East Yorkshire Buses has announced the successful completion of phase one of its electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure programme, as the operator prepares for the arrival of 21 new electric Wrightbus vehicles later this year.
The infrastructure programme has been made possible thanks to an allocation of capital funding from Hull City Council to support the rollout of electric buses in the city as part of the authority’s commitment to tackling the climate emergency and creating a greener city.
In addition to charging East Yorkshire’s new EVs, the infrastructure at the operator’s Anlaby Road Depot can also be used by the council’s own fleet of passenger vehicles.
Councillor Mark Ieronimo, cabinet portfolio holder for transport and infrastructure at Hull City Council, said: “Step-by-step we are seeing the revolution of Hull’s public transport. It was brilliant to see the progress that has been made by East Yorkshire and their contractors to install this new charging infrastructure in anticipation of the arrival of the first electric buses in the city.
“There are currently no electric or hybrid buses operating on public routes in Hull.
“Electric buses are greener and cleaner and will have a transformative impact on public transport throughout the city.
“In addition to the environmental benefits, the new vehicles will have a wider impact by changing how our residents, and visitors to Hull, see buses and help encourage, and increase, passenger demand.”
Ben Gilligan, managing director at East Yorkshire Buses, said: “The completion of the phase one works at Anlaby Road represents a major milestone for us as we move towards the future which will see a significant change in the quality of our operation as we take delivery of our electric buses. These will massively improve the experience for our staff and customers as well as delivering much improved air quality across the city. We have been pleased to work with our partners at Hull City Council to make this project feasible.”
Electric buses run on rechargeable batteries and are quieter and provide a smoother ride. They are also easier to maintain.
They have a range of up to several hundred miles and are charged externally, usually at the depot on a plug, after the end of service each day.
Unlike diesel buses, they produce no carbon emissions or nitrogen oxides, so they can also contribute to improved air quality and help combat climate change.
Andrew Benstead, engineering director at East Yorkshire, said: “This milestone marks a significant step forward in our commitment to delivering cleaner, greener transport across the region.
“With the first phase of works now complete and handed back to East Yorkshire, we are well into phase two, continuing to work closely with our contractor to ensure that timelines are met, and progress remains on track.
“The collaboration and dedication from all involved have been instrumental in driving this transformative project forward.
“We have built a good working relationship with our principal contractor, EO Technology, and sub-contractor, Bethell, during the works.”
The rollout of electric buses in the city has been made possible thanks to successful funding bids to the Government by Hull City Council in partnership with the region’s two operators – East Yorkshire and Stagecoach East Midlands – and East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
Last year, an initial allocation of around £6million from the Department for Transport (DfT) enabled for the purchase of 40 new, fully accessible electric buses and the installation of associated infrastructure.
In April, the Government confirmed it had made £3,907,844 available to increase the scope of the region’s ZEBRA2 (zero emission bus regional areas) project and enable the purchase of 42 more electric buses for use in the city – bringing the total number of new electric buses that will soon be operating in the region to 82.
The new electric buses will replace existing diesel vehicles operated by Stagecoach East Midlands and East Yorkshire Buses in Hull and the East Riding and will mean that the majority of Hull’s urban bus network will be operated by zero-emission vehicles.
