Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, has today (22 March 2024) announced the winners of £143m Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) programme.

The fund sees 25 councils win a share of the money, which will be invested in 955 buses. Rural areas have been prioritised in this second tranche of ZEBRA funding, with the first £40 million for rural communities.

The south west is to receive the largest share of the funding, with £43,400,000 due to go to the region to pay for 352 buses. The second biggest share is to go to the south east, which is set to receive £30,200,000 for 179 buses (see below for a breakdown of how much each region is due to receive).

Today’s investment follows over £270 million to 16 Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) and councils from the first round of ZEBRA funding, bringing the total government support to roll out zero-emission buses to more than £413 million across 41 LTAs.

Over half of electric buses from the first round of the ZEBRA scheme are manufactured in the UK.

The new zero-emission buses follow £4.7 billion of reallocated HS2 funding invested directly into the North and Midlands through the Local Transport Fund.

“This latest investment into our bus fleet comes on top of the £3.5 billion we have invested into our bus network since 2020″ – Transport Secretary, Mark Harper

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said: “As part of our plan to improve local transport across the country, we’re providing a further £143 million to improve journeys for bus passengers particularly in rural areas, with almost a thousand brand new, zero-emission buses due to hit the road.

“This latest investment into our bus fleet comes on top of the £3.5 billion we have invested into our bus network since 2020, protecting and improving bus routes into 2025 as well as extending the £2 bus fare cap until the end of 2024, made possible by reallocated HS2 funding.”

“The transition to a zero-emission bus fleet is a huge opportunity for Britain to lead the world in creating a modern zero emission bus network” – Alison Edwards, Director of Policy & External Relations at the Confederation of Passenger Transport

Alison Edwards, Director of Policy & External Relations at the Confederation of Passenger Transport, said: “CPT welcomes this latest allocation of £143m from Government to help accelerate vital public and private investment in new zero emissions vehicles and charging infrastructure.

“We also welcome Government’s recognition of the particular difficulties faced by rural areas in moving to zero emission bus fleets, as set out in CPT’s Rural Zero Emission Bus Taskforce’s (RZEBT) recent report.

“The transition to a zero-emissions bus fleet is a huge opportunity for Britain to lead the world in creating a modern zero emission bus network that offers a growing number of passengers one of the most sustainable forms of transport.”

“…it’s heartening to see rural communities being prioritised” – Silviya Barrett of Campaign for Better Transport

Commenting on the funding announcement, Silviya Barrett of Campaign for Better Transport said: “This is welcome news for communities around the country, and it’s heartening to see rural communities being prioritised. Clean, modern, accessible buses for all, including in often-overlooked rural areas, will be important to achieving a greener, fairer transport system.”

Who gets what?

 

North West

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority - £9,400,000, 58 buses

North West total: £9,400,000, 58 buses

North East

Tees Valley Combined Authority - £7,400,000, 62 buses

Transport North East - £7,400,000, 43 buses

North East total: £14,800,000, 105 buses

Yorkshire and the Humber

Hull City and East Riding of Yorkshire Council - £5,700,000, 40 buses

Yorkshire and the Humber total: £5,700,000, 40 buses

East Midlands

Derbyshire County Council - £5,100,000, 57 buses

Leicestershire County Council - £8,100,000, 46 buses

Nottinghamshire County Council - £2,800,000, 23 buses

West Northamptonshire Council - £9,400,000, 51 buses

East Midlands total: £25,400,000, 177 buses

West Midlands

Staffordshire County Council - £3,100,000, 17 buses

Warwickshire County Council - £4,300,000, 27 buses

West Midlands total: £7,400,000, 44 buses

South West

Cornwall Council - £1,300,000, 8 buses

Devon County Council - £5,300,000, 41 buses

Gloucestershire County Council - £5,900,000, 58 buses

North Somerset Council - £2,100,000, 24 buses

Plymouth City Council - £9,500,000, 50 buses

Somerset Council - £2,200,000, 25 buses

Torbay Council - £7,100,000, 49 buses

West of England Mayoral Combined Authority - £6,600,000, 74 buses

Wiltshire Council - £3,400,000, 23 buses

South West total: £43,400,000, 352 buses

South East

Brighton and Hove City Council - £2,900,000, 16 buses

Essex County Council - £4,800,000, 55 buses

Isle of Wight - £4,500,000, 22 buses

Surrey County Council – £3,200,000, 19 buses

West Sussex County Council – £10,100,000, 43 buses

Reading Borough Council - £4,700,000, 24 buses

South East total: £30,200,000, 179 buses

ENGLAND TOTAL

£142,800,000

955 buses