City wins financial backing for electric bus services

A YORKSHIRE city is to get a new fleet of electric buses after successfully bidding for more than £800,000 from the Government.

The money from the Green Bus Fund will pay for vehicles on the city’s park and ride network, York University’s unibus service and for journeys to a sustainable housing development .

York Council, First and Transdev York have been given £824,000 to pay for nine new buses which will be made locally.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The city is one of four successful bidders who each get a share of £12m to create 213 new low carbon vehicles.

Coun Dave Merrett, the cabinet member for transport, planning and sustainability, said: ““This is absolutely excellent news. We’ve been determined to improve air quality and the city’s carbon footprint, and have been working with bus operators through York’s Quality Bus Partnership to achieve this.

“These nine new electric buses will be a tremendous step forward, and are a first step to demonstrating how we can transform York’s bus fleet and environment for the future.”

Bus services enter the city up to every 10-minutes and travel short distances, which makes them ideal candidates for running on electricity, as the onboard battery can store sufficient charge for the days work. Over 80 per cent of the bus traffic through York could be operated using electric vehicles.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The new buses will help save over 4500 tons of CO2 in York over their lifespan.

Six of the buses will be used on the Park and Ride service, two will serve the Derwenthorpe sustainable housing development and one will be used by university students.

Simon Pearson, commercial firector for First in North England, said: “This announcement is great news for York and we will be working in partnership with City of York Council to introduce these vehicles onto park and ride services in early 2014. Electric buses are an exciting step forward in terms of innovation and attracting

new customers to use our services and demonstrates our commitment to improving bus services for people in York.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Nigel Eggleton, marketing director for Transdev said: “We’re delighted that our partnership with The University of York will be further enhanced with the arrival of an electric bus. The many students using the internal route within the University will benefit from this investment which brings the highest environmental standards, improved air quality and an excellent carbon footprint”

The York electric buses will be made locally on the outskirts of the city near Sherburn by manufacturer Optare.

The Green Bus winners, who will add 83 single-decker and 130 double-decker buses to their fleets.

Successful bids were also made for new vehicles inLondon, Manchester and Nottingham.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Local Transport Minister Norman Baker said:“Buses are an essential part of people’s day-to-day lives up and down the country and are a key tool for enabling economic growth. At the same time, we want this growth to be green, which is why we are investing in these brand new low carbon buses.”