First electric depot and buses unveiled in the West of England

The depot in Weston-super-Mare has been transformed thanks to a £14.9 million investment from First Bus and the government’s Zero Emissions Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) project via North Somerset Council.

Twenty-four new electric buses will transport about 20,000 passengers per week on two key services in North Somerset; the X1 (Weston to Bristol) and X4 (Portishead to Bristol).

With each bus saving about 75 tonnes of CO2 each year – the equivalent to taking 54  cars off the road – today marks a major milestone in the company’s commitment to have a zero emission fleet by 2035.

Today saw the official unveiling of three huge gantries, installed by Magnus Construction Group, at the two-football pitch-sized site just off the A370 on the edge of the town, which will power the area’s 24 new electric buses – more than a third of First Bus’ Weston bus fleet.

The 78-seater, zero-emission double deckers boast modern interiors with USB charging points for each seat, a camera monitoring system instead of wing mirrors for added safety, and a smoother, quieter and more reliable ride for passengers.

Doug Claringbold, the Managing Director for First Bus in the West of England, said: “Today is a major milestone in bringing smoother, quieter and more reliable bus journeys to our customers, and making sustainable transport even better for the environment, supporting our commitment to have a zero-emission fleet by 2035.

“Seeing our depot and buses unveiled today has been a really proud moment for me and our teams in Weston-super-Mare and across First Bus, who have worked so hard with contractors and our local authority partners to secure this project and bring it to the West of England.

“This is our biggest investment in the local area for decades, and what we have created here in Weston will help secure a cleaner solution for transport for future generations and help inspire the nation to love and use the bus.”

Alongside officially launching the new depot and vehicles, North Somerset Council has also announced a further boost to the environment. Today, it unveiled plans to revamp up to 120 bus shelters on key routes including stops with ‘living roofs’, solar panels and benches made from thousands of recycled CDs as part of its Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).

And in the coming weeks, First Bus and North Somerset Council will launch a new educational programme, which will see an electric bus visit local schools, giving pupils the chance to explore the new buses, be taught the key skills on how to catch and travel on a bus, and learn more about travelling sustainably. In addition, youngsters will also have the opportunity to adopt and design local bus shelters, and as part of First Bus' partnership with Gromit Unleashed 3, school children are being asked to think about the future and design a futuristic Norbot from Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

Cllr Hannah Young, Executive Member for Highways and Transport at North Somerset Council, which secured government funding for the project, said: “This is a landmark moment for North Somerset and a huge step forward in our journey towards a greener future. Investing in zero-emission buses and improving our transport infrastructure will not only reduce carbon emissions but also improve the experience for passengers.

“A key part of this scheme is inspiring the next generation to choose to use the bus as a convenient, reliable, and sustainable way to travel. By engaging children through school visits and creative initiatives, we are working to build long-term habits that help to reduce congestion, improve air quality and support our communities to retain local services. By working in partnership with First Bus, we are proud to be leading the way in the West of England to bring this environment-friendly investment to North Somerset.” 

Meanwhile, just 20 miles away, First Bus and the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority will soon be unveiling its first electrified Bristol depot at Hengrove, which will power 74 buses entering the Bristol network this summer.

The £44 million investment, which includes £6.6 million of government funding secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, has seen the Hengrove depot transformed with five power gantries installed by NG Bailey. The Hengrove depot project is expected to be completed by early May.

Dan Norris, the Mayor of the West of England, said: “I’ve been proud to invest in better buses for the West of England during my four years as Mayor. Funding secured by my Mayoral Combined Authority is helping power up the First Bus depot in Hengrove, and the 74 new electric buses that will use it from this summer.

“Through the enormous popularity of Birthday Buses and other initiatives, I’m glad thousands more people are using buses in the West. The first year of Birthday Buses cut 1,100 tonnes of carbon emissions through greener journeys, and the new electric buses and depot will only add to that impact.”

Electrifying both depots will also provide facilities for local companies to charge their electric vehicles , and bring green employment and training opportunities, including upskilling the existing engineering team, and providing engineering apprenticeship opportunities for local people as well as opportunities to become a driver of the new, state of the art buses.