Going Electric

Plymouth Citybus are gaining yet more electric buses as part of the latest Zero Emission Bus investment:

Go-Ahead, in partnership with the Department for Transport and local authorities, will invest in an additional 45 zero-emissions buses for its operating companies in Hull, Salisbury, Brighton & Hove, Isle of Wight and Plymouth.

Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood visited the team at East Yorkshire Buses yesterday to hear about their plans to decarbonise the bus network across the region.

Go-Ahead’s zero-emission bus fleet is the largest in the United Kingdom with 1,500 zero-emission buses in operation or on order, demonstrating its commitment and leadership in zero-emission transport. Go-Ahead has received government support for 246 zero-emission buses, with some being introduced into service in the next few months.

Customers of East Yorkshire Buses, Salisbury Reds, Brighton & Hove Buses, Southern Vectis (Isle of Wight) and Plymouth CityBus will enjoy quieter and smoother journeys with the added benefit of knowing their travel is environmentally friendly.

Matt Carney, CEO, Go-Ahead Bus commented: “Our leadership and commitment to zero-emission transport is something we’re extremely proud of at Go-Ahead. We’re very grateful to the Department for Transport and our local authorities for this partnership, which will give more customers access to cleaner, greener public transport across the country.”

Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood, said: “Our investment will deliver 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. From Hull to Hove, there’s an electrifying future on the way for our buses.”

Meanwhile Torbay Council detail their plans for Stagecoach to be the first fully electric fleet in the south west:

Department for Transport (DfT) funding of over £361,000 will provide further support for the delivery of an all-electric bus fleet in Torbay. The additional funds mean that over £7.4million is now available for us to deliver zero emission buses for the area. The Torbay fleet will be the first all-electric fleet in the Peninsula Transport area that covers Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay.

Funding for the new fleet will come from the DfT’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas 2 (ZEBRA) scheme. The scheme was created to assist us to work with local bus operators to make the transition to zero emission bus fleets.

Stagecoach’s Torquay Depot will become their first fully electric depot in the South West of England. This is a landmark achievement, as the award means that Torbay will become one of the few areas in the UK to have an entirely zero emission bus fleet run by our main operator. The transition to an all-electric fleet is made even more significant given that Stagecoach runs around 97% of our local bus network.

The new all-electric fleet of 55 vehicles will deliver real benefits for Torbay. The buses are better designed and more comfortable for passengers. Over the course of the buses’ lifespans, they will result in carbon dioxide savings equal to taking an estimated 2,000 diesel cars off the road. Zero-emission buses will provide additional improvements to the air quality across our streets and towns. This will benefit pedestrians, cyclists and people who live close to our main bus routes.

Delivery of the scheme is proposed as part of the Torbay Enhanced Partnership Plan (EPP). The EPP is an agreement we've made with our bus operators to work together to improve local bus services. The EPP has already been busy providing improvements to our wider bus fleet, by delivering a newer fleet of buses for Torbay Buses on the supported bus network.

The EPP can also confirm that 49 new electric buses have been ordered. The zero emission buses, from manufacturers Alexander Dennis and Yutong, will consist of a mix of single and double deck vehicles. The buses are due to arrive in winter this year. It is projected that by summer 2026, Stagecoach will have a 100% zero-emission bus fleet operating in our area. This will mark an historic moment for our local transport network.

Funding the new electric bus fleet is one part of our significant investment to provide high quality bus services in Torbay. The delivery of a modern and decarbonised transport network is an important element of local travel options. Working in partnership, the EPP will support you to choose to travel how you want to.

Cllr Adam Billings, Cabinet Member for Pride in Place and Parking for Torbay Council, said; "This additional funding will bring the overall funding amount to over £7.4 million which will allow the Stagecoach bus fleet in Torbay to become 100% electric. This is an excellent result for our residents.

“The new buses will be better to travel in and their lack of tailpipe emissions will contribute to improving air quality. This will particularly benefit our town centres as well as cyclists and pedestrians generally.

“Alongside the planned improvements to our bus services, the introduction of new routes, more frequent busses, better quality information and better quality bus stops, the new electric bus fleet will provide an improved public transport travel option while also reducing carbon emissions. I am confident more people will use the modern electric bus fleet as their first option for transport around Torbay."

Peter Knight, Managing Director at Stagecoach South West, said; “The additional funding means we can completely replace our entire fleet in Torbay and remove the diesel fuel tank from our Torquay Depot, marking an important milestone on the road to Net Zero.

"We're making lots of progress in the background, planning for the arrival of the all-electric fleet for the Bay. This will help deliver our shared ambitions to reduce carbon emissions, deliver cleaner air and thriving bus services that support our region. We look forward to welcoming the all-new fleet that will benefit the local community and bus users alike."

The good newest is that the Plymouth Citybus fleet has started to arrive with the first coming down this weekend just gone. I would imaging they will have been hidden away for now so I suspect it will be a while before any official phots are released or allowed from the depot, but keep an eye out for deliveries on their way to Plymouth over the coming weeks!