First Bus, a British transport company, has ordered an additional 117 electric buses from Northern Irish bus manufacturer, Wrightbus. The purchase was made possible with the help of additional funding from the British government, which is providing just over £25 million in funding for the rollout of the 117 buses through the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) program.
The order includes battery-electric double-decker buses as well as some solo buses, which will be used in Norwich, Hoeford, Bramley, and York. The solo buses for Hoeford are expected to be the GB Kite Electroliner BEV, while the StreetDeck Electroliner BEV will be used as an electric double-decker.
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This new order is on top of the 193 electric buses that First Bus ordered from Wrightbus last year, bringing the total to over 600 electric buses by March 2024. The company aims to be CO2 neutral by 2035.
The British government’s funding will be allocated to Norfolk County Council, Portsmouth City Council, Hampshire County Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and York City Council for the rollout of the electric buses in their respective cities.
Richard Holden, British Roads Minister, said, “Buses are the most popular form of public transport, and these new British-built zero-emission buses will support hundreds of high-quality manufacturing jobs in Northern Ireland, grow our economy and help clean up the air in towns and cities across the country.”
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The rollout of electric buses is a crucial step towards reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality. This investment by the British government and First Bus in electric buses sets an example for other transport companies to follow, as they work towards creating a more sustainable and eco-friendly future.
