First new bus delivered as Fareham depot goes electric

Driver training is under way on the first of 62 battery-powered buses delivered to First Solent

Bus services across Portsmouth, Fareham and Gosport are about to go electric.

The first of 62 battery-powered buses have been delivered to First Solent, where driver training is under way.

At Hoeford depot, in Fareham, 66 electric charging points are being installed to fuel the vehicles.

Tramlines in the tarmac at the Hampshire site serve as a reminder of the past - the depot once housed Gosport and Fareham Tramways carriages, powered by overhead electric wires.

The first tram carried passengers on 20 December 1905, the last was on 31 December 1929.

The site even had its own power station.

The depot was once home to the area's trams

Now, after nearly a century, electric power is back.

"It's going to make a huge difference," said Mark Sharp, project lead for First Bus, which owns the depot.

"It's new, it's quiet, it's more environmentally friendly.

"And the neighbours won't be woken up by diesel buses in the morning, as they have been for many years."

The buses are being built by Wrightbus at Ballymena in Northern Ireland, which is owned by Jo Bamford.

They will be delivered over the next few weeks.

"It handles totally differently to a diesel bus, especially when we accelerate - it's got a lot more power - it's really good!" "said driver Steve Legg.

First Bus claims a typical range of 250m (402km) on a single charge, which is higher than many other electric buses.

It has put up £16m of the investment, with £12.7m coming from a government grant.

"Everyone knows that Portsmouth has an air quality pollution issue," said Liberal Democrat councillor Steve Pitt, leader of Portsmouth City Council.

"That's why we have a clean air zone," he said.

"Being able to transform our bus fleet will be a huge step forward in addressing that issue."

The plan was to launch the service next week but there has been a delay with the power being connected, so instead the buses will carry passengers from March.