Oxford electric bus charging hub work begins

The new charging hub will produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 16,000 family homes

Work has started on one of the biggest electric charging hubs in the UK.

The facility, at the Oxford Bus Company depot, will charge Go-Ahead Group's new fleet of electric buses.

The first of the 159 buses are expected to be on Oxford's streets in September 2023.

An area from Cumnor to the west of the city, Wheatley to the east, Kidlington to the north and Sandford to the south will be served by the fleet.

The 104 hubs will charge the buses overnight and will supply enough energy for each bus to travel more than 170 miles (270km) a day.

Oxford Bus Company claimed the charging hub will produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of more than 130,000 TVs simultaneously or boil 2,700 kettles.

The £82.5m scheme is being paid for by the government, the council and bus firms.

It is the latest stage in the four-year project Energy Superhub Oxford, which aims reduce the city's carbon footprint.

The government awarded Oxfordshire County Council £32.8m towards the project as part of its Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company's managing director, is looking forward to introducing the new buses, which are expected to arrive by June 2024.

He said they would help improve air quality and "make bus travel an even more attractive option for people to travel around Oxford".

Oxford Bus Company's owner, Go-Ahead, has pledged to convert its entire 5,500-strong bus fleet nationwide to zero emission energy.

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