Coventry is set to become the UK’s first all-electric bus city after the plan was backed by West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
Under the project, every bus in Coventry will be electric powered by 2025. Approval from WMCA means that £50m Department for Transport (DfT) funding will now be handed to the region to deliver the project.
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the WMCA, will work with bus operators to replace buses and install charging infrastructure on the streets of Coventry. This includes pantograph, or overhead, charging points, which will be available to all bus operators.
Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street, who chairs the WMCA, said: “It took a lot of lobbying and persuading, but I am delighted we won the government’s national competition to turn Coventry’s bus fleet all electric.
“Not only will the clean bus fleet improve the public transport offering in Coventry, but it is also another step towards tackling the climate emergency and helping to attract people to leave their cars at home in favour of taking the bus.”
TfWM will lead the project in partnership with Coventry City Council, Warwickshire County Council and local bus operators, who are together paying 25% of the added costs of EVs over diesel and charging infrastructure.
Coventry was selected to be the UK’s first all-electric bus city following a successful bid to the DfT. Applicants were required to demonstrate support from stakeholders in their local areas, outline existing plans to reduce greenhouse gases and improve air quality, and show how the plan would tackle an existing air quality problem.
