Stagecoach London Rolls out Electric Macmillan Bus

Stagecoach may be best known for getting millions of passengers from A to B every week. Still, now the United Kingdom’s largest bus and coach operator is also carrying a powerful message of hope and support.

Wrightbus

At York Raceday, the company lifted the curtain on a brand new electric double deck painted in unmistakable Macmillan Cancer Support green. It is no ordinary fleet addition. This bus is a rolling memorial to Martyn Henderson, a much-loved Assistant Operations Manager at Romford Garage who died of cancer in July 2017 and whose gratitude to Macmillan inspired a legacy that continues to grow.

A Fleet-Wide Mission

Back in 2018, Stagecoach London introduced its first Macmillan-themed vehicle on route 86 between Stratford and Romford. The distinctive livery was more than a paint job. It was a prompt for conversations about early diagnosis screening and the wide range of support Macmillan offers. QR codes inside the saloon direct passengers to cancer guidance in more than ten languages, making the resource as inclusive as the route itself, which slices through one of the most diverse corners of East London.

Five years on, the numbers tell their own story. Drivers, engineers, and depot staff have laced up their running shoes, organised football tournaments, and brewed gallons of coffee, all in aid of Macmillan. The running total now stands comfortably north of one hundred and fifty thousand pounds, a figure that would have surprised the modest man who sparked it all.

Why It Matters Technically as Well as Symbolically

The latest chapter is the arrival of a Wrightbus Electroliner. On paper, it is a zero-emission vehicle capable of an impressive duty cycle on London’s stop-start routes. In practice, it is Stagecoach London’s statement that social responsibility and environmental responsibility can share the same driveline. British manufacturer Wrightbus sponsored the special wrap, ensuring that the green message reaches streets and passengers without dipping into the charity pot.

Wrightbus

The Electroliner joins a steadily growing cohort of battery buses across the capital. Its permanent magnet traction motors deliver instant torque, which translates into brisk acceleration and quieter departures from bus stops, a boon for both schedule keeping and street-side residents. Overnight depot charging at Romford will see the vehicle topped up using renewable electricity sourced through Stagecoach Group’s energy purchasing scheme. That means every mile is powered without tailpipe emissions and without fossil fuel electricity upstream.

Voices From the Partners Keeping the Wheels Turning

Paul Lynch, Managing Director of Stagecoach London, said:

“Martyn’s story continues to inspire us every day. This new electric Macmillan bus not only honours his memory but also demonstrates our commitment to sustainability and community support. We’re proud to continue this journey in his name.”

Victoria Wright, Macmillan Relationship Fundraising Manager – London, said:

“Stagecoach exemplifies what it means to be a true charity partner. The funds they’ve raised and the awareness they continue to generate are making a profound, life-changing difference in our community.

Today, cancer care is facing some of the greatest challenges of our time. With nearly 3.5 million people currently living with cancer in the UK, a number that continues to rise. The need for support has never been more urgent. Stagecoach plays a vital role in driving our mission forward, helping us spark a revolution in cancer care now and for generations to come. It’s a privilege to work alongside them.”

Jean-Marc Gales, Wrightbus CEO, said:

“We have long supported Stagecoaches’ inspiring Macmillan fundraising efforts and we were only too pleased to sponsor the wrapping of the new bus in Martyn’s memory. We hope it helps to raise funds and awareness for a very worthy cause.”

What It Means for the Wider Industry

Charity liveries are nothing new, yet the Stagecoach London example offers a template worth studying. First, the bus is in regular service,ce not parked in a museum corner, so the message reaches fare-paying passengers rather than the transport cognoscenti. Second, the fundraising mechanism lives on board through QR codes, avoiding the clutter of leaflets. Third, the operator has aligned the cause with its decarbonisation trajectory, meaning the story resonates with policymakers who expect social value alongside emission cuts.

Wrightbus

The transport sector is under pressure to prove relevance in a world of remote work, electric ca, and on-demand everything. Partnering with health charities gives operators a chance to remind passengers that buses are community infrastructure, not just rolling seating. The fact that an electric bus costs less to run and maintains driver morale by reducing cabin noise is icing on a cake that is already rich in goodwill.

Looking Ahead

Stagecoach London is not resting. Future plans include equipping more buses with dynamic adverts that rotate through awareness messages in multiple languages, refining the QR code journeys for older smartphones, and creating a depot-level volunteering portal so shift workers can donate time even if they cannot make the next half marathon.

For the technical teams, the Electroliner serves as a live testbed. Engineers will monitor battery degradation under urban stop-start conditions and share data with Wrightbus to refine second-generation packs. Operations planners will analyse duty cycles to see whether similar vehicles could displace diesel on other high-profile routes that pass hospitals and health centres.

Wrightbus

The ultimate tribute to Martyn Henderson may be that his name lives on in a partnership that delivers cleaner air, better health awareness and a constant nudge that even the humble bus commute can be part of a much bigger story.