First Bus Norfolk Reaches 100 Electric Buses in Its Fleet
According to First Bus, the new vehicles will operate on routes 28, 37, 38, and 38A, connecting Thorpe Marriott, Drayton Road, Hellesdon, and Mulbarton with Norwich city center. The base of operations will be the Vulcan Road depot, which has been renovated and equipped with new charging infrastructure. The specific models of the buses acquired have not been disclosed.
According to the parties involved, the acquisition of these new vehicles is the result of a joint investment of £13.8 million by First Bus and Norfolk County Council, aimed at improving public transport services within local and regional jurisdictions.
First Bus is contributing £8.9 million, with the remainder funded through the Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan. This broader program has also seen the introduction of 10 electric buses in Great Yarmouth, where charging infrastructure has been installed at the Caister Road depot.
Simon Mathieson, First Bus Regional Director for the East and Midlands, stated: "This joint investment in vehicles and depot infrastructure marks another significant step toward a cleaner, healthier future for everyone who lives, works, and travels in Norfolk. It also supports First Bus’s goal of achieving a fully zero-emission fleet nationwide by 2035."
Councillor Joseph Kerrison, Deputy Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, added: "This latest investment helps deliver the reliable, high-quality bus services that the public wants and deserves." “Expanding the electric fleet to 100 vehicles marks a significant milestone and demonstrates our shared commitment to investing in a modern bus network that encourages more people to choose the bus for their daily travel.”
First Bus has set a goal to achieve a fully zero-emission fleet in the United Kingdom by 2035.
