GB News investigation examines BYD’s growing role in London’s red bus fleet

Published by London · London · 4 days ago

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GB News reported that nearly 1,200 buses in London were manufactured by BYD, a Chinese company whose name stands for “Build Your Dreams”, as of March 2025. The report raised questions about the company’s growing presence in the capital’s transport network, particularly as electric vehicles become more widely used. The broadcaster said that BYD has been designated by the United States as a “Chinese military company”, although BYD rejects that designation. GB News suggested that the issue was relevant to London because Chinese-made vehicles and technology may have an increasingly important role in public transport and other everyday systems. Commenting on the report, presenter Dawn Neesom described the situation as “terrifying” and “frightening”. She referred to Chinese-made electric vehicles and also mentioned the planned Chinese “mega embassy” in London. Co-presenter Sam raised the question of whether the use of such vehicles was limited to the capital or reflected a wider trend across the country. GB News said it asked Transport for London whether it or bus operators control software updates on BYD buses, and whether BYD gives notice before updates are made. TfL did not directly address those questions in the quoted response. A spokesperson said that all buses entering service in London must meet “robust technical requirements” and that TfL is committed to rigorous testing. The story is relevant to London because its bus network is central to daily travel across the city. It highlights questions about procurement, vehicle technology and oversight as London continues to use electric buses.