The UK Department for Transport (DfT) has announced a 25.3 million GBP investment to support the production of British-made Wrightbus electric buses.
Thanks to this funding, 117 new electric buses will be rolled out in Yorkshire, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Hampshire, where they will be operated by First Bus.
Norfolk County Council will receive 11.5 million GBP to help deliver 55 additional zero-direct-emission buses, while Portsmouth City Council and Hampshire County Council will receive 6.2 million for 28 vehicles.
In addition, West Yorkshire Combined Authority will receive 5.7 million to deliver 25 electric buses and the City of York Council will receive 1.9 million GBP for the purchase of 9 additional buses.
These vehicles will join 193 Wrightbus buses that were ordered by First Bus last year.
Janette Bell, Managing Director at First Bus said:We are delighted to be accelerating investment in the electrification of our bus fleet and infrastructure, supported by co-funding from the Department for Transport.
As leaders in sustainable mobility, we are fully aligned with the Government’s ambitions for a net-zero carbon transport system. We are rapidly transforming our business with zero emission bus fleets and will continue to work closely with central and local government across the UK to deliver our decarbonisation plans.
This announcement marks an additional investment from the government’s Zero Emission Buses Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme, which was launched in 2021.
The government has now contributed almost 300 million GBP towards the purchase of up to 1,395 zero-emission buses in England.
Roads Minister Richard Holden said:Buses are the most popular form of public transport, and these new British-built zero emission buses will support hundreds of high-quality manufacturing jobs in Northern Ireland, grow our economy and help clean up the air in towns and cities across the country.
We’re providing an additional £25.3 million to roll out 117 new buses to provide residents in Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Portsmouth with better, cleaner and quieter journeys, as we step up a gear to reach net zero faster and level up transport across the country.
