Originally aimed at the London market, the Metrocity is based on the Optare Versa which was introduced in 2009.

In the UK market, longer variants of the Metrocity have replaced the Optare Tempo SR. As at August 2018, over 250 had been built.

[7] A Switch Metrodecker EV equipped with Fusion Processing CAVstar autonomous technology entered service with First Berkshire & The Thames Valley on a month-long trial on a service operating between Didcot Parkway railway station and the Milton Park business and technology park in September 2023.

[8] London United were the launch customer for the MetroCity, taking delivery of four examples in April 2014.

[10] Other large orders have been made by New Adventure Travel, who received thirty diesel MetroCities,[11] and West Coast Motors, who purchased eleven between 2016 and 2017.