Oxford Brookes University unveils first fleet of electric buses

The BROOKESbuses will operate a free service for students on campus

The first group of fully electric double-decker buses has been unveiled at an Oxford university.

BROOKESbuses have been launched as part of an initiative to make the area more environmentally friendly.

Oxford Bus Company showed off 21 of the Oxford Brookes University-branded vehicles which will serve students and staff.

The buses are part of a fleet of 159 being launched across the city to replace the current diesel vehicles.

Oxford Bus Company said the changeover is expected to prevent an estimated 850 tonnes of CO2 emissions being released in the city per year.

The buses have been funded via government money awarded to Oxfordshire County Council in March last year, as part of its Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.

The 21 university buses are part of a fleet of 159 to be launched across the city

Each double-decker takes about three hours to charge using renewable sources and can travel up to 300 miles per charge, the company said.

They have been manufactured by Wrightbus, based in Northern Ireland, and the remaining buses in the fleet are expected to launch in the coming weeks.

Professor Alistair Fitt, vice-chancellor of Oxford Brookes, said the vehicles were an "important step" towards the city becoming net zero by 2040.

He also confirmed they would be offering free journeys to the "vast majority of students".

Councillor Louise Upton, from Oxford City Council, said: "...electric buses are helping to improve our air quality and therefore the health of our residents.

"I hope that these new buses will help to make bus travel an attractive option for everyone."

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