Stagecoach is withdrawing bus services from two streets in Torquay in south-west England after finding that newly introduced battery-electric buses are too large to operate safely on the narrow roads, the BBC reported.
From Feb. 1, services on Park Road and Hartop Road will be removed from the 35A and 35C routes as part of changes linked directly to the rollout of Stagecoach’s electric fleet. While the new zero-emission buses replace diesel vehicles, their slightly larger dimensions have made them unsuitable for some older streets originally built long before modern bus standards.
See also: Stagecoach West, Gloucestershire to Add 42 Electric Buses With £20 Million Investment
According to the BBC, the affected roads feature narrow carriageways and on-street parking that leave little margin for larger vehicles to pass safely. Operating the electric buses on these sections would raise the risk of delays, vehicle damage and safety incidents, prompting Stagecoach to reroute services rather than compromise reliability.
Stagecoach said it is working with Torbay Council to review the wider route 35 and assess whether alternative stopping points can be introduced nearby to limit disruption for passengers.
The route changes come as Stagecoach advances plans to electrify its entire Torbay fleet. Last year, the operator said it had secured £361,000 in funding from the Department for Transport to support the transition. The first electric bus introduced locally was an Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV double-decker, unveiled in October.
See also: Stagecoach Launches Electric Bus Fleet on Edinburgh Airport Route
Stagecoach has ordered additional electric double- and single-deck buses, with further vehicles commissioned from Yutong, as it seeks to decarbonise operations across the region.
The situation highlights a challenge facing some UK bus operators as they transition to zero-emission fleets, particularly in towns with historic street layouts that can limit the practical deployment of larger modern vehicles.
