A fleet of 41 electric buses are set to take to Devon’s roads in Exeter, North Devon and Torridge.
Our successful joint bid with Stagecoach has secured £5.3 million from the second round of the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.
Stagecoach will be investing a further £15 million into the project to roll out new EV buses in Exeter on Service 4, Service A and the Green Park and Ride service, while in North Devon and Torridge they will operate on Services 21/21A as well as town services in Barnstaple.
The introduction of electric buses, which should be on the road by early 2026, is expected to create a new image which we hope will appeal to new passengers, boost park and ride use and improve air quality by reducing pollution.
Stagecoach is ready to roll out EV charging infrastructure across its depots, including Exeter and Barnstaple.
This new investment will form the basis for the bus company to expand its fleet of zero and low emission vehicles across the south west, and there are also plans in place to develop a community charging hub at the Matford depot in Exeter.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “As part of our plan to improve local transport across the South West, we’re providing over £43 million to roll out 352 brand new zero-emission buses across the region.
“This latest investment into our bus fleet comes on top of the £3.5 billion we have invested into our bus network since 2020, protecting and improving bus routes into 2025 as well as extending the £2 bus fare cap until the end of 2024, made possible by reallocated HS2 funding.”
We are one of 25 local authorities across the country receiving a share of the £143 million funding through the second round of the ZEBRA programme, enabling the rollout of 955 zero emission buses in England.