Jonathan Welch reports from the launch of Warrington’s new electric bus fleet
Figures suggest that 2023 was one of the hottest years globally, and transport accounts for roughly a quarter of all global emissions. Of the 1.56 billion vehicles on the road, around 16% are commercial, which create 40% of road emissions. Against that background, and on such a massive scale, it’s hard to see what we as individuals or even as groups can do. The task seems impossible.
What about on a more manageable, local, human scale? On the world level, a new electric bus or two might be a raindrop in the ocean, but for local residents, the reduction in noise and pollution can be a huge thing. And that’s why it’s important to celebrate local and regional achievements. Every little, as the slogan goes, helps.
The pace of change in the UK is increasing rapidly, so the introduction of a full fleet of electric buses is no longer as unusual as it might have been a decade ago, but even so, for the town of Warrington it means a significant change in the public transport offering. One hundred and five Volvo BZL electric buses, acquired with £19m of funding from the Government’s ZEBRA scheme towards the overall £50m cost, are set to start arriving at the North West town’s equally new depot from May. It’s one of the biggest single orders yet for any town or city in the UK.
The buses are being delivered to municipal operator Warrington’s Own Buses, supported by charging infrastructure from EO Charging, leveraging its experiences in 35 countries worldwide and over 85,000 charging stations already installed. EO will be providing the fleet with 100% renewable electricity. The new bus fleet will be one of the largest all-electric fleets in the country, making the town of around 200,000 people which sits in the shadow of Liverpool and Greater Manchester a leader in electromobility. The new depot has been designed from the start with electric buses in mind, with a 6MVA substation ensuring sufficient power is available for its 105 charging points.
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