£25m for new 'green' buses and commitment to new UK 'Bus Centre of Excellence'
Fri 03 March 2023
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The Government has announced funding worth £25.3m to support the roll-out of 117 zero emission buses in Yorkshire, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Hampshire. The new buses will be manufactured in Northern Ireland by Wrightbus and operated by FirstBus.
The Government says that almost £300 million support has been provided for up to 1,395 zero emission buses so far in England.
The latest funding is an additional investment from the Zero Emission Buses Regional Areas scheme (ZEBRA), which was launched in 2021 to allow local transport authorities to bid for funding for zero emission buses and supporting infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the Government has also announced a new initiative to upskill, recruit and retain a new generation of bus professionals, alongside support to help our bus sector get stronger. The new £3m Bus Centre of Excellence, backed by £815,000 in government investment, will bring together expertise from local government, bus operators and industry to boost skills and diversity in the bus sector.
As pledged in the Government’s National Bus Strategy, the new Bus Centre of Excellence will give life to a new generation of bus professionals to drive forward more reliable, affordable and cleaner bus services. Hosted by the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, it will provide training opportunities, direct access to resources and industry experts, as well as networking events to uplift the capacity and capability of the whole sector, working to encourage people to get back on the bus.
Roads Minister Richard Holden said: "Buses are the backbone of our transport network, providing affordable travel for commuters, families, and pensioners, and providing an economic lifeline for towns and cities around the country.
"This multimillion investment for Leicester’s clean transformation, coupled with the new Bus Centre of Excellence, will help drive the country’s bus sector recovery and provide passengers with cleaner, more affordable buses that run on time.
"Zero emission buses are often cheaper to run, improving the economics for bus operators, and are more reliable, reducing repair costs and minimising delays."
Image: Courtesy Wrightbus
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