Bus operators secure £40.5m for new green vehicles

The Scottish government has awarded £40.5m to help bus operators replace old diesel vehicles with new battery-electric models.

A total of 215 buses will be replaced through a second round of the Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme.

More than 170 of the vehicles will be built in Falkirk by Alexander Dennis.

The government said the investment supported skilled, green manufacturing jobs in Scotland, while reducing transport emissions.

It added that the move represented a substantial increase on the 57 buses supported through the first round.

The award will be met with investment of more than £80m from bus companies to fund the 215 vehicles.

First Bus said that more than £59m would be invested in new fully electric and zero emission vehicles for Glasgow as a result of the funding award.

The operator, which will receive £24.3m, has committed to spend a further £35.6m on the new buses.

The investment will add a further 126 electric single and double decker vehicles to the city, bringing the total number operating to 150.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: "The Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme continues to help drive a green recovery, responding to the global climate emergency and improving air quality."

The Unite union welcomed the announcement, saying it would "help to fill orders at a time when bus operators are reluctant to invest into their fleets due to the continuing impact of Covid on the bus industry".