Nearly 120 new battery electric buses will be deployed in England as part of a £25.3 million Government investment.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said 117 of the zero-emission vehicles will be rolled out in Yorkshire, Norfolk and Hampshire.
The buses will be manufactured in Northern Ireland by Wrightbus and operated by First Bus.
The local authorities which will use a share of the funding from the Zero Emission Buses Regional Area scheme to purchase the vehicles are: Norfolk County Council; Portsmouth City Council; Hampshire County Council; West Yorkshire Combined Authority and City of York Council.
We are rapidly transforming our business with zero-emission bus fleets— Janette Bell, First Bus
This brings total Government funding to almost £300 million for up to 1,395 zero-emission buses in England.
Roads minister Richard Holden said: “Buses are the most popular form of public transport, and these new British-built zero-emission buses will support hundreds of high-quality, manufacturing jobs in Northern Ireland, grow our economy and help clean up the air in towns and cities across the country.
“We’re providing an additional £25.3 million to roll out 117 new buses to provide residents in Yorkshire, Norfolk and Portsmouth with better, cleaner and quieter journeys, as we step up a gear to reach net zero faster and level up transport across the country.”
First Bus managing director Janette Bell said: “We are delighted to be accelerating investment in the electrification of our bus fleet and infrastructure, supported by co-funding from the Department for Transport.
“As leaders in sustainable mobility, we are fully aligned with the Government’s ambitions for a net-zero carbon transport system.
“We are rapidly transforming our business with zero-emission bus fleets and will continue to work closely with central and local government across the UK to deliver our decarbonisation plans.”
