Grado reprises viral Ally McCoist impression as £5m Glasgow Airport Express fully electric fleet is unveiled
First Bus will operate the Glasgow Airport Express for five more years
Scottish comedy legend, Grado, has brought back his iconic Ally McCoist impression to help launch Glasgow’s first fully electric and zero emissions bus shuttle route between the city centre and the airport.
The new fully electric Glasgow Airport Express is launching with a brand-new look and feel, offering a premium 24-hour service taking travellers from the city centre to the airport in as little as 15 minutes as part of a five-year contract extension for First Bus to run the service.
The fully electric service represents an investment of over £5m and consists of 11 brand new electric double decker buses from First Bus, creating a new ‘Electric Avenue’ between the airport and the city centre and marking a significant step in advancing premium sustainable transport options for the city and reducing carbon emissions.
Reprising his impression which shot to fame after McCoist recognised AC/DC over the speaker system while commentating, Grado heralded the launch of the new buses, commentating on the ‘electric atmosphere’ at Glasgow Airport and lauding the ‘electrifying runs’ that will have fans of new buses celebrating.
The Scots star even gave a nod to the original clip by recognising electric music on board the Airport Express and playing the electric air guitar just as McCoist famously did. Holidaymakers jetting off from the airport during launch on May 1 will also have the chance to win travel vouchers, Glasgow Airport Express tickets, and goody bags, handed out by Grado himself.
Passengers on the new buses will also be able to take advantage of onboard charging facilities and storage racks to make journeys to and from the airport as comfortable as possible.
The buses are part of First Bus's ongoing commitment to enhancing the city's public transport system with greener alternatives. The new electric vehicles will ensure that travellers can enjoy cleaner, more eco-friendly journeys while contributing to the city’s Net Zero target of 2030.
Sharing his excitement about the campaign, Grado commented: “When I heard about the idea, I just thought it was a brilliant way to let folk know about this great new addition to Glasgow’s public transport network. You’re always buzzing when you’re going off on your holidays and it’s even better now knowing you can get to the airport in a way that’s helping the environment.
“It’s a win-win for everyone. Absolutely Shuperb!”
Graeme Macfarlan, Commercial Director at First Bus, added: “We’re thrilled to launch Glasgow’s first fully electric bus route from the city centre to the airport and what better way than with one of the city’s biggest characters, Grado. The five-year contract extension to operate the Glasgow Airport Express signifies a major step in our commitment to sustainable transport and reducing our carbon footprint in Glasgow and beyond. We are excited to offer both locals and tourists the opportunity to experience firsthand how dedicated our city is to embracing greener, eco-friendly solutions.”
Ruth Cousin, Surface Access and Ancillaries Director at AGS Airports, which owns and operates Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports welcomed the new fleet.
She said: “These new state-of-the-art electric vehicles will be a great upgrade to First Buses fleet servicing Glasgow Airport.
“The vehicles will play an important role in supporting our continued commitment to create more sustainable travel options for our passengers and the buses will play a significant role in further reducing carbon emissions locally at the airport.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
About First Bus
At First Bus, we’re on a mission to grow bus usage – so we’ll get behind initiatives that move people out of cars and onto the bus.
We’re one of the UK’s largest bus operators, transporting more than 1.5 million passengers a day. Our local bus services serve more than 25% of the population of Great Britain and over half of the UK’s top 15 most populated urban areas.
We are a leading operator in the majority of our local areas, including major urban centres such as Glasgow, Bristol and Leeds.
We have proudly launched our First Bus London operation and now operate 83 routes in west and central London from 10 garages serving 180 million passengers annually.
The combined operation now manages a fleet of over 5,750 buses across the UK.
Transforming our business for the better, we’re putting our people and customers at the heart of everything we do. That’s why we’re the UK’s largest national bus operator to achieve real Living Wage employer status, cementing our position as an employer of choice in the sector.
First Bus is committed to operating a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035. We will have over 1000 zero-emission buses in operation across our UK fleet by the end of 2025.
We’re passionate about giving back to the communities we serve, which is why we’re helping local businesses to progress their decarbonisation journeys – giving them access to our charging hubs while our buses are on the road.
We also operate, Specialist Passenger Solutions, First Travel Solutions, York Pullman Bus Company, Lakeside, Ensignbus, Anderson Travel - and the Aircoach network and Matthews in Ireland.
First Bus is a division of FirstGroup.
Find more information on our website here: https://news-scot.firstbus.co.uk/
About Glasgow Airport
Glasgow Airport is owned and operated by AGS Airports Limited which is held by AviAlliance, one of the world’s leading private industrial airport investors and operators.
With 20 airlines serving around 100 destinations worldwide, including North America, Europe and the Gulf, Glasgow Airport is one of Scotland’s principal international gateways.
Glasgow Airport is a key component of Scotland’s transport infrastructure. The airport supports over 30,000 jobs and generates £1.44 billion GVA annually for the Scottish economy.
Founded in 1997 and acquired by the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) in 2013, AviAlliance has a long track record of traffic growth, operational excellence and superior passenger experience as well as investment in its airports. AviAlliance has an international airport network, currently managing stakes in Aberdeen, Athens, Düsseldorf, Glasgow, Hamburg, San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Southampton airports. For more information visit www.avialliance.com.