The UK government has announced a new round of funding worth £73.2 million (approximately €84.7 million) under its Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) programme to support the deployment of 484 electric buses across ten regions in England.
The Department for Transport said the public funding will be supplemented by around £94 million (€109 million) in private investment, with the combined resources aimed at accelerating the transition to zero-emission public transport and expanding regional charging infrastructure.
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South Yorkshire, particularly the city of Sheffield, will receive the largest share of the funding, with £33.4 million allocated for the procurement of 186 electric buses. The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) will contribute an additional £58.3 million, alongside a further £26 million for infrastructure upgrades, including the electrification of the Olive Grove depot.
“Today’s investment means we can get on with the job even faster,” said Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire. “Upgrading Olive Grove to a fully electric depot and bringing almost 200 new zero-emission buses into service is a huge step forward for South Yorkshire. It means cleaner air, more reliable buses and a much better experience for people.”
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Tees Valley is the second-largest recipient, securing £11 million to introduce 82 electric buses and electrify depots in Hartlepool and Darlington. The investment is expected to increase the number of battery-electric buses in the region to 170, accounting for more than half of its fleet.
Other regions receiving funding include Devon (£7.53 million for 90 buses), Liverpool City Region (£7.3 million for 36 buses), Isle of Wight (£3.67 million for 23 buses), North East Combined Authority (£3.6 million for 18 buses), Reading (£3 million for 17 buses), West Northamptonshire (£2.2 million for 17 buses), Nottinghamshire (£1 million for 11 buses), and Surrey (£0.5 million for four buses).
UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the investment would support cleaner and more accessible transport. “Buses are the backbone of our public transport system. […] This funding will replace polluting diesel buses with new electric vehicles that will make a real difference to people’s daily lives, better connecting them to work, to healthcare and to opportunity, whilst cleaning up the air we all breathe,” she said.
The latest funding round builds on previous ZEBRA initiatives, under which the government has already supported the deployment of around 2,500 zero-emission buses and associated infrastructure across the UK.
The programme is part of broader efforts to decarbonise transport and improve urban air quality, with regional authorities playing a central role in delivering projects tailored to local needs.