Works begin at First Bus’ Great Yarmouth bus depot as Norfolk’s electric bus programme expands

The works at Caister Road depot in Great Yarmouth form part of a further £13.8 million investment, £8.9 million of which is being funded by First Bus, with the remainder funded through a grant from Norfolk County Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).

The investment will support the introduction of 10 electric buses, which will operate on Service 8, connecting James Paget University Hospital with Caister via Great Yarmouth town centre. The programme also includes the installation of high-power charging infrastructure at the depot.

Once complete, the upgrades at the Caister Road depot will allow electric buses to operate reliably on local services, delivering zero tailpipe emissions, quieter journeys and an improved passenger experience for passengers and local communities. The electric buses are expected to be in operation by the autumn.

As part of the same wider programme, works are expected to begin at First Bus’s Vulcan Road depot in Norwich in the coming months. The depot will accommodate 14 electric buses operating on routes 28, 36, 37 and 38, linking communities in Thorpe Marriott, Horsford, Mulbarton and Ives Road with Norwich city centre.

The depot upgrade builds on the successful transformation of First Bus’s Roundtree Way depot in Norwich, where 70 electric buses entered service in 2024 following a £37.2 million investment in vehicles and infrastructure. The Norwich project was supported by £14.7 million of Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) funding from the Department for Transport, bid for and won in partnership with Norfolk County Council, alongside a £22.5 million capital investment from First Bus.

Simon Mathieson, Managing Director of First Bus East of England, said: “The transformation of Roundtree Way in Norwich showed what can be achieved when strong partnerships come together, with £37.2 million invested through ZEBRA funding, Norfolk County Council and First Bus. This next phase of investment, supported by BSIP funding and our own continued commitment, allows us to bring the benefits of electric buses to Great Yarmouth and more communities across Norfolk.”

Cllr Graham Plant, Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Transport at Norfolk County Council, said: “This investment demonstrates how our Bus Service Improvement Plan is helping to deliver real, visible improvements for passengers. By working in partnership with First Bus, we’re reducing emissions, improving air quality and supporting the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable bus network across Norfolk.”

Once complete, Great Yarmouth depot will also become part of First Bus’s growing First Charge network, enabling the site to provide high-power electric vehicle charging for third-party fleets and supporting wider transport decarbonisation beyond the bus network.