Harrogate Bus Co, the county’s leading bus operator, has placed orders worth £21 million for 39 new buses and to equip its depot to convert its entire bus fleet to fully electric power. The orders are supported by £7.8 million of funding from the Government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) funding, following a successful bid by parent firm
Transdev’s partner,
North Yorkshire Council.
Transdev’s new vehicle orders follow successful trials of several types of all-electric buses on three varied routes in and around Harrogate, as well as on its high-frequency shuttle route linking Bradford and Keighley. During the trials, the bus operator invited its customers to rate key design features, with feedback incorporated into the specifications of the new buses.
The Transdev orders are for 20 new
Mercedes-Benz E-Citaro all-electric single deck buses, and 19 new
Alexander Dennis Enviro 400EV fully electric double-deck buses — these will be among the first of this new British-built design to enter service.
Henri Rohard, Transdev’s managing director, said: “We are delighted to launch our depot and bus electrification project. It is an important evolution in the quality and sustainability of our network in and around our hometown of Harrogate. All our bus fleet will be renewed in the process, giving our Harrogate Bus Company the most modern and passenger oriented network. The project has been made possible thanks to the significant support from the Government’s ZEBRA fund.
“In combination with our existing eight Harrogate Electrics-branded Volvo 7900E electric buses, the first of their kind in Britain, 47 fully electric vehicles are now expected to be in service in the spring of next year.”
Roads Minister Richard Holden concluded: “It is fantastic to see Transdev turn its Harrogate fleet to fully electric by ordering 39 new electric buses. This has been supported by us providing nearly £8 million to North Yorkshire Council through the ZEBRA scheme. Overall, we have awarded £330 million of dedicated funding for zero-emission buses in England — excluding London — as we continue in our quest to decarbonise transport and reach ‘net zero’ by 2050.”