£50m fund for UK’s first ‘all-electric bus town’

A new fund of up to £50m will invest in electric buses to take over a town’s entire network.

The government announced the money today (6 February), inviting local authorities to apply to become the UK’s “first all-electric bus town”.

The winning area can use the money to pay for a fleet of brand-new electric buses, which can help cut emissions and reduce the levels of toxic particulates being released by vehicles.

“Buses carry more people than any other form of public transport in the UK, and with 200 electric buses able to offset 3,700 diesel cars, it is clear they have a crucial role to play in bringing down emissions,” said transport secretary Grant Shapps.

The £50m fund is part of a wider £170m package, which will also fund ride-sharing services, restore select bus routes outside of London and increase integration with rail networks.

“This £170m package will help us to create communities which are cleaner, easier to get around and more environmentally friendly, speeding up journeys and making them more reliable,” said Shapps.

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