Electric buses to be given £1.25m investment

Gloucestershire County Council looks set to approve investment in electric buses

More than £1m could be invested in electric buses in what is being hailed as a "step change" in public transport.

Gloucestershire County Council is set to approve the next step in developing a business case for a Bus Rapid Transport system (BRT) on Monday, which they say will tackle social inequality.

It would be funded by £1m in Community Infrastructure Levy contributions from Cheltenham Borough Council, Gloucester City Council and Tewkesbury Borough Council, and £250,000 from the county council.

Councillor Roger Whyborn said: "We're laying the groundwork for a transport network that meets the needs of our growing county."

The scheme would be part of improved transport links across the area

Although regular links between Gloucester and Cheltenham exist, the plans would see priority given to buses to avoid delays, fewer stops and interchanges to link with other modes of transport.

The BRT system would run alongside a planned Express bus service which would link the area to nearby locations including Oxford and Swindon.

On Monday, councillors are expected to approve the initial £1.25m, which would go towards a business case and identification of the first routes.

As first steps, it is expected that a fleet of modern electric buses will be introduced on some existing routes.

Mr Whyborn added: "This is an exciting opportunity, to plan both for transport strategically for expected future housing and employment development, and also for improvements in public transport in the short-term, which is clean, green, and frequent, which people will want to use in preference to private car transport."

The BRT business case development will run through to the end of the 2026-27 financial year.