Another 44 fully electric buses are coming to York in a boost for the city’s sustainable transport ambitions.
City of York Council has been awarded over £8.4million to buy the buses following a successful bid to the Department of Transport.
The new vehicles will add to the existing 33 electric buses running on the York Park & Ride.
In addition, FirstGroup has pledged £10 million towards the new buses. They will run on First’s routes 1, 4, 5, 6, the Hospital Shuttle Bus and Park and Ride route 2.
A fleet of 77 electric buses will cover more than half the city’s bus mileage.
“This will reduce carbon emissions in York by 2,300 tonnes per year as well as reducing NOx and particulate emissions across the city, but especially within the city centre Clean Air Zone,” a City of York Council spokesperson said.
“Overall, York’s electric bus fleet will reduce the city’s carbon emissions by 3,900 tonnes per year – the equivalent of the carbon emissions from driving 650 cars around the circumference of the Earth.”
The number of passengers on York’s bus service is recovering well after the Covid lockdowns, with passenger volumes now between 80% and 90% of pre-pandemic levels.
In October last year, City of York Council also submitted a £39m bid to the DfT setting out how the city will bring forward measures to make bus services faster and more reliable, upgrade the Park and Ride network and reform fares.
A funding decision on this Bus Service Improvement Plan – City of York Council’s response to the National Bus Strategy – is expected soon.
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Cllr Andy D’Agorne, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Transport at City of York Council, said: “We are delighted to be successful in receiving over £8.4million in funding towards providing clean, zero emission public transport across the city. The city’s Bus Service Improvement Plan is also a key supporting policy underpinning the council’s new Local Transport Plan and I hope Government will announce funding for this shortly.”