Electric buses: South West local services get £143m funding

WECA leader Dan Norris and Doug Claringbold of First Bus celebrate 74 new buses for the WECA area

The South West is getting 325 new electric buses as part of an effort to improve local bus services.

Nine councils, including Bristol, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, received £43m to roll out new electric buses in the region.

The funding comes on top of over £177m to improve bus services in the South West from the Department's Bus Service Improvement Plan.

The new zero-emission buses will replace older diesel buses.

They will also meet Enhanced Accessibility Standards, and will come with Wi-fi and USB charging sockets.

The funding is part of the £143m government investment from the second round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas programme.

'Cleaner air'

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: "This latest investment into our bus fleet comes on top of the £3.5bn we have invested into our bus network since 2020, protecting and improving bus routes into 2025 as well as extending the £2 bus fare cap until the end of 2024, made possible by reallocated HS2 funding."

Janette Bell, Managing Director for First Bus, added: "As leaders in sustainable mobility, we'll continue to work closely with central and local government across the UK to support the delivery of our national decarbonisation commitments in our relentless pursuit to create a nation who loves and uses the bus."

Stagecoach Chief Operating Officer, Sam Greer, said: "This is a positive step forward in helping to reduce carbon emissions and deliver cleaner air, building on the funding already made available to support bus services in England through the £2 fare cap."