The role of zero emission buses (ZEBs) in Britain’s net zero transition, meanwhile, was solidified in 2024, according to Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures.
The UK maintained its status as having Europe’s biggest ZEB market by volume, with 1,570 electric or hydrogen units entering service across all three bus types last year, representing a 35.5% increase in demand.
Growth was driven in part by increased model availability, with operators able to choose from 17 different options – particularly single and double deckers, where ZEBs comprised 43.9% of registrations.
Britain’s expanding bus fleet has been further accelerated by the rollout of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme across regions – and with the second phase of funding now awarded and orders placed, more deliveries are expected this year.
A 70.1% increase in registrations saw a total of 8,390 buses join Britain’s roads in 2024 to become the largest overall European bus market, reflecting growing operator confidence in ridership levels and substantial government funding for zero emission technologies.
2024 saw robust demand across all segments, with deliveries of minibuses more than doubling, up 102.5% to 4,816 registrations, and accounting for 57.4% of the overall market. Single and double-decker bus deliveries also grew, up 22.5% to 1,973 units and 69.6% to 1,601 units respectively.
Registrations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were all up, rising by 77.2%, 184.9% and 52.4% respectively, while rollout in Scotland dropped by -15.6%. With its larger population, England accounted for the lion’s share (87.4%) of all vehicles delivered.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:
“Two years of growth and a 16-year high have cemented the recovery of Britain’s bus sector, with passenger numbers continuing to rise alongside increasing deliveries of new zero-emission buses.
“Government funding is helping deliver this standout performance and, as Europe’s largest zero emission bus market, we are well on our way to achieving our net zero goals, improving air quality and providing sustainable public transport in every region.”
The news comes as Transport + Energy launches its Fleet Electrification Forum this year. Find out more information here.
Image from Shutterstock
