Final buses arrive in fully-electric Route 111

Abellio has launched the final vehicles which complete its electric fleet on Route 111 in West London.

The new fleet are Wrightbus Electroliners based at Abellio’s Twickenham depot. They are designed with similar specification to Abellio’s Route 63. The buses have high back seats throughout, making longer journeys more comfortable. USB chargers and mobile phone holders are featured in the seats allowing customers to stay connected while traveling.

Seating has been designed to be comfortable and accessible with priority seats highlighted and a larger wheelchair and buggy area. Digital signage on board the buses shares a range of real-time information, including the time to the next stop, disruptions, space on the next bus, and service updates for Tube, Overground, and DLR services. There is dedicated signage for the wheelchair area, making it easier for customers in this space to access the information they need.

The electrification of the Twickenham depot has been completed sensitively, noting that the building is itself a piece of London’s transport history having opened in 1902, originally housing trams and trolleybuses. UK Power Networks fast-tracked the delivery of 3.8 megawatts of electricity capacity to the depot through its Green Recovery scheme, working with Abellio Bus London and TfL.

Jon Eardley, Managing Director of Abellio London said: “We are delighted that our 111th EV bus has started service in London on route 111. Abellio is leading the way in providing cleaner and more comfortable electric transport for our customers. We are incredibly proud of this milestone moment for our business.”