Leicester goes all-electric with new bus depot thanks to Government funding boost

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 21 March 2023

UPDATED: 21 March 2023

People across Leicester will enjoy greener, smoother and more reliable journeys as an extra 18 UK-made electric buses are rolled out thanks to £2.9 million in Government investment.

• Leicester set to be home to one of first fully electrified bus depots in the UK outside London
• 18 brand new electric buses will be rolled out across Leicester
• Move comes thanks to almost £3 million boost in Government funding

The latest investment announced today (Tuesday 21 March) means that the First Bus Leicester depot will operate fully electric fleets by March 2024, one of the first bus depots in the UK outside London to reach this milestone.

The funding is an additional investment from the Zero Emission Buses Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme, which was launched in 2021 to allow local transport authorities to bid for funding for zero emission buses and supporting infrastructure. In total Leicester has benefitted from nearly £22 million funding to support 114 zero emission buses. 

Manufactured in Northern Ireland by Wrightbus and operated by First Bus, the move supports hundreds of high-skilled jobs helps grow the economy and brings total Government funding from the ZEBRA scheme to almost £300 million for up to 1,400 zero emission buses in England, taking the vision of a net zero transport network one step closer to reality.

Roads Minister Richard Holden said:

“Buses are the most popular form of public transport, and these new UK-made zero emission buses will help make them more attractive still by providing cleaner, smoother and more reliable services across Leicester.

“We’re providing an extra three million pound to roll out 18 new electric buses to provide residents in Leicester with better, cleaner and quieter journeys, as we step up a gear to reach net zero faster and level up transport across the country.”

All these additional buses funded through the ZEBRA scheme are battery electric.

Zero-emission buses are often cheaper to run, improving the economics for bus operators, and more reliable, reducing repair costs and minimising delays.

This latest investment will support British manufacturing around the country. The new buses will be manufactured in Northern Ireland by Wrightbus and operated by First Bus, supporting hundreds of new high-skilled jobs and helping to grow the economy.

Janette Bell, Managing Director at First Bus, said:

“We’re absolutely delighted that Leicester will become one of our blueprint bus depots of the future, helping us to refine and iterate this new concept so we can roll it out across the rest of the UK. At First Bus, we’re continuing to trailblaze with our partners to ensure we meet our net zero targets, supported by co-funding from the Department for Transport.

“As leaders in sustainable mobility, we are fully aligned with the Government’s ambitions for a net zero carbon transport system. Through this co-funding with the ZEBRA scheme, we’re excited to electrify another 5 of our UK depots before March 2024, and look forward to introducing even more electric buses to our constantly growing fleet.

“We cannot wait to see our customers’ reactions once the project is complete, as we know the difference this will make to the city. Electric really is the future and we’re glad we can take our customers on this journey with us.”

The move is part of the Government’s wider £3 billion National Bus Strategy to significantly improve bus services, with lower and simpler fares, more integrated ticketing and higher frequencies.

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