The first of 50 new electric vehicles will have hit the streets of Glasgow following a year of works at First’s Scotstoun depot to install supporting infrastructure
First Glasgow’s fleet will soon have over 200 emission free vehicles, following the delivery of the first new electric buses to the operator’s Scotstoun depot. The first of 50 new electric vehicles entered service from the depot on Monday 3 July, and once fully introduced the fleet is expected to save over 3,000 tonnes of CO2e per year.
To accommodate the new zero-emission arrivals, a year of what the operator described as ‘significant works’ in its Glasgow’s Scotstoun depot saw the installation of the necessary supporting infrastructure, including 27 dual-headed rapid charging points. The new buses have been delivered from Alexander Dennis’ factory in nearby Larbert, and are fitted with lithium iron phosphate batteries offering a claimed range of over 370km on a single, three-hour charge.
Managing Director of First Bus Scotland Duncan Cameron said: “The arrival of these buses marks the latest in our series of steps to decarbonise our operations as we aim to be emission free by 2035. We are incredibly proud to bring more sustainable travel to Glasgow, and I’m sure it will encourage even more people to leave their cars behind in favour of environmentally conscious bus travel that will help to reduce congestion and improve air quality in our city. We’re looking forward to hearing feedback from our customers as we continue our investment into greener travel.”
The delivery has been supported by Transport Scotland through its Scottish Zero Emission Bus (ScotZEB) funding. Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop MSP said: “I was delighted to visit the First Bus depot as one of my first engagements in my new post and see these new electric buses for myself. The bus is currently one of the most climate friendly transport choices the public can make, and the Scottish Government is committed to decarbonising the full fleet as we encourage more people to leave their cars at home and choose more sustainable ways to travel.
“Earlier this year we launched the second phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund, with up to £58 million available, and it’s both exciting and encouraging to see the industry rising to the challenge and working with us to tackle the global climate emergency.”
