First investing £70m in 160 zero-emission buses
First Bus is investing £70m in a further 160 zero-emission buses in the West of England.
The investment is to grow the operator’s zero-emission local fleet to over 250 vehicles.
In partnership with the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, an additional £20m has been secured through the latest round of the DfT’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) funding scheme.
Following the electrification of Weston Island (Bath) and Lawrence Hill (Bristol) depots, four out of the company’s five regional depots are to be electrified by next year.
The West of England area will now be running 258 zero-emission vehicles, transporting over 750,000 passengers per week. 27 of the 160 vehicles will be re-powered diesel buses, a new solution to tackling climate change and improving local air quality.
“It’s been a tremendous joint effort from us and our combined authority partners to get here and we cannot wait to get these vehicles out into service” – Janette Bell, Managing Director for First Bus
Janette Bell, Managing Director for First Bus, said: “We’ve reached a significant milestone today as we invest further in our journey towards a zero-emission bus fleet. We’re thrilled that our people and customers in the West of England will benefit from government co-funding for these transformative projects. It’s been a tremendous joint effort from us and our combined authority partners to get here and we cannot wait to get these vehicles out into service.
“We already have over 1,000 zero-emission buses on the road serving our customers and this latest investment is another exciting step forward. I am delighted for our colleagues across the region as we continue our transformation of the fleet and the depots, and our customers who get to enjoy the benefits, from improved air quality to a smoother, quieter ride.
“We’re proud to continue to lead the way in sustainable mobility, and work with central and local governments across the UK to strive to meet our national decarbonisation commitments. With each milestone we’re one step closer to becoming a nation who loves and uses the bus.”