Oxford Bus introduces electric Wrightbus on Bicester route
Go-Ahead-owned Oxford Bus Company has launched a Wrightbus Electroliner GB Kite on its Bicester Village – Bicester North shuttle service.
The electric bus has 38 seats and a 454kwh battery pack, as well as an expected range of more than 200 miles per day on a single charge.
The Bicester Village shuttle service has been operated by Oxford Bus Company since 2020. It connects Bicester Village Station and Bicester North Station to each other, as well as giving a direct connection to the Village as part of the service.
The service, which is jointly funded by Value Retail Plc and Chiltern Railways, operates 364 days per year, whenever Bicester Village is open, to provide a sustainable mode of transport for visitors and staff.
Oxford Bus Company was recently awarded a further three-year contract to operate the shuttle service and the additional Park & Ride bus service, which serves Bicester Village on busier shopping days, until April 2027.
“The investment in launching an electric vehicle into the shuttle service is another exciting step forward in the partnership for the greater benefit of visitors to Bicester Village and the wider community” – Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director
Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director, said: “It is fantastic to see our relationship with Bicester Village and Chiltern Railways go from strength to strength based on shared values and a commitment to providing joined-up, sustainable travel solutions.
“The investment in launching an electric vehicle into the shuttle service is another exciting step forward in the partnership for the greater benefit of visitors to Bicester Village and the wider community.”
Earlier this year it was announced that Oxford will host the biggest fleet of electric buses in the UK, outside London. The £82.5 million project will deliver 159 new battery-powered buses into service in Oxford and fund two associated electric charging hubs at the city’s bus depots.
The project has been funded via a collaboration between Oxfordshire County Council and bus operators Oxford Bus Company, owned by The Go-Ahead Group and Stagecoach. The Council was awarded £32.8 million from the government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme and contributed £6 million directly, while bus operators invested £43.7 million.