Bus operators in Scotland will be able to replace 276 old diesel buses with new battery-electric models following the first £62m phase of the Scottish government’s Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB).
With 137 of the buses to be built in Falkirk, this investment continues to support skilled, green manufacturing jobs in Scotland, Transport Scotland added. This will also work to cut transport emissions and contributing to wider climate change targets.
Furthermore, this is the largest investment made in Scotland to decarbonise buses, supporting the Scottish government’s Mission Zero ambition for transport.
Scotland’s minister for transport, Jenny Gilruth, said: “We want more people to choose to travel by bus now and in the future and to do so, knowing that local buses are contributing to our climate change ambitions. Our Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund is successfully decarbonising Scotland’s bus fleet faster than ever before and making a significant contribution to our Mission Zero ambition for Transport.
“Supporting a just transition to a net zero economy is central to the ScotZEB approach. Through this round we’re supporting smaller bus operators and rural service providers, whom I’m pleased are equally keen to step up and help tackle the climate emergency.
“I’m pleased that with this significant award for greener buses, free bus travel for under 22s and the provision of over half a billion pounds in long term funding for bus priority infrastructure – we’re putting buses at the heart of Scotland’s green recovery and helping people to choose to travel more sustainably.”
The news follows the creation of three new bus partnerships, which aim to increase public transport use across Argyll and Bute, Midlothian and West Lothian.
