A new fleet of 24 electric buses has been secured in a £13.8 million deal between Norfolk County Council (NCC) and First Bus.
An agreement will add to the current fleet of 76 buses and involves £8.9m from First Bus with the remainder supported by Norfolk’s Bus Service Improvement Plan grant.
The new fleet will go into service in Great Yarmouth and Norwich by Autumn 2026.
Cllr Graham Plant, cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport for NCC, said: “This is a landmark moment for public transport in Norfolk.
“We’ve been working closely with operators to support their electrification plans, and I’m delighted that our partnership with First Bus has secured this significant investment for Norfolk.
“We know from feedback that passengers in Norwich are already enjoying the benefits that come with travelling on an electric vehicle – and now even more people will get to enjoy the enhanced passenger experience with these new buses operating in Great Yarmouth and on routes out to Mulbarton and Horsford.”
The deal will also involve providing chargers at the Caister Road depot in Great Yarmouth, while further changes will be made to the Vulcan Road depot in Norwich.
Piers Marlow, managing director of First Bus East of England, said: “We’re really pleased that more people across Norfolk will soon be able to enjoy the many benefits of electric buses, and we’re proud to be working with Norfolk County Council to make this possible.
“This investment in new vehicles and depot infrastructure is another important step towards a cleaner, healthier future for everyone who lives, works and travels in Norfolk.”
Construction at the Great Yarmouth depot is scheduled to begin later this year.
Image: Norwich Electric bus on New Road, Hethersett by JThomas, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.
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