Warrington Borough Council’s cabinet has given the green light to amended plans for the town’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme, reports the Warrington Guardian. The Council’s cabinet approved the plans on 13 February, meaning that it can now move ahead with the project to replace municipal operator Warrington’s Own Buses’ fleet of buses with 105 new electric vehicles, the number having been adjusted to better reflect post-pandemic requirements.
Warrington Borough Council cabinet member for transportation, highways and public realm Councillor Hans Mundry told local media: “I’m delighted that cabinet has now given the go ahead to our remodelled ZEBRA scheme. This investment will be transformative for bus travel in our borough, enabling us to provide environmentally friendly, modern and attractive bus services for everyone.
“Delivering a truly green bus system will bring huge benefits for Warrington, significantly improving air quality and supporting our ambitions to decarbonise our transport system as we work towards a zero-carbon future. At the same time, delivering one of the highest numbers of electric buses in the UK will put our town at the forefront of delivering sustainable, zero emissions public transport, further enhancing our reputation as a forward-thinking location to live, work, and do business.”
Chair of Warrington’s Own Buses and deputy leader of Warrington Borough Council Cathy Mitchell said: “If we want to move forward with tackling the climate emergency and encouraging people to change the ways they move around our town, it’s vital we invest in the future of public transport. Cabinet approval of these amended plans is another important step forward. The ZEBRA project – and the introduction of one of the largest fleets of electric buses in the UK – gives us a fantastic opportunity to deliver greener and cleaner transport and transform perceptions of bus travel, supporting our work to drive growth in bus usage in our borough.”
