First Electrified Bus Depot Unveiled in the West of England

The West of England’s first electrified bus depot was unveiled yesterday as passengers boarded the region’s first electric buses.

The depot in Weston-super-Mare has been transformed thanks to a £14.9 million investment from First Bus and the government’s Zero Emissions Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) project via North Somerset Council.

Twenty-four new electric Yutong buses supplied by Pelican will transport about 20,000 passengers per week on two key services in North Somerset; the X1 (Weston to Bristol) and X4 (Portishead to Bristol).With each bus saving about 75 tonnes of CO2 each year – the equivalent to taking 54 cars off the road – today marks a major milestone in the company’s commitment to have a zero emission fleet by 2035.

Today saw the official unveiling of three huge gantries, installed by Magnus Construction Group, at the two-football pitch-sized site just off the A370 on the edge of the town, which will power the area’s 24 new electric buses – more than a third of First Bus’ Weston bus fleet.

The 78-seater, zero-emission double deckers boast modern interiors with USB charging points for each seat, a camera monitoring system instead of wing mirrors for added safety, and a smoother, quieter and more reliable ride for passengers.
Doug Claringbold, the Managing Director for First Bus in the West of England, said:

“Today is a major milestone in bringing smoother, quieter and more reliable bus journeys to our customers, and making sustainable transport even better for the environment, supporting our commitment to have a zero-emission fleet by 2035.”

“Seeing our depot and buses unveiled today has been a really proud moment for me and our teams in Weston-super-Mare and across First Bus, who have worked so hard with contractors and our local authority partners to secure this project and bring it to the West of England.”

“This is our biggest investment in the local area for decades, and what we have created here in Weston will help secure a cleaner solution for transport for future generations and help inspire the nation to love and use the bus.”

In the coming weeks, First Bus and North Somerset Council will launch a new educational programme, which will see an electric bus visit local schools, giving pupils the chance to explore the new buses, be taught the key skills on how to catch and travel on a bus, and learn more about travelling sustainably. In addition, youngsters will also have the opportunity to adopt and design local bus shelters, and as part of First Bus’ partnership with Gromit Unleashed 3, school children are being asked to think about the future and design a futuristic Norbot from Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.