First Bus, a British transport company, is bolstering its electric bus fleet in Leeds with the addition of 22 new electric buses from Wrightbus. This expansion builds upon an initial order placed in March, marking a significant step towards sustainable public transport in the region.
The investment in these new electric double-deckers will see the electric bus fleet at the First Bus depot in the Bramley district increase to 79 vehicles. With 57 electric buses from Wrightbus already introduced in March, this move will ensure that half of the depot’s buses are electric by the end of 2024.
Funding for this initiative was secured through the ZEBRA programme (Zero Emission Bus Regional Area) from the Department for Transport. A ‘variation request’ added £3.4 million to the funding, enabling First Bus and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) to invest a further £11.2 million in the operator’s Bramley depot. This investment will contribute to making half of the fleet zero-emission before the end of 2024.
Peter Carlill, Deputy Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative: “These state-of-the-art electric buses will help West Yorkshire towards its goal of becoming a net-zero economy by 2038, as well as encouraging more people to use public transport. We are constantly working to introduce more zero-emission buses to the region’s fleet – boosting air quality, improving public transport, and helping tackle the climate emergency. This investment will help us build a greener and better-connected West Yorkshire.”
