Basildon to welcome 55 First Bus electric buses

Basildon is set to welcome electric buses in less than two years

A town will get a fleet of 55 new electric buses after funding of more than £30m was pledged.

Commuters should be able to hop on the greener vehicles in Basildon, Essex, by 2025.

Part of the cost was covered with £4.8m from the second wave of the government's Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas funding - known as Zebra 2.

The additional £25.8m was put up by First Bus, in a bid to help it achieve a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035.

A First Bus spokesperson said its funding would be put towards upgrading the infrastructure at a depot to accommodate the electric vehicles.

The buses were expected to be put in place in late 2025 and have routes between the town and neighbouring areas such as Chelmsford, Lakeside and Southend.

Electric buses have been reintroduced in Norwich and were praised by passengers

Piers Marlow, managing director of First Bus East of England, said: "We are absolutely delighted with today's announcement that we have secured zero-emission bus funding from the Department for Transport.

"We have worked in close partnership with Essex County Council on this bid, and we are excited about getting these vehicles onto the road."

Kevin Blake, Conservative and cabinet member at Basildon District Council for the environment, carbon reduction and waste enforcement, said: "We have ambitious plans to reach carbon net zero in the borough and I am delighted to hear of the introduction of these electric buses.

"I would also like to thank First Buses for their significant investment into the transport infrastructure."

The Department for Transport (DfT) said Basildon has become one of a number of areas in England to receive a major funding boost to help introduce electric buses.

The scheme has also been introduced in other parts of the East of England.

More than £37m has been spent on converting 60% of the vehicles operated by First Bus in Norwich.

Its depot has become home to the first fully-electric bus fleet outside of London, the company said.

Passengers praised a reduction in fumes and a smoother ride.