Transforming tomorrow’s 
infrastructure today.

Investing in essential infrastructure to move people and
progress forward—responsibly, sustainably, and globally.

About us

Together We Are Rock.

Rock develops, owns and manages essential infrastructure assets through its specialist companies, Rock Rail (2014) and Rock Road (2024). We are innovators and disruptors working with infrastructure investors to infrastructure users – driving cleaner, smarter, and more reliable infrastructure for the long term.

About us
Rolling Stock

Rock Rail

Rock Rail is a specialist developer and asset manager of sustainable rail fleets. With over £5 billion invested (across the UK and Germany) and hundreds of trains deployed, we enable passenger operators to retire diesel stock for electric and bi-mode alternatives – aligning performance, environmental, and financial goals.

  • Enabled long term institutional investors to invest directly into a new sector
  • Driven better value for government, operators and passengers
  • Extended the market for infrastructure finance
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Zero Emission Bus

Rock Road

Rock Road provides turn-key funding and management for zero-emission buses. With a flexible assets-as-a-service model backed by £100 m capital, operators can deploy battery fleets confidently, with assets managed to optimise performance and costs.

  • Absorbs the risk of battery replacement costs
  • Offers short term leases well-suited to support the rollout of bus franchising
  • Unlocks infrastructure-style debt from institutional funders
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About Us

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Rock Rail UK

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Rock Rail Germany

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Rock Road

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FAQs

Answers at a glance

Common questions about Rock 

What does Rock do?

Rock is the parent company of Rock Rail UK, Rock Rail Germany and Rock Road. We develop, own, and manage essential transport assets through our specialist companies, delivering innovative, value-enhancing solutions across essential infrastructure.

Rock consists of:

Rock Rail UK (2014): Focused on investing in managing passenger train fleets

Rock Rail Germany (2019): Expanding in Europe 

Rock Road (2024): Specializes in delivering zero-emission buses and road transport assets

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Sustainability is central to Rock. From zero-emission buses to energy-efficient trains, we design and manage transport solutions that reduce environmental impact, support cleaner travel, and help build a greener future.

Stay informed via:

  • Rock Group website and social media channels

  • Press releases and media coverage from Rock Rail and Rock Road

  • Industry publications

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Driving Net Zero: How Rock Road 
Is Funding the UK’s Bus Transition

Accelerating the shift to clean, affordable, zero-emission transport

Year
2025
Category
Rock Road
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The Challenge

The UK bus network is at the heart of everyday travel – but over 30,000 diesel buses still need replacing to achieve a fully zero-emission fleet.

While around 5,000 battery-electric buses are already on the road, the high upfront cost of electric vehicles and depot electrification continues to slow the transition. Traditional funding routes — such as government grants or short-term bank finance – have helped start the journey but cannot support decarbonisation at the scale required.

A new, sustainable funding model was needed: one that could attract long-term capital, spread costs fairly, and give operators and authorities confidence in the future.

The Solution

In 2021, Rock launched Rock Road to deliver exactly that –  applying its proven infrastructure financing approach from the rail sector to the UK’s clean bus revolution.

Working with Aviva, the National Wealth Fund, and HSBC, Rock created a dedicated investment platform that channels infrastructure-style finance from pension funds and institutional investors directly into zero-emission bus projects.

This model provides:
  • Access to billions in long-term private capital for fleets and depot electrification.
  • Low-cost, sustainable finance tailored to public-sector needs.
  • Comprehensive risk transfer, including residual value and battery performance, supported by Rock’s in-house team of engineers and asset managers.

Impact

The platform has already raised £100 million, with capacity to scale to £1 billion per year over the next decade – providing a consistent source of affordable capital for local authorities and operators.

Rock’s model ensures that the total cost of ownership (TCO) of electric buses can now be lower than diesel equivalents, thanks to both cheaper long-term finance and reduced operating costs.

In London, Rock has financed 120 zero-emission buses under 7-year leases aligned with Transport for London’s contract lengths. This structure gives operators flexibility and certainty:

  • Buses can be returned, renewed, or upgraded at the end of term.
  • Lease rates are predictable and capped.
  • Ownership and residual risks sit with Rock, not the operator.

The Future

Rock Road’s ambition is to support the rollout of zero-emission fleets across the UK – helping local authorities and operators meet climate goals without overextending public budgets.

By leveraging limited government funding to attract large-scale private capital – for example, £10 million of public investment unlocking over £250 million in total funding – Rock’s model accelerates decarbonisation while keeping costs low for the public sector.

Our ambition is to make electric buses the default choice - not because of subsidy, but because they are the best economic and environmental option.
Louis Swindell
Commercial Director, Rock Road