The next phase of bus electrification in the West of England is taking place with the region’s first repowered vehicles from First Bus.
The double decker buses, operating in Bath, are among 27 repowered vehicles arriving in the city, which were once mid-life diesel buses that have been converted into electric vehicles.
These latest additions to the First Bus fleet will join an extra 17 new electric buses in Bath, four in Weston-super-Mare, and 116 on the Bristol network out of the Lawrence Hill depot from the autumn – and a 100% electric depot at Hengrove in south Bristol.
Work is being completed on the electrification of the Bath depot, situated on a piece of land between the River Avon and the Kennett and Avon Canal – making it First Bus’ only island bus depot.
Work is also underway at the company’s Lawrence Hill depot in Bristol. The latest electrification work has been completed due to £70 million of investment from First Bus, and £20 million of government funding, secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.
In total, by spring 2027, around £150 million will have been invested in the region in electric buses and charging infrastructure, the company said.
Alongside 137 new electric buses, the 27 repowers in Bath will have their engines and gearboxes removed and replaced by batteries with new wiring and additional hardware installed.
Some mechanical parts will also be replaced, and the buses’ interior and exterior will be fully refurbished, resulting in what looks like a brand new bus.
Doug Claringbold, First Bus’ Regional Director for South and West, said:
“Yet again we’re hitting more milestones in our electrification of our West of England fleet.
“Not only are we heading towards our Hengrove depot being 100% electric with the arrival of more buses this year, but we’re also excited to welcome our first repowers, demonstrating a real commitment to going even further in our efforts to be more sustainable.
“Our company is committed to operating a fully electric fleet by 2035, with 25% of our fleet nationally now electric. By the end of this year almost half the West of England’s buses will be electric with about 750,000 of our passengers each week travelling on electric buses making bus travel greener, smoother and quieter for our customers, and contributing to better air quality for our towns and cities.”
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:
“This is a big day for Bath & North East Somerset, with the first green buses now at home at the city’s First Bus depot. It’s also a big day for the whole of the West of England, thanks to our first converted electric buses rolling out too.
“By the end of this year, more than 250 green buses will be serving passengers across the West – offering more reliable journeys and a better on-board experience. These better buses will ultimately help cut congestion and pollution as a result of some £150 million of joint investment.”
Councillor Lucy Hodge, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport Delivery at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said:
“The arrival of Bath’s first repowered electric buses is great news for our area and for everyone who relies on buses to get around every day.
“As a council, we are focused on making it easier for people to choose the bus for everyday journeys. Investment like this in Bath and North East Somerset helps improve reliability, comfort and accessibility, while supporting a better experience for residents and visitors. It also shows the value of strong partnership working to deliver modern transport that meets the needs of our communities.”
Image: First Bus Staff Manager Will Flood with West of England Mayor Helen Godwin at Bath depot @JonCraig Photos
