Coventry to become UK’s first all-electric bus city
Coventry it to introduce a fleet of 130 zero-emission double decker buses next year as part of a £140 million project to make it the UK’s first all-electric bus city.
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), last year secured £50 million funding from the Department of Transport to ensure every bus in Coventry is zero-emission.
Now under a deal with TfWM, National Express Coventry is making an additional multi-million pound investment into the All Electric Bus City project with the purchase of the 130 new buses. The company is set to order further buses at a later date.
Similar agreements with other bus companies and those running subsidised services are likely to follow, with the aim of putting up to 300 electric buses on the streets of Coventry, guaranteeing an all-electric fleet by 2025.
In addition to new vehicles, TfWM is also working with Coventry City Council to create the necessary charging infrastructure to power the new buses. This will include upgrades to bus depots and charging points at Pool Meadow Bus Station.
Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA, said, “It really is incredibly exciting to think next year we will have 130 all-electric buses on the streets of Coventry thanks to the deal we have signed with National Express.
“These clean and green double decker buses will not only be fantastic for passengers with their comfort and state-of-the-art technology, but it will also help in reducing air pollution and tackling the climate emergency.
“Buses are the backbone of transport in the West Midlands, and a key part of the public transport revolution we have been undergoing in recent years. I am delighted we have been able to make yet another landmark investment as we look to build on our pre-pandemic levels of patronage – where the West Midlands was the only region that saw a rise in bus passenger numbers.”
David Bradford, managing director of National Express Bus, said: “We are really looking forward to launching 130 more of our fully electric buses into service early next year on the way to making Coventry the UK’s first all-electric bus city.”
National Express Coventry has been operating 10 fully electric buses across the city since summer 2020. Each of the 10 buses can charge up in four hours and can run for 220 kilometres in the winter or 280 kilometres in the summer before needing another charge.
“Buses are already one of the cleanest ways to travel,” continued Bradford. “National Express has the cheapest bus fares in England, alongside flexible ticketing, so our new and existing customers can relax knowing that they are doing their bit for the planet if they leave the car at home and travel by bus.”
Cllr Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change, at Coventry City Council, said: “Since the £50m investment was announced we have been working with TfWM and National Express to begin to develop the infrastructure for up to 300 all-electric buses by 2025.
“Confirming the order of 130 of these state-of-the art buses is fantastic for local people, for business in the city, and most importantly, for our efforts to lead on the green industrial revolution and cut our carbon footprint.
“We already have a range of schemes to improve air quality, including the highest number of electric charging points per head of population outside London, and this will help exceed our carbon reduction targets. There are a number of partners involved and it highlights the excellent joint working relations between the different organisations.”