Nottingham City Transport (NCT) has completed the electrification of its entire single-decker bus fleet after taking delivery of its final batch of electric vehicles, marking a key milestone in the operator’s transition toward a fully zero-emission operation.
The municipal bus operator said it has now deployed 62 electric single-decker buses, following the recent introduction of 14 vehicles on its Grey Line 53 and 54 routes, which serve Arnold, City Hospital, the Ring Road, Queen’s Medical Centre and Clifton. NCT said the conversion of its single-deck fleet was achieved in 18 months.
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The buses were manufactured by Chinese busmaker Yutong and customised to NCT’s specifications by Pelican Engineering, based in Yorkshire. Funding for the rollout included £12.3 million from the UK government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) programme, with NCT contributing a further £17.7 million.
“Our rollout of electric single-deck buses is a major step towards delivering a zero-emission fleet,” said David Astill, managing director of Nottingham City Transport. “Our attention will now turn to the double-deck fleet.”
NCT has already placed orders for its first electric double-decker buses, with 19 vehicles planned for deployment across city routes. Of these, 13 buses are scheduled to enter service in late 2026, supported by £4.5 million in funding from the East Midlands Combined Authority.
See also: Nottingham City Transport Welcomes First Electric Buses in Bid to Phase Out Diesel Fleet
The double-deckers will include Yutong’s new U11DD model, positioning NCT among the first UK operators to introduce the full-height electric bus into regular public service.
Ian Downie, head of Yutong UK at Pelican Bus and Coach, said the partnership had demonstrated the viability of battery-electric buses in daily operations. “The performance of our single decks has demonstrated our vehicles are at the vanguard of reliable and efficient zero-emission buses, with fantastic feedback from passengers and drivers,” he said, adding that NCT had played a key role in developing the revised UK double-decker design.
The move comes as UK transport authorities and operators accelerate efforts to decarbonise public transport, backed by government funding aimed at reducing emissions and improving urban air quality.
