- First Bus has matched a recent £20 million investment from the government with an additional £70 million from its side, to help bring a further 160 zero-emission buses to its West of England bus fleet.
- The new investment will bring the number of zero-emission First Buses in the area to over 250 vehicles, whilst the firm already operates over 1,000 electric buses nationwide.
- This significant expansion further shows the UK’s rapid transition to electric buses, with zero-emission bus sales up 35.5% year-on-year according to recent SMMT statistics.
First Bus electrifies further in the West of England
With this new investment, First Bus’ West of England area, which covers key towns and cities such as Bath, Bristol, and Weston-super-Mare, will be operating 258 zero-emission buses within the area. With the recent electrification of two more bus depots in Bath and Bristol, the firm expects four out of its five depots to be electrified by next year, further enabling the switch to fully-electric buses.
27 of the 160 new electric buses will be older diesel units which have been converted to a zero-emission powertrain. Compared to its existing diesel buses, each electric bus is estimated to save 75 tonnes worth of carbon every year, while also helping to clean up local air.
By 2035, First Bus has a goal of operating a 100% zero-emission bus fleet across the country.
Janette Bell, Managing Director for First Bus, commented:
“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.”
