A total of 169 double- and single-deck buses will be delivered to depots across the company’s operating areas
First Bus has placed its single largest order for Yutong electric buses. The order is for 169 vehicles, to be delivered to four depots in Taunton, Weston-super-Mare, Basildon and Hengrove (Bristol) within the next 16 months, introducing electric buses for the first time at those sites. The order is a mix of single- and double-deck E10, E12 and U11DD models, and is part of an £89m investment from First Bus in a further 178 zero-emission buses and infrastructure across four of its regions. Upon completion of all these projects, First Bus will have accrued a fleet of more than 800 zero-emission vehicles and boast EV charging infrastructure at 16 depot sites across its UK operation.
To be supplied by Yutong UK importer Pelican Bus & Coach, the order represents the next step of the company’s march toward its 2035 goal of a fully zero-emission bus fleet. First already operates Yutong E10 and E12 buses in its Aberdeen, Leeds and Cymru fleets, and tested the U11DD demonstrator at its First South Yorkshire depot in Sheffield. The order is part of an £89m investment from First Bus in a further 178 zero-emission buses and infrastructure across four of its regions.
In partnership with local authorities, additional funding of £16m has been secured through the latest round of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme. Around 18% of First’s overall UK bus fleet will be zero-emission at the completion of the buses and completion of the depot upgrade projects.
Delighted
Chief Operating Officer for First Bus Andrew Jarvis said: “We are delighted to place this order with the team at Pelican. This order marks another significant milestone as we invest further in our journey towards a zero-emission bus fleet across our UK operations.
“We are excited to be able to bring new state-of-the-art vehicles to our customers, who will see the immediate benefit of these transformative projects. We’ve worked tirelessly alongside our local authority partners to get to this point with the projects and look forward to getting these vehicles out in service for customers in the months to come.
“It is an exciting time for our colleagues at all four of these sites as we start to transform and futureproof our depots. This is also great news for our customers, who will see the benefits of these state-of-the-art vehicles – including improved local air quality and the enhanced customer experience that EVs bring. As leaders in sustainable mobility, we’ll continue to work closely with central and local Government across the UK to support the delivery of our national decarbonisation commitments as we look to encourage more people than ever to choose the bus.”
Proud partnership
Ian Downie, Head of Yutong UK at Pelican Bus & Coach, said: “We are so proud to work in partnership with First Bus. Our single decks are already in operation with them in Wales as well as in Leeds and Aberdeen, and after trialling our double deck in Sheffield, we are delighted to receive this landmark order. The double-decker was found to be as reliable and economical as our market leading single-deckers.
“First Bus will receive these state of the art vehicles which are packed with customer centric benefits, such as full electric air conditioning, USB charge points, enhanced passengers information systems and induction hearing loops.
“As a UK, family owned business, our highly skilled workforce will complete the vehicles in Yorkshire. This order is the largest single order we have received to date, and the largest single order for our double-deck products. All the vehicles will be delivered within 16 months, so will quickly begin to deliver these transformative projects.
The buses will be delivered to Basildon depot in partnership with Essex County Council, Weston-super-Mare depot in partnership with North Somerset Council, Hengrove depot in partnership with the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), and Taunton depot in partnership with Somerset Council. Taunton will receive 16 buses, of which 12 will be double-deck. Basildon will receive 55, including 24 double-deckers. Hengrove, in Bristol, will see the arrival of 74, of which 67 will be double-deck, and Weston-super-Mare will receive 24 double-deckers. In total, the order includes 51 single-deck vehicles and 127 double-deckers.
