An injection of funding to bring English communities hundreds of new “green” buses is expected to enhance the cleanliness and affordability of public transport for passengers, in addition to creating jobs in engineering, construction, and manufacturing.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has pledged that 319 new zero-emission buses will be delivered to communities up and down the country by the spring of 2027, as a consequence of investment amounting to nearly £38 million.
DfT promises “greener, smoother, and quieter” journeys for passengers
The Government has made much of its commitment to placing passengers “back at the heart” of bus services. In accordance with this, ministers have said that those travelling by bus across England will be able to look forward to “greener, smoother, and quieter” journeys.
£37.8 million in Government funding is being put into the scheme. Furthermore, the department has said, every pound in investment from the Government will be topped up by at least £3 of private funding.
The money has been allocated to 12 local authorities across England that were successful in bidding to expand their fleets of zero-emission buses.
The news comes amid the Labour Government having also recently modified the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate.
Those changes – aimed at supporting the car industry on a backdrop of what the Government has described as “the new era of global insecurity” – include making the mandate more flexible for manufacturers in the period up to 2030, as well as allowing hybrid cars to be sold until 2035.
“Helping to deliver on our vision of a sustainable, green transport network”
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Transport, Simon Lightwood, stated that in addition to bolstering the cleanliness, environmental friendliness, and comfort of bus travel, the investment would create jobs, help local economies, and speed up the country’s “journey towards a zero-emission future.”
He added: “By backing local councils and UK manufacturers, we are putting the power in the hands of communities, while helping to deliver on our vision of a sustainable, green transport network.”
Among the local authorities to emerge victorious was Nottinghamshire County Council, which will receive £2.6 million to launch 42 new electric buses, while Hull City Council has been allocated with £3.9 million for the provision of 42 vehicles. The West of England Combined Authority was another winner in the bidding process, getting almost £20 million for 160 buses.
The DfT said the aforementioned funding was additional to the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area 2 (ZEBRA 2) programme, which has provided money for another 995 zero-emission buses.
The Government also signalled its confidence that UK-based manufacturers were strongly placed to benefit from the new orders for buses. It stated that 60% of buses funded by previous ZEBRA investments were being procured from firms in the UK. This, ministers added, supported highly skilled jobs and grew regional economies, thereby helping to improve living standards.
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