A fleet of electric buses, powered by 100% renewable energy, have replaced diesel vehicles at Leicester’s three park and rides.
Some 11 new buses are now operating on routes linking Meynell’s Gorse, Birstall and Enderby with the city centre. This is the first phase of a £50m project that could see electric buses rolled out to a third of the city’s network by 2024.
According to the city council, the first zero-emission buses bring cleaner and green public transport options to the city, as well as providing commuters and shoppers with a quick, quiet and comfortable journey to the city centre.
City mayor Peter Soulsby, said: “Thanks to our successful bid for government funding through the Transforming Cities Fund, we’ve been able to make this significant investment into sustainable public transport.
“We know that if we are to persuade people to leave their cars outside the city centre, we need to offer them attractive and affordable travel alternatives.
“These Greenline buses are clean, green and comfortable – and the more people use them, the more we can reduce congestion and improve air quality in the city.”
Furthermore, smart new bus shelters will also provide real-time arrival information, while new bus priority measures introduced over the next 18 months are designed to help ensure a smooth journey for passengers.
Leicester’s successful bid to the Transforming Cities Fund has funded most of the £7.1m required for 18 new electric buses. As well as the 11 new park and ride buses, four electric buses will be introduced on the Hospital Hopper routes in the autumn, while three electric buses will operate on a brand new city centre shuttle service from autumn 2022.
Deputy city mayor Adam Clarke, who leads on environment and transportation, added: “The ultimate goal of the Greenline Electric Bus Project is to improve public transport and local air quality by introducing zero-emission electric buses across the city.
“The next phase of the project is to secure funding that could allow up to 100 more electric buses to be purchased for Leicester.”
