperfect but the closest way to compare what is being approved,' said the spokesperson. 'Even if we assume that a social home is on average 2.5 beds, approved purpose-built student accommodation and build-to-rent developments still vastly outstrip social and affordable housing by eight to one.'

ScotRail rolls with it in busiest 2025 week as Oasis fans flock to Edinburgh
ScotRail rolls with it in busiest 2025 week as Oasis fans flock to Edinburgh

The Herald Scotland

time3 hours ago

  • The Herald Scotland

ScotRail rolls with it in busiest 2025 week as Oasis fans flock to Edinburgh

That total was up by almost a fifth (19%) compared with the same day last year. Meanwhile, a total of 327,000 travellers took to the rails on Saturday, with passenger numbers for that day 12% higher than the same date in 2024, up 12% on 2024. ScotRail added that these days were the busiest its services had been since December 14 last year, when the festive season was in full swing. With the third Oasis concert taking place in the capital on Tuesday August 12, ScotRail said it had carried a total of 1,995,000 people over the week commencing Friday August 8. David Ross, chief operating officer at the rail operator said: 'This week once again confirms that ScotRail is increasingly the travel mode of choice for people going to large events in Scotland. 'The fact that we've just delivered the busiest week of 2025 so far shows how important large concerts and events are to our business and the Scottish economy. 'Our frontline staff once again delivered an excellent service for almost two million customers who chose to travel with ScotRail.'

Protest groups clash outside Scots asylum seeker hotel as cops shut down town centre road
Protest groups clash outside Scots asylum seeker hotel as cops shut down town centre road

Scottish Sun

time3 hours ago

  • Scottish Sun

Protest groups clash outside Scots asylum seeker hotel as cops shut down town centre road

DEMO DRAMA Protest groups clash outside Scots asylum seeker hotel as cops shut down town centre road Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A PROTEST group has clashed with anti-racism campaigners outside a Scottish asylum seeker hotel. Stand Up to Racism Scotland, Falkirk Trades Union Council and residents said they organised the demonstration today to show that refugees are welcome in the town. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 A protest group has clashed with anti-racism campaigners in Falkirk Credit: Getty 4 Stand Up to Racism Scotland organisers arranged a peaceful counter-protest Credit: Getty 4 Cops are in attendance at the scene this afternoon Credit: Getty 4 Dozens of demonstrators from each group stood on opposite sides of the road Credit: Getty It comes after the group Save Our Future & Our Kids Futures announced plans to hold a protest outside the hotel known as the Cladhan. In a social media post the group said it is "standing against uncontrolled illegal immigration, with people being placed in our communities without transparency, accountability, or consultation". It added: "This is not about hate, racism, or division. This is about safety, justice, and standing up for the people of Falkirk who deserve better." Dozens of demonstrators from each group stood on opposite sides of the road outside the hotel, with police keeping them separate. Protesters, some waving Union flags, chanted "send them home" and anti-racism demonstrators responded with chants of "refugees are welcome here" and "this is what community looks like". Stand Up to Racism Scotland organisers said: "We are organising a peaceful counter-protest to stand in solidarity with refugees and to say that they are welcome." They described it as a "safely stewarded community event with music, speeches from the local community, the trade union movement, local campaigns, faith groups and others". Demonstrators held placards with messages such as "stop the far right", "refugees welcome" and "migrants make our NHS". On the opposite side of the road protesters held signs with messages such as "go home", "enough is enough" and "we want our country back". In a previous statement Save Our Future & Our Kids Futures said it was not "anti-refugee" or "anti-migrant" but is "against a broken asylum system that is impacting communities across the UK, including Falkirk". Refugee rights campaigner praises Scots for taking a stand The group said: "We are not affiliated with any far-right groups, nor do we promote racism, hate, or division." The Home Office did not wish to comment. Police said that Kemper Avenue in Falkirk is closed due to protest activity which began at around 11am. A spokesperson for the force said: "Officers are in attendance and engaging with those involved. "Motorists are advised to use alternative routes."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store