A fleet of brand-new, all electric buses bound for the Isle of Wight has been unveiled at Southern Vectis’ Nelson Road depot in Newport.
Purchase of the new buses has been made possible by an investment of 10.7 million GBP from Southern Vectis, 733,000 GBP from the Isle of Wight Council and additional funding from the Department for Transport’s ZEBRA 2 (Zero Emission Bus Regional Area) scheme.
Developed and manufactured by Wrightbus; the operator has stated that it hopes the buses will enable greener, cleaner journeys across the island.
Southern Vectis Managing Director, Ed Wills, said:Together with Isle of Wight Council, our team has worked incredibly hard to gain government support, under the ZEBRA 2 scheme, for this important initiative - which means we are welcoming the island’s very first electric buses.
I am delighted that Southern Vectis is now at the forefront of the nation’s sustainable transport. Buses are the perfect solution to improving air quality, and I’d urge people living here and visiting to use these new vehicles. This joint investment between DfT, Southern Vectis and Isle of Wight Council will ensure greener, better, journeys for our customers - and have a significant impact the Isle of Wight’s overall carbon emissions.
The event, which featured speakers including Wrightbus Sales Managing Director, John McLeister and travel journalist, Simon Calder, also served to act as a showcase for Southern Vectis’ depot in Newport, which has now been fully equipped with a new, comprehensive charging infrastruture.
