CARLISLE’S new commercial vehicle dealership aims to be open in April next year – bringing with it 27 jobs to the area.

The largest Ford dealer group in Europe, TrustFord, is looking to expand its offering in the city by opening up a second site at Rosehill Industrial Estate after plans were approved in August.

It will serve as a base for TrustFord’s commercial operations, complimenting its existing car centre in Kingstown.

The upcoming dealership, located off Park Road, will offer a wide range of Ford’s commercial vehicles, including the Ford Ranger, Transit models, and Ford’s Courier and Connect vans, effectively establishing a 'one-stop shop' for commercial fleet customers. 

Glen Kennington, regional director for the north, said the opening in the city brings the firm closer to their ambition of ‘covering the whole country’ where they have already established a presence in the likes of London, Yorkshire, Bristol and more recently, Aberdeen and Glasgow.

How the site at Rosehill Industrial Estate is shaping up. How the site at Rosehill Industrial Estate is shaping up. (Image: MBell)

“It’s a standalone commercial site because we recognise the volume we do on commercial, we want to have our fleets and customers at touchpoint wherever they are in the country,” he said.

The site is expected to display 25 to 30 new vehicles, as well as up to 40 used commercial vehicles.

It will also feature a range of electric vehicles (EVs), including the new Ford Ranger PHEV, making the dealership 'as much about new products as it is about a new dealership.'

In addition to vehicle sales, the new site will operate as a service centre for both cars and commercial vehicles.

Carlisle general manager, Mike Bell, said the new site will create employment opportunities for those local to the area, with recruitment set to begin in December.

“There will be opportunities for everyone, from vehicle technicians (all of which will be fully EV trained) and drivers to sales executives and managers. There will be plenty of opportunities to be part of Trustford,” he said.

Jobs will be posted on the TrustFord website starting next month.

Currently, TrustFord employs 24 people at its Kingstown site, and with the addition of the new dealership, its Carlisle workforce will exceed 50 employees.

The firm has also sponsored Carlisle United and looks to continue to support Eden Valley and Jigsaw, Cumbria's Children Hospice going ahead. They have also recently partnered with Cumbria's Chamber of Commerce.