London to Get Over 1,000 More Electric Buses in £500 Million Investment
London is continuing in its goal of becoming net zero by 2030 after the capital’s biggest bus company placed an order which will see over 1,000 new electric buses on its roads.
The news is part of a £500m investment by bus operator Go-Ahead who have placed an order for 1,200 UK-made zero emission buses to help decarbonise its fleet. This move will see over 1,000 buses coming to London over the next three years, which already has the largest electric bus fleet in western Europe.
Over the next year, 167 zero-emission buses will come to London, with a further order of 100 expected. In years two and three of the agreement a further 400 buses are expected each year, predominantly for London.
Sadiq Khan posted to his X account: “London has the largest zero-emission bus fleet in Western Europe. Our green public transport network continues to go from strength to strength. Thanks to government investment, Londoners will see almost 1,000 new electric buses on roads across our city.”
The investment is set to benefit other areas around the country including Plymouth, Gloucestershire, East Yorkshire and the Isle of Wight. Other benefits are expected in the form of up to 500 UK manufacturing jobs and a further 2,000 jobs across the wider UK supply chain by 2026.
The Transport Secretary is also set to announce plans to create a new UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel which will focus on exploring ways to ensure the UK remains a leader in bus manufacturing.
Go-Ahead and bus manufacturer Wrightbus have also promised to plant 10 trees in every town and city where the buses are to be deployed. The news comes as the government’s new buses bill is set to be introduced by Parliament by the end of this year which aims to end the ‘postcode lottery’ of transport by improving bus services no matter where residents live.
“This announcement will see communities across the country benefit from brand new, state-of-the-art green buses – which will deliver cleaner air and better journeys,” said Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh.
“We’re creating the right conditions for businesses to flourish, so we can support jobs and accelerate towards decarbonising the transport sector. Under this government, Britain is open for business.”