First Bus has completed work on its all-electric Roundtree Way bus depot in Norwich.
This depot is home to 59 Wrightbus double-decker electric buses, with a further 11 electric single-decker Wrightbus models also set to arrive by the end of the month.
Piers Marlow, Managing Director of First East of England, said:We are incredibly proud of the work that’s been done here at Roundtree Way. Simultaneously running a busy bus depot and construction project has been tough at times, but it has been worth it.
These vehicles are absolutely fantastic - not only from a sustainability and air quality perspective, but they are great for our customers, as well as our drivers and engineers, and we’re already receiving lots of positive feedback.
In total, First Bus has invested 37.2 million GBP in infrastructure and buses to electrify its Roundtree Way depot and fleet. This includes 14.7 million GBP of Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) government funding awarded with Norfolk County Council, alongside a capital investment of 22.5 million GBP from First Bus.
With this new bus fleet, over half of the Norwich network operated by First Bus is now electric. Meanwhile, its Roundtree Way operations mark the first complete zero-emission commercial bus fleet to run in England outside of London.
Jean-Marc Gales, CEO at Wrightbus, said:“We are delighted to partner with First Bus in the drive to zero-emission public transport and to have played our part in helping them develop one of the first all-electric bus depots in the country.
First Bus, like us, is at the forefront of new and exciting technology, and our partnership enhances the reputation we have forged in playing an important part in the UK’s ambitions for decarbonisation.
Our buses are designed with customer comfort in mind and offer a high-spec interior full of innovative features. We have great ambitions both in the UK and across Europe to have many more of our buses on the roads helping with the drive to decarbonisation of public transport.
