First Bus and West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) have completed a further £11.2m investment in the operator’s Bramley depot, meaning that half of the operator’s fleet there is now zero-emission.
The last of an additional 22 double-decker electric buses entered service in late 2024, increasing the total at the depot to 79. WYCA and First Bus successfully secured £3.4m in a ‘variation request’ from the Department for Transport (DfT) Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) fund to expand the depot electrification combined with £7.8m of investment from First Bus, bringing the total investment at Bramley to more than £40m, creating the largest fleet of zero emission buses in West Yorkshire.
Councillors for the Armley Ward Lou Cunningham and Andy Parnham visited the depot to see the final electric buses entering service. Commenting on the success of the overall project and funding support, Deputy Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee Councillor Peter Carlill said: “We have come a long way in the past couple of years on this, and I’m thrilled that West Yorkshire can now boast dozens of electric buses being run from this depot. We look forward to continuing to work with operators to bring in electric buses serving the whole of West Yorkshire.
“This reflects our plans to create a better-connected and greener West Yorkshire, and these changes will help boost air quality, improve public transport and help us tackle the climate emergency.”
John Roxburgh, Head of Operations for First Bus in North & West Yorkshire, hosted the councillors on the tour with Head of Engineering, Craig Brown, depot Operations Manager, Kevin Lowe and Steve Thorpe, Stakeholder Relationship Manager for First Bus UK.
John said: “It was a pleasure to show councillors what our team together with suppliers has achieved with the depot transformation and the introduction of our EV fleet. This will play an important part in skilled green jobs for the future and supporting the wider community. It is yet more evidence of our continuing successful partnership with West Yorkshire Combined Authority in bringing major improvements to bus services, supporting a shared ambition for a net-zero transport system and reducing carbon emissions in the city.”
