North Somerset to have new electric buses on roads by 2025

North Somerset Council has successfully bid for £15 million of new funding for greener buses across the region.

The council will receive £12.8 million from First Bus for investment in Weston-super-Mare's depot and services, with an additional £2.1 million in capital funding from the Department for Transport (DfT).

The Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) funding will provide 24 brand new electric buses for the X1 and X4 services.

The investment also includes electric vehicle charging stations at the Weston-super-Mare bus depot.

First Bus will distribute its funding over the 24/25 and 25/26 financial years.

The X1 and X4 are two of North Somerset's most popular routes, serving 141,131 and 79,402 passengers respectively in October 2023.

Alongside the new buses, the council will invest an additional £48 million of DfT funding into bus-related infrastructure.

New schemes include bus lanes, bus gates, smart traffic lights, and better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.

Cllr Hannah Young, executive member for highways and transport at North Somerset Council, said: "I am delighted that North Somerset is receiving this multi-million pound investment which will continue to see the area develop as a great place to work and live.

"As ZEBs start to replace diesel buses, we will continue to implement our Bus Service Improvement Plan to better connect North Somerset residents to work, school, and essential services."

The new, greener buses will support North Somerset Council's declaration of a climate emergency in February 2019.

This move seeks to address the 40 per cent of all CO2 emissions due to transport, including local bus services.

Cllr Annemieke Waite, an executive member responsible for the climate change emergency at North Somerset Council, said: "The new 24 electric buses will support our goal of becoming carbon neutral.

"ZEBs also generate significantly less noise than diesel equivalents, improving community quality of life in local neighbourhoods where depots are situated, and along routes that the ZEBs will be travelling."

First West of England’s managing director, Doug Claringbold, recognised this as "a real landmark moment".

He said: "This demonstrates our ongoing commitment towards a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2035.

"It is an exciting time for our colleagues as we start to transform the Weston depot.

"We’re proud to be a leader in sustainable transport, and we’ll continue to deliver our decarbonisation ambitions."

North Somerset Council and the West of England Combined Authority have received over £105 million from the Department for Transport to enhance bus services by 2025.

Under the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), the goal is to create a bus network that is faster, more convenient, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective.

This programme is delivered in close cooperation with local bus operators.