Press Releases

• Operating at Milton Park business, science and technology park in Oxfordshire
• Electric 15-seater autonomous bus accessible to wheelchairs and pushchairs
• Ground-breaking technology in vehicle movement and world-first travel planning

• York and Norwich set to become the UK’s first bus depots outside of London to run fully electric fleets 
• Four First Bus depots benefit from boosted joint investment in electric fleet 
• First Bus to reach a total of over 600 zero emission buses across the UK by March 2024

• UK’s first zero emission autonomous bus service to operate at Milton Park business, science and technology park in Oxfordshire 
• Project to launch two zero emission single-decker autonomous buses which are fully accessible to wheelchair users and prams
• Ground-breaking technology in vehicle movement and travel planning
• The buses will have a safety driver on board at all times during operation and have completed its first test passenger journeys over the past two weeks

• 41% of UK adults are planning to use the bus more frequently in a bid to save money, as households feel the pinch of the cost-of-living crisis. 
• London has seen the most increased bus use (60%) followed by Glasgow (47%), Leeds (45%) and Liverpool (43%).

• First Bus have awarded a contract to fully convert 12 Optare Versa buses from existing EV Generation one system to Equipmake’s Zero Emission Drivetrain (ZED)
• Conversion work underway on the first Versa bus at Equipmake’s headquarters in Snetterton, Norfolk
• The first of the 12 buses is expected to be back in operation on the roads of York in November
• Equipmake’s patented HVAC system will have a guaranteed range of 150 miles in all UK weather conditions for the upgraded York fleet

• First Bus data shows half of UK adults would take the bus more often if they knew that decision would have a direct positive impact on the environment.
• No parking hassles (45%), saving money (36%) and protecting the environment (29%) are three biggest benefits of choosing bus travel.
• 47% of Brits who live in London agree that taking the bus helps with their mental health more than other modes of transport

• Largest ever UK EV bus order outside of London
• UK-built buses will secure green jobs in the UK
• Includes introduction of world’s most efficient double-decker buses
• A total investment of £81m in new Zero Emission vehicles to support bus services across England split between First Bus and the Department for Transport.

Glasgow is now home to the UK’s largest electric vehicle (EV) rapid-charging centre as First Bus completes the major transformation of its flagship Caledonia depot.

First Bus and their four local authority partners celebrate funding bid success for four regions through the DfT's ZEBRA scheme to land a further 125 electric buses

• First Glasgow and First Aberdeen have been awarded a combined £18.6m in ScotZEB funding and will deliver 74 new electric vehicles across both cities.
• First Bus will invest a further £16.4m to further increase its zero-emission fleet.
• Over 40% of vehicles operating out of First Glasgow’s Caledonia and Scotstoun depots will be fully electric and zero-emission by Spring 2024.
• First Bus will future-proof its Scotstoun and Aberdeen depots with installation of the required electrification infrastructure.