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First Bus is investing £70m in a further 160 zero emission buses in the West of England, growing the First Bus zero emission local fleet to more than 250 vehicles.  

In partnership with the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, an additional £20m has been secured through the latest round of the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) funding scheme.  

Following the electrification of Weston Island (Bath) and Lawrence Hill (Bristol) depots, four out of the company’s five regional depots will be electrified by next year.  

The West of England area will now be running 258 zero emission vehicles, transporting more than 750,000 passengers per week.

Also, a total of 27 of the 160 vehicles will be repowered diesel buses.

Each zero emission bus will reduce CO₂ emissions by 75 tonnes a year compared with the existing diesel fleet.

This investment in Bristol and Bath is part of a wider First Bus decarbonisation commitment to operation a 100% zero emission fleet by 2035.  

Janette Bell, Managing Director for First Bus, said: “We’ve reached a significant milestone today as we invest further in our journey towards a zero emission bus fleet.

“I am delighted for our colleagues across the region as we continue our transformation of the fleet and the depots, and our customers who get to enjoy the benefits, from improved air quality to a smoother, quieter ride. 

“We’re proud to continue to lead the way in sustainable mobility, and work with central and local governments across the UK to strive to meet our national decarbonisation commitments.”