ENVIRONMENTALLY-friendly new electric buses are rolling into Warwickshire after the county council approved over £13million of funding.
Warwickshire County Council’s (WCC) cabinet has approved the zero-emission scheme to commission 27 all electric buses which will take to the streets of Warwick, Leamington, Rugby, Stratford District and Nuneaton.
The funding, which includes contributions from the Department for Transport, Stagecoach Midlands, and Section 106 developer contributions, will pay for the new fleet of buses and associated charging infrastructure on key routes across the county.
The scheme is part of the council’s plans for the county to be carbon neutral by 2050.
WCC transport spokesperson Coun Jan Matecki said: “This is a major step forward in our commitment to sustainable transport and reducing our carbon footprint.
“Our aim is for the council to be net zero in its own activities by 2030 and for the overall county to be net zero by 2050. Reducing the emissions of transport will be key to achieving that so this very significant investment is a major step towards achieving both of those ambitions.”
Mark Whitelocks, Managing Director of Stagecoach Midlands, said: “Stagecoach is pleased to be working in partnership with Warwickshire County Council and the DfT to help provide a cleaner environment for those living in Warwickshire and help meet both our own and the council’s aspirations for net zero.
“This is a significant investment in the region and demonstrates Stagecoach’s commitment to the communities we serve in providing a great service for our passengers.”
Stagecoach Midlands has placed orders for the all-electric buses, which are set to enter service in Spring 2025 – ahead of the March 2026 scheme completion deadline set by the Department for Transport.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/2mssu6ex to read the cabinet report.
