FirstGroup to invest extra £35m in electric bus fleet, infrastructure

2nd Mar 2023 08:37

(Sharecast News) - FirstGroup on Thursday said it was investing an extra £35m in the electrification of its bus fleet and infrastructure.

The move follows successful applications made in partnership with four local authorities where its First Bus unit operates, to secure £25m of government co-funding to accelerate investment in new electric buses and related infrastructure through the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area ('ZEBRA') funding scheme.

As a result, the group now anticipates total bus capital expenditure of £120-125m in 2024.

The government funding will allow First Bus to order an extra 117 electric buses, taking the total number of electric buses in its fleet to more than 600 by March 2024.

"This is a significant milestone for First Bus, with its York and Norwich depots set to become the UK's first bus depots outside of London to run fully electric fleets. Another two depots, Bramley in West Yorkshire and Hoeford in Hampshire, will also see the introduction of electric bus fleets and infrastructure as a result of this funding," the company said.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com