City of York Council has been awarded over £8.4m to support the purchase of 44 fully electric buses.
The UK Department for Transport (DfT) funding was announced following a successful submission by the council in January to the government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme to further support the roll-out of zero-emission buses in York, where 33 electric buses already operate on the city’s Park & Ride service.
The ZEBRA bid also brings significant investment in York from FirstGroup, with First pledging £10m toward the new buses, alongside the DfT’s £8.4m. The new buses will be used on First’s routes 1, 4, 5, 6, the Hospital Shuttle Bus and Park and Ride route 2.
After the fleet is delivered York will have 77 electric buses in service, operating more than half the mileage in the city. This will reportedly reduce carbon emissions in York by 2,300 tonnes per year as well as reducing nitrous oxide and particulate emissions across the city, but especially within the city centre clean air zone.
According to the council, York’s electric bus fleet will reduce the city’s overall carbon emissions by 3,900 tonnes per year.
In October last year, the council also submitted a £39m bid to the DfT setting out how the city will bring forward measures to make bus services faster and more reliable, upgrade the Park and Ride network and reform fares.
A funding decision on this Bus Service Improvement Plan – City of York Council’s response to the National Bus Strategy – is expected soon.
The number of passengers on York’s bus service is recovering following the COVID-19 pandemic, with passenger volumes currently 80 to 90% of pre-pandemic levels.
Cllr Andy D’Agorne, deputy leader and executive member for transport at City of York Council, said: “We are delighted to be successful in receiving over £8.4m in funding toward providing clean, zero-emission public transport across the city.
“The city’s Bus Service Improvement Plan is also a key supporting policy underpinning the council’s new Local Transport Plan and I hope the government will announce funding for this shortly.”
