First Bus will be launching 62 new electric buses from April 2024 from its existing Hoeford depot site, with plans to move to a new facility soon after
First Bus plans to create a new ‘super depot’ in Portsmouth after it secured the purchase of the site of the Daily Mail Group news centre. The purchase of the new site, which is located opposite its current Hilsea depot, is part of the company’s expansion plans to reinforce its commitment to the future of bus services in the local area.
The new depot will be a purpose-built electric depot, and is expected to be ready within three years, with the capability to run a fully electrified fleet of up to 90 vehicles. The new site forms the next step in the company’s mission 2035 pledge to operate a fully zero-emission fleet, and one which it says represents a huge leap forward for staff, customers and the local environment.
First Bus South Managing Director Simon Goff said: “We are thrilled to have secured this new site and to share the good news with our customers and our colleagues. This will have a massive impact for the better on the daily working lives of our hard-working staff and we cannot wait to share the improvements with our customers as well. This represents a significant investment and future commitment to providing zero-emission bus services in Portsmouth and the surrounding areas.”
Porstmouth Councillor Lynne Stagg, Cabinet Member for Transportation said: “We are delighted to hear the news that First will be creating its ‘super bus depot’ here in Portsmouth. This demonstrates a huge commitment to public transport in our city and will provide a home for the electric bus fleet, helping us to provide clean, zero-emission public transport across Portsmouth”.
