'Milestone' as zero-emission double decker buses arrive in Plymouth
It's all in a bid to move towards cleaner, more sustainable, public transport
They'll run in and around Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall - as the first of 50 zero-emission electric double decker buses has now arrived.
It's all in a bid to move towards cleaner, more sustainable, public transport in the city, with the scheme part of a multi-million pound transformative project led by Plymouth Citybus, part of the Go-Ahead Group, in partnership with Plymouth City Council, Cornwall Council, and the Department for Transport.
What it means, in practical terms, is that almost half of the fleet at Plymouth Citybus will eventually, by the end of the year, become electric.
The electric buses will operate on Plymouth routes 21/A, 42, and 50/51, with six vehicles also serving the Rame Peninsula in Cornwall on route 70.
Bosses have been transforming their Milehouse depot into a 'state-of-the-art hub' to charge and maintain the fleet.
The project is being primarily funded by Plymouth Citybus, part of the Go-Ahead Group, contributing £19.6 million, supported by a £10.34 million grant from the Government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) 2 Fund, with additional contributions of £1.94 million from Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council.
Richard Stevens, Managing Director of Plymouth Citybus and Go Cornwall Bus said: “The arrival of our first electric buses marks a huge step forward, not just for Plymouth Citybus but for the city as a whole. Our team is thrilled to be part of this positive change, and we are fully committed to building a greener transport network for generations to come.”
They are expected to reduce carbon emissions by 79,914 tonnes over their lifetime.
Councillor Mark Coker, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “It’s fantastic to welcome Plymouth’s first electric buses and to be supporting the establishment of Milehouse as an electric bus depot. This is a major milestone and demonstrates the commitment of all the project partners – and wider enhanced partnership – to delivering better bus services for the city. I look forward to seeing the new buses out on the road and passengers enjoying the more accessible space and journey information they offer.”
The buses also deliver significant improvements to accessibility, including additional space to accommodate a second wheelchair user or multiple unfolded pushchairs or prams, alongside the mandatory wheelchair space.
Route 70 on the Rame Peninsula forms part of Cornwall Council’s supported bus network. Cornwall Council has also successfully bid for further ZEBRA 2 funding to provide electric buses in Falmouth and Truro.
Rebecca Riley, Head of Connectivity and Transport Policy at Cornwall Council, said: “We want to support our residents to make greener and healthier choices about how they travel as well as provide sustainable services to connect our communities.
“This work reflects the great partnership between neighbouring councils and transport operators as well as our commitment to decarbonising transport, which is a central theme of our Local Transport Plan.”