First Bus invests further £70m in zero-emission bus operations expanding electric fleet in West of England
- £70 million investment in additional 160 zero-emission buses
- Partnered with West of England Mayoral Combined Authority to secure an additional £20million of Government co-funding
- The new zero-emission fleet will run through air quality hot spots in Bristol, as well as operating in Bath.
- Half of the First Bus West of England fleet will be zero-emission vehicles.
First Bus is investing £70m in a further 160 zero-emission buses in the West of England, growing the First Bus zero-emission local fleet to over 250 vehicles.
In partnership with the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, an additional £20m has been secured through the latest round of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) funding scheme.
Following the electrification of Weston Island (Bath) and Lawrence Hill (Bristol) depots, four out of the company's five regional depots will be electrified by next year.
The West of England area will now be running 258 zero-emission vehicles, transporting over 750,000 passengers per week. 27 of the 160 vehicles will be repowered diesel buses, a new solution to tackling climate change and improving local air quality.
Each zero-emission bus will reduce carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) by 75 tonnes a year compared to the existing diesel fleet. This investment in Bristol and Bath is part of a wider First Bus decarbonisation commitment to operation a 100% zero-emission fleet by 2035.
Janette Bell, Managing Director for First Bus, said:
“We’ve reached a significant milestone today as we invest further in our journey towards a zero-emission bus fleet. We’re thrilled that our people and customers in the West of England will benefit from government co-funding for these transformative projects. It’s been a tremendous joint effort from us and our combined authority partners to get here and we cannot wait to get these vehicles out into service.
“We already have over 1000 zero-emission buses on the road serving our customers and this latest investment is another exciting step forward. I am delighted for our colleagues across the region as we continue our transformation of the fleet and the depots, and our customers who get to enjoy the benefits, from improved air quality to a smoother, quieter ride.
“We’re proud to continue to lead the way in sustainable mobility, and work with central and local governments across the UK to strive to meet our national decarbonisation commitments. With each milestone we’re one step closer to becoming a nation who loves and uses the bus.”
Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood, said:
“I’m thrilled to announce this £38 million investment, which will deliver 319 new zero-emission buses to communities across England by 2027. This funding will not only make bus travel cleaner, greener, and more comfortable, but it will also create jobs, support local economies, and accelerate our journey towards a zero-emission future.
“By backing local councils and UK manufacturers, we are putting the power in the hands of communities, while helping to deliver on our vision of a sustainable, green transport network.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
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About First Bus
At First Bus, we’re on a mission to grow bus usage – so we’ll get behind initiatives that move people out of cars and onto the bus.
We’re one of the UK’s largest bus operators, delivering more than 1.5 million passenger journeys a day. Our local bus services serve more than 25% of the population of Great Britain and over half of the UK’s top 15 most populated urban areas.
We are a leading operator in the majority of our local areas, including major urban centres such as Glasgow, Bristol and Leeds.
We have proudly launched our First Bus London operation and now operate 83 routes in west and central London from 10 garages serving 180 million passengers annually.
The combined operation now manages a fleet of over 5,750 buses across the UK.
Transforming our business for the better, we’re putting our people and customers at the heart of everything we do. That’s why we’re the UK’s largest national bus operator to achieve real Living Wage employer status, cementing our position as an employer of choice in the sector.
First Bus is committed to operating a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035 and already has over 1000 zero emissions buses in operation.
We’re passionate about giving back to the communities we serve, which is why we’re helping local businesses to progress their decarbonisation journeys – giving them access to our charging hubs while our buses are on the road.
We also operate, Specialist Passenger Solutions, First Travel Solutions, York Pullman Bus Company, Lakeside, Ensignbus, Anderson Travel - and the Aircoach network and Matthews in Ireland.
First Bus is a division of FirstGroup plc.