Two of Reading’s most popular bus routes will be served by the town’s first battery electric bus fleet following a successful bid for funding by the Council and Reading Buses. DfT announced that Reading had secured £4.7m from the Zero Emissions Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) fund.

The funding will see the delivery of 24 electric double deck buses on routes 17 and 21 and the installation of charging infrastructure at the Reading Buses depot.

Reading Buses already has one of the most environmentally friendly fleets in the country and the addition of electric buses will support the Council’s aims of reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality and protecting the health and wellbeing of Reading residents.

The electric buses will enter service in the next two years, starting with route 17, which runs from Tilehurst in the west of Reading to the Three Tuns in the east.

James Crosbie, Assistant Director for Planning, Transport and Public Protection, said: “The introduction of 24 electric buses to Reading is very exciting and highlights our commitment to improving air quality and the health of residents in the borough. The Council’s £26m Bus Service Improvement Plan has already made travelling by bus easier and cheaper and introduced new, convenient bus routes for residents. New bus lanes will make getting around the borough on public transport even faster and more reliable.”