The West of England’s first electrified bus depot has been unveiled as passengers were boarding the region’s first electric buses.
The depot in Weston-super-Mare has seen a £14.9m investment from First Bus and the government’s Zero Emissions Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) project via North Somerset Council.
Twenty-four new electric buses will transport about 20,000 passengers per week on two key services in North Somerset. Each bus saves about 75 tonnes of CO2 each year – the equivalent to taking 54 cars off the road – and marks a milestone in the company’s commitment to have a zero emission fleet by 2035.
Three larger gantries, installed by Magnus Construction Group, have been created at the two-football pitch-sized site just off the A370, which will power the area’s 24 new electric buses – more than a third of First Bus’ Weston bus fleet.
Alongside officially launching the new depot and vehicles, North Somerset Council has also announced plans to revamp up to 120 bus shelters on key routes including stops with ‘living roofs’, solar panels and benches made from thousands of recycled CDs as part of its Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).
First Bus and North Somerset Council is also launching a new educational programme, which will see an electric bus visit local schools, giving pupils the chance to explore the new buses, be taught the key skills on how to catch and travel on a bus, and learn more about travelling sustainably.
The bus company and the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority will also soon unveil its first electrified Bristol depot at Hengrove, which will power 74 buses entering the Bristol network this summer.
The £44 million investment, which includes £6.6 million of government funding secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, has seen the Hengrove depot transformed with five power gantries installed by NG Bailey. The Hengrove depot project is expected to be completed by early May.
Electrifying both depots will also provide facilities for local companies to charge their electric vehicles , and bring green employment and training opportunities, including upskilling the existing engineering team, and providing engineering apprenticeship opportunities for local people as well as opportunities to become a driver of the new, state of the art buses.
Doug Claringbold, the Managing Director for First Bus in the West of England, said:
“Today is a major milestone in bringing smoother, quieter and more reliable bus journeys to our customers, and making sustainable transport even better for the environment, supporting our commitment to have a zero-emission fleet by 2035.
“This is our biggest investment in the local area for decades, and what we have created here in Weston will help secure a cleaner solution for transport for future generations and help inspire the nation to love and use the bus.”
Cllr Hannah Young, Executive Member for Highways and Transport at North Somerset Council, which secured government funding for the project, said:
“Investing in zero-emission buses and improving our transport infrastructure will not only reduce carbon emissions but also improve the experience for passengers.“
“By working in partnership with First Bus, we are proud to be leading the way in the West of England to bring this environment-friendly investment to North Somerset.”
Dan Norris, the Mayor of the West of England, said:
“Funding secured by my Mayoral Combined Authority is helping power up the First Bus depot in Hengrove, and the 74 new electric buses that will use it from this summer.“
“The first year of Birthday Buses cut 1,100 tonnes of carbon emissions through greener journeys, and the new electric buses and depot will only add to that impact.”
Image courtesy of First Bus/Jon Craig
