The Harrogate Bus Company has placed orders valued at 21 million GBP to purchase 39 electric buses and the related depot equipment to convert its entire fleet of buses in North Yorkshire to electric power.
These orders are supported by 7.8 million GBP from the government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.
This funding was awarded following a successful bid from North Yorkshire Council in partnership with the operator’s parent firm, Transdev.
Transdev Managing Director Henri Rohard said:We’re delighted to launch our depot and bus electrification project. It is an important evolution in the quality and sustainability of our network in and around our home town of Harrogate.
All our bus fleet will be renewed in the process, giving our Harrogate Bus Company the most modern and passenger oriented network.
To electrify its fleet, The Harrogate Bus Company has purchased 20 Mercedes-Benz E-Citaro electric single-decker buses. These will be used on its busy urban route 1 between Harrogate and Knaresborough, route 7 connecting Harrogate, Wetherby and Leeds, and rural route 24 between Harrogate and Pateley Bridge.
In addition, it has ordered 19 Alexander Dennis Enviro 400EV electric double-decker buses that will be used to relaunch route 36 between Ripon, Harrogate and Leeds.
By Spring 2024, these models will join the operator’s existing eight Volvo 7900E electric buses.
North Yorkshire Council’s Executive Member for Highways and Transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said:We are delighted to see that our successful bid for government funding is helping to transform bus travel in and around Harrogate.
We look forward to continuing to work with Transdev on this project. It’s great news for passengers and an important step towards achieving our climate aims.
The new vehicle orders follow successful trials of several types of electric buses on routes in and around Harrogate.
During these trials, customers rated key design features and provided feedback that has been incorporated into the specifications of the new buses.
