The UK city has made a major electric bus order as it chases an electric bus goal by 2025
A £150 million project to create the UK’s first all-electric bus city by 2025 has taken a major step forward with 50 new greener buses on the streets of Coventry.
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) has been working with Coventry City Council on the scheme and has secured £50 million Department for Transport funding to develop charging infrastructure and to top up the investment being made by bus operators in upgrading their fleets with electric vehicles.
This will include upgrades such as charge points at bus depots across Coventry and Warwickshire.
The 50 new National Express Coventry double-decker buses are the first of up to 300 new vehicles due to arrive over the next three years under the pollution busting ‘Coventry’s Electric’ programme. National Express has also invested more than £60m, meaning over a third of its Coventry fleet is now electric, with another 80 committed for early 2023.
Coventry will see improved air quality and reduced greenhouse gases, and passengers will benefit from a fleet of brand new, comfortable and fully accessible buses.
“Local people are now starting to see these wonderful buses on the streets of Coventry – offering them a quieter, smoother and more comfortable journey,” Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street says.
“As we seek to tackle the climate emergency and maintain our #WM2041 net zero commitment, these British made buses are saving energy, cutting fuel costs for operators and improving our air quality.
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“I cannot wait to see even more electric buses arriving in the next few years as Coventry becomes a truly all-electric bus city.”
National Express UK CEO Tom Stables says: “Our vision is to become the UK’s most sustainable bus and coach company and it’s been great to see this month’s COP27 putting a real focus on how businesses can play their part in addressing climate change.”
“More people using public transport has significant benefits for society including safer roads, increased access to opportunities, reduced congestion, improved air quality and more space in our cities.
“We’re proud and excited to be leading the way in making Coventry all-electric and are actively recruiting new drivers to join us in the green revolution. Full training is provided and we have recently launched new pay rates of up to £29,500, or more with overtime.”
The city already had 10 all-electric buses operated by National Express, so this brings the total number of buses in the city to 60.
The electric bus fleet is just one part of TfWM’s plans with new rail, bus, tram and cycle routes being developed and new technology introduced to support the West Midlands in achieving its #WM2041 target and become a net-zero carbon region within the next two decades.
Not only will Coventry become the UK’s first all-electric bus city, but TfWM, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), has committed to a fully zero-emission region by 2030 in its Bus Service Improvement Plan.