Another 64 new electric buses are being rolled out across Coventry and Warwickshire as part of a £140m project to create the UK’s first truly all-electric bus town or city.
The commitment by operator Stagecoach to run the zero-emission buses on all of its services linking Coventry to surrounding areas in Warwickshire is a major step forward for the Coventry Electric Bus City scheme.
It means more than 200 buses, 80% of all those operating within and travelling into the city, will be electric battery powered.
Stagecoach has taken delivery of 31 double decker buses from British manufacturer Alexander Dennis and 33 single decker buses from Pelican-Yutong. These will enter service over the next few months as new charging facilities are completed at depots in Nuneaton, Leamington Spa and Rugby. All of the new buses are expected to be in service by next spring.
The electrification of the city’s entire bus fleet will see a huge cut in carbon emissions, the equivalent to taking 14,000 cars off the road, and a reduction in air pollution.
Stagecoach says passengers will enjoy smoother, quieter journeys as well as top-spec amenities including: USB charging, free Wi-Fi, high-spec passenger information systems and enhanced wheelchair and buggy space.
(Picture shows, left to right: Mark Whitelocks, Stagecoach Midlands Managing Director, Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA chair, Cllr George Diggins, Leader of Coventry City Council, Cllr Richard Baxter-Payne, Warwickshire Country Council, courtesy WMCA)
