- The UK city of Coventry is set to see another 64 fully-electric buses join its network, with local bus operator Stagecoach making a £33m-plus investment, set to add 31 electric buses from Alexander Dennis, and a further 33 from Yutong, to its fleet.
- This new addition now means that over 200 electric buses will be on the streets of Coventry – representing 80% of those transporting passengers in and around the city.
- With this growth, the city should be on track to hit its target of a fully-electric Coventry bus fleet by 2025 – which would make it the first UK city to do so.
Stagecoach orders 64 more electric buses for Coventry
Coventry’s progress towards an all-electric public transport future has been possible thanks to a number of funding sources. Firstly, there was help from Transport for West Midlands, which itself was awarded £50 million in funding from the Department of Transport. From this, another £90 million of funding was reached, through both local bus operators, Transport for West Midlands, and Warwickshire County Council.
Other UK towns and cities are also pushing towards achieving fully-electric fleets. Warrington recently took delivery of its first electric double deckers, while in the Capital of London, Transport for London is hoping to achieve a 100% electric bus fleet by 2034 at the latest.
Mark Whitelocks, Stagecoach Midlands’ Managing Director, commented:
“We’re thrilled to be announcing this investment of more than £33 million on these 64 electric buses and the supporting infrastructure at our depots. This investment demonstrates Stagecoach’s confidence in the region and is evidence of us delivering our ambitions to transform bus services for the communities we serve.
These buses mark a massive moment for the region as we take a huge step towards modernising our services as we provide customers with more comfortable journeys on these state-of-the-art buses as well as contributing to making cleaner, quieter neighbourhoods and a public transport that is more sustainable and efficient.”
Councillor George Duggins, Leader of Coventry City Council, added:
“We’re delighted to be another step closer to being the first major city or town in the country to boast a fully electric bus fleet. Once the project is complete, Coventry residents will benefit from much cleaner air, with the obvious benefits of better health for young and old alike while the city will be served by some of the most modern buses in the UK.”
