driving towards a greener
Issuefuture442September 2022
ADL confirms new integrated in-house EV range g reenbusandcoachg News and analysis of the transition to a zero emission bus and coach sector
Every care is taken over the accuracy of material in greenbusandcoach but the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.
greenbusandcoach is published by Plum Publishing Ltd
Views and opinions of contributors to greenbusandcoachare not necessarily those of the publishers who cannot accept responsibility for such contributions. Limited 2022
Contact address: greenbusandcoach Plum Publishing Ltd, Unit 4 Marshbrook Business Park Church Stretton SY6 6QE
contentsg reenbusandcoachg 3greenbusandcoachSeptember 2022
Editorial Steve Rooney steve.rooney@busandcoach.com
© Plum Publishing
ADL confirms new integrated in-house EV range g reenbusandcoachg News and analysis of the transition to a zero emission bus and coach sector driving towards a greenerIssuefuture442September 2022 4 New range of inhouse fromelectricintegratedbusesADL 10 Switch Mobility unveils India’s first double-deckelectric bus 6 First Bus to sell Scotland East business to McGill’s 16 dieselrepoweringplatformKleanbusforfromtoelectric
Telephone: 01694 www.greenbusandcoach.com731510
leled investment in the latest zero-emission technology gives operators, transport authori ties and councils the freedom to choose from an even wider range of buses,” says president & managing director Paul Davies. “We have always been highly respected for our product inno vation, and throughout this dif ficult period for our industry we have continued to challenge our engineering team to evolve our range. The result will be a brand new fully in-house designed, integrated electric double deck and small bus product giving our customers access to the lat est zero-emission vehicle tech nology from a single, trusted source. ”
ALEXANDER Dennis is expanding its zero-emission bus portfolio with new electric buses fully designed and integrated inhouse. Available for customer delivery from late 2023, a new small bus and a new electric dou ble-deck will be available along side products from the BYD ADL partnership, which ADL says will continue to be sold and supported.Thecompany says the new range of battery electric buses is part of the company’s longestablished strategy of offer ing its own, integrated vehicles alongside buses built on selected partners’ chassis to ensure cus tomers have the widest range of solutions available to meet their individual requirements.
alexander-dennis.com
ev buses 4 g reenbusandcoachg September 2022
“Alexander Dennis continues to lead the transition to zero-emis sion mobility and this unparal
A new design has been devel oped by in-house designers with input from students of Coven try University’s Automotive and Transport Design course.
Buses for the UK and Ireland will be fully built at ADL’s UK plants and details and technical specifications will be released over the coming Internationally,months.the new plat form will be tailored to the requirements of cities, transport authorities and bus companies in each territory. The recently announced order for Enviro500EV electric double deckers in Hong Kong will be part of this new gen eration of zero emission buses.
New range of in-house integrated electric buses on the way from ADL
CAETANO has deployed two zero emission vehicles for a trial supported by Toyota to link locations in and around the Peak District National Park. The two-week trial using an e.City Gold and an H2.City Gold is led by Gateway at PEAK, a 300acre tourism resort that is being developed on a regeneration site on the park’s eastern boundary. The vehicle are manufactured by Toyota’s European partner CaetanoBus and are already in service worldwide.
5September 2022 g reenbusandcoachgzero emission
multiple hubs located around the Peak District National Park boundary.Andrew
Caetano zero emission buses in Peak District National Park trial
The trial route connected eight locations and attractions in and around the park, includ ing Chesterfield railway station, Chatsworth and the Gateway development, which will be the hub for a new PEAK Express
service, scheduled to open in 2025. Currently 85 per cent of park visi tors arrive by car and these num bers are set to increase. Regional stakeholders are also keen for more diverse groups to access the park and to grow the local econ omy through tourism. The aim is to deliver these goals in a sustaina ble way without increasing carbon emissions or damaging the park’s biodiversity and protecting com munity wellness and prosperity.
Once fully operating, PEAK Express at the Gateway aims to remove half a million tourist journeys from the National Park, reducing CO2 emissions by 3.6 million kilogrammes a year and provide a national exemplar of sus tainable visitor economy growth. The long-term ambition is to see
McCloy, chair of the Peak District National Park Authority, says: “Protecting the National Park for future gen erations and developing more sustainable ways for people to visit is high on our agenda. The PEAK Gateway site outside the National Park is an excellent location for a transport hub. The Peak Express service is a com mitment to net-zero and will connect more of the National Park’s attractions without the need for a car, making them more accessible and spreading out the economic benefits of tourism.”
www.peakliaison.co.uk
“As we’ve seen from their suc
First Bus to sell Scotland East business to McGill’s Bus Group
business 6 g reenbusandcoachg September 2022
FIRST Bus has agreed to sell its First Scotland East business and all its routes in the region to McGill’s Group. The sale, which will complete later in Sep tember, includes all First Bus depots in Livingston, Larbert, Bannockburn, Balfron, as well as the Edinburgh open-top bus operation Bright Bus Tours. It also includes over 200 buses and approximately 550 staff.
cessful purchase of Xplore Dundee in recent times, McGill’s is an historic and trusted bus operator brand within Scotland and one we believe to be a safe pair of hands to take the Scotland East business forwardMcGill’ssuccessfully.”Group,owned by Sandy and James Easdale, has invested heavily in its business and services, including the recent purchase of Xplore Dundee from National Express and a partnership with international coach operator Flix Bus for longer distance routes.
James Easdale, chairman, McGill’s Bus Group, adds: “Eve ryone at McGill’s Group is excited about welcoming Scotland East into our stable and the opportuni
ties that lie ahead. Our team are passionate about using our exper tise to build the business in the years ahead so we can retain and attract new passengers across the region. We’re pleased the oppor tunity has arisen to acquire the business and we appreciate the efforts of First towards ensuring a smooth transition.”
Ralph Roberts, CEO, McGill’s Bus Group, says: “We firmly believe that we can combine the advantages of the McGill’s Group with unique local trans port brands and we will be announcing further details on that post-completion.”
www.firstbus.co.uk www.mcgillsbuses.co.uk
Duncan Cameron, managing director, First Bus Scotland, says: “This sale is part of a strategic refocusing of our Scotland busi ness with significant investment in zero emission buses in Glas gow and Aberdeen.
LOOKING TO DE-RISK YOUR BUSINESS? Leasing offers real benefits & flexibility Call 07593 450111 or 07710 088674 for good advice and a great deal!
2022
2018 MAN Tourliner P21 400 bhp E6, 12.1m 49 Seats & CST
2019 Volvo B11R Jonkheere 430 bhp E6, 12.6m 53 & CST (x2) Due Oct
2016 MB Tourismo E6, 12m 57 seats 3 pt belts PSVAR (x3 available Oct - Nov )
2018 Yutong TC9 E6 35 Seat Executive spec Midi Coach
2016 Mercedes-Benz Tourismo E6, 12m 49 Seats & CST Due September 2022
2016 MB Tourismo E6, 12m 49 Seats & CST (x 2 available Oct)
2019 VDL Futura 2 12.9m, 57 seats & CST Due October 2022
COACHES
Why CBVH Coach & Bus? We strive to be the best for you, to ensure you thrive and survive, through good and bad, with the expert advice you need, to grow your fleet with confidence. With you for the long term, not fair-weather friends! Call : 07710 088674 Email : www.closebrothersvehiclehire.co.ukcoachandbus@cbvh.co.uk PSVAR 2016 Mercedes Benz Tourismo E6 Auto 13m 3 axles 76 seats 2018 MAN Tourliner E6 Auto 12.1m 49 seats & CST BUSES 2018 Wrightbus Streetlite 11.5m Daimler E6 MH3, 39 Civic V2 seats & 6 Tip ups (x2) 2018 Wrightbus Streetlite 8.8m WF, Daimler E6 MH, 31 Lazerrini seats & 2 Tip upsAvailable Sept 2017 ADL E200 10.8m E6 High back seats with seat belts 2016 Wrightbus Streetlite 10.8m DF, Cummins E5, 35 seats & 6 Tip ups 2015 Wrightbus Streetlite 10.8m DF Daimler E6, MH, 35 Civic V2 Seats & 6 Tip ups 2015 Wrightbus Streetlite 8.8m WF, Cummins E6 , TFL Single Door 28 Seats (x2) 2015 Wrightbus Streetlite 9.5m Euro 5 Cummins MH, car park specification 2012 Wrightbus Streelite 11.5m E5, 39 seats & 6 Tip ups
2016 MB Tourismo E6, 13m 3 axles, 76 seats PSVAR (x1 available Sept)
2016 MB Tourismo E6, 13m 3 axles, 76 seats PSVAR (x2 available Nov / Dec)
2018 MAN Tourliner P10 E6, 13.1m 57 seats & CST & PSVAR
the next generation of electric bus technology, fully integrated by our own engineers, we are now in a position to deliver a zero-emis sion solution for Hong Kong’s world class transport system.
alexander-dennis.com
“The Enviro500EV will show case MTR Corporation’s land mark investment in cleaner transport.”
it operates a fleet of 169 buses, most of them being Enviro200, Enviro400 and Enviro500s.
ev buses 8 g reenbusandcoachg September 2022
MTR provides Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway urban rail system including a network of feeder bus services, for which
The Enviro500EV three-axle buses, which will be developed in-house by ADL on its own chas sis with components from leading industry suppliers, are MTR’s first electric bus order.
FOLLOWING an earlier KMB order, Alexander Dennis has taken a second order in Hong Kong for its new Enviro500EV electric double-deck bus, this time for MTR Corporation with delivery in 2023.
ADL managing director Asia Pacific, Andy Boulton says: “With
Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation to take new Alexander Dennis Enviro500EV
ALL ABOUT PEOPLE people working in public transport... ...people like you! In times of need, hardship and distress TBF is here to support its members by helping them to keep the wheels of the public transport industry turning. TBF offers financial and medical benefits, a wide range of complementary and alternative therapies, bereavement grants and welfare advice. £1.25 a week covers you, your live-in partner and dependent help@tbf.org.ukwww.tbf.org.ukchildren. Transport Benevolent Fund CIO, (TBF). Registered charity in England and Wales, 1160901, and Scotland, SC047016. membership online application www.tbf.org.uk apply now!
Talking about the brand’s entry into the EV double-decker space for the Indian market, Mr. Mahesh Babu, CEO – Switch Mobility India, COO – Switch Mobility Ltd, said, “We are pleased to unveil the Switch EiV 22, India’s first and unique electric double-decker. We have strived to meet multiple chal lenges to fulfil new age customer requirements, while retaining the iconic double-decker lineage. The Switch EiV 22 is designed and developed to meet Indian condi tions, while at the same time pro
vide superior customer comfort and delight. Mumbai and dou ble-deckers are synonymous with public transport, and we are cer tain that Switch EiV 22 will not only bring back fond memories for Mumbaikars, but will trans form the public transport space in terms of sustainability and footprint which is the need of the hour in India.”
The new double-deck uses a 650V system - the same plat form as Switch EiV 12 which was launched in June 2022, and is also common with the Switch e1.
Switch India says that it has secured an order for 200 electric double-deck buses in Mumbai.
ev buses 10 g reenbusandcoachg September 2022
Dheeraj Hinduja, chairman - Switch Mobility, says: “It’s an extremely proud moment for us as we bring back the iconic double-decker to India. Ashok Leyland was a pioneer among Indian manufacturers when it first launched the double-decker in 1967 in Mumbai and Switch is carrying forward that legacy. With our strong expertise in double-deckers, both in India and UK and with over 100 Switch electric double-deckers in service on UK roads, we are happy to not only bring back this icon to life and look forward to introducing newer electric products for the Indian and European markets, always keeping the customers at theAndyforefront.”Palmer, executive vice Switch Mobility unveils India’s first electric double-deck bus
chairman and CEO – Switch Mobility, adds: “As a carbon neu tral mobility company, Switch is focused on delivering innovative solutions to help authorities and operators decarbonise their pub lic transport systems. The Switch EiV 22 is our latest innovation and builds on our expertise in the electric double-decker segment to deliver a product with class leading efficiency for the Indian market.”
SWITCH Mobility has unveiled its electric double-deck Switch EiV 22 which has been designed, developed and manufactured in India for the local market.
Powering Switch EiV 22 is a 231kWh capacity, 2-string, liquid cooled, NMC battery pack with dual charging system. This ena bles the bus to have a range up to 250km for intra city applications, according to Switch.
www.switchmobility.tech
THE world premiere of the new generation VDL Citea will take place during the international exhibition InnoTrans, from 20-23 September in Berlin. VDL Bus & Coach will demonstrate its new city bus, an LF-122, which is entirely based on an all-electric driveline.VDLBus & Coach says that the introduction of the new genera tion of Citeas is its answer to the challenges of tomorrow’s public
“During InnoTrans, visitors can experience the new genera tion VDL Citea for themselves. We will be present on the out door area, where we will present the new generation VDL Citea. In addition, we will organise knowl edge sessions in and around the bus and all the necessary infor mation about the new generation VDL Citea will be available for our guests.”
New generation VDL Citea on display at InnoTrans 2022 in Berlin
g reenbusandcoachgev buses
transport.Alexde Jong, business manager public transport, says: “With the new generation VDL Citea VDL offers a public transport product range in which there is no reason not to use a zero emission public transport bus.
“The necessary conditions such as passenger capacity, range and total cost of operation are all met in accordance to market demand, zero compromise.”
www.vdlbuscoach.com
11September 2022
For further details and a full stock list Tel Mark 0791 961 2374 or William 07889 469157 Email: fleetresourcing@gmail.com Web: BUSFLEETwww.busandcoachcentre.co.ukRESOURCINGLTDinassociationwithANDCOACHCENTRE2019 Mercedes Ilesbus 16 seat minicoach 2016 DAF Irizar i6 57 seats WC 2014 Volvo B8R Levante 48 seats WC PSVAR 2016 Mercedes Tourismo 53 seats WC 2017 MAN Neoplan Tourliner 61 seats WC 2016 Mercedes Tourismo 53 seats WC 2014 Volvo B8R Levante 48 seats WC PSVAR 2016 Volvo B11RT Levante 56 seats WC PSVAR
For further details and a full stock list Tel Mark 0791 961 2374 or William 07889 469157 Email: fleetresourcing@gmail.com Web: BUSFLEETwww.busandcoachcentre.co.ukRESOURCINGLTDinassociationwithANDCOACHCENTRE2011 Volvo B13RT Levante 59 seats WC PSVAR 2015 Volvo B5TL Wrightbus 75 seats PSVAR 2008 Scania Caetano Levante 48 seats PSVAR 2010 DAF Wrightbus choice of x 10 2015 Mercedes Sprinter 19 seats 2015 Volvo B5TL Wrightbus 75 seats PSVAR Come and see us at Euro Bus 2022 Stand A71 2009 Vanhool 59 seats WC
Go-Ahead launches new Voltra electric buses in the North East
“There are increasing fund ing opportunities for bus lanes, traffic management and improvements to bus stops, helping to reduce journey times and improve the reliability of services.“Go-Ahead see opportunities to grow by encouraging people to leave their cars at home and improving our services to make bus travel more attractive for our customers.”
www.go-ahead.com
ev buses 14 g reenbusandcoachg September 2022
The new buses will be serv ing the Q3 route which runs from Great Park to Wallsend via Newcastle City. Go-Ahead says it remains committed to a ‘net zero’ bus fleet by 2035.
GO-AHEAD has added nine Voltra electric buses to expand its electric bus fleet in the North East region. The new Yutong electric buses are the result of a £2million investment with sup port from the government’s Ultra-Low Emission Bus Fund.
“Our Voltra buses run on electric ity sourced with green credentials, but Voltra is far more than just an electric bus fleet. We’ve looked at every detail, working with Peli can Yutong and other suppliers, to maximise the use of technology and“We’reinnovation.providing high stand ards in bus travel including cus tomer comfort, information, and ticketing.“Wehope that by adding to our zero-emission bus fleet, we can help flip the switch on people’s behaviour and see more people across our region leave the car behind to help reduce congestion on our roads and improve air qual ity for us all.”
Christian Schreyer, Go-Ahead Group CEO, adds: “The impor tance of sustainable travel is growing, reflecting trends in climate change, digitalisation, urbanisation, and demographics.
The Voltra buses will be charged overnight at the stateof-the-art Riverside depot in Gateshead.GoNorth East managing director Nigel Featham says:
support to keep bus networks run ning. The latest funding means almost £2billion has been made available to over 160 bus operators during the Jonathanpandemic.Bray,director, Urban Transport Group, pointed to the need for a longer term solu tion: “The government has stood behind public transport during the
BUS operators across England will receive up to £130million of government support, to help ensure services keep running and millions of passengers can con tinue using affordable transport. The funding package will cover six months from October 2022 to March 2023, and follows almost two years’ worth of government
support bus services in England through the pandemic and a com mitment to fund improved ser vices, new bus priority measures and new electric or hydrogen buses as part of ‘Bus Back Better’, the national bus strategy, published last year.
SINGLE bus fares in England will be subject to a new £2 cap from January to March 2023 in a scheme backed by up to £60mil lion of government funding.
The government says that the scheme could save more than £3 per ticket and that it will help passengers with travel costs for work, education, shopping and medical treatments over the win ter months while they are facing pressures from the rising cost of living.The
pandemic restrictions and the aftermath and we welcome this latest funding package. Given the funding announcement has been made on deadline day for bus companies registering plans for extensive service cuts it’s too early to know how many bus ser vices this funding will save.”
15September 2022 g reenbusandcoachgpolicy
Paul Tuohy, chief executive, Campaign for Better Transport, adds:“This will be very welcome news for the millions of people who rely on the bus to get to work, to the shops, to medical appointments, and to connect with friends and family. It will also encourage more people to find their nearest bus stop and give the bus a try.”
Government continues Covid era support with £130m for buses services
The funding to keep fares down follows the Government’s announcement of £130million last month to protect vital bus routes and services across the country, which those on lowerincomes in particular rely on.
Alison Edwards, policy direc tor, Confederation of Passenger Transport, offered a cautious welcome: “Bus fare caps at £2 are an eye-catching initiative which could help attract new passen gers on to the bus. We look for ward to understanding in detail how the proposed fare cap will work in practice to ensure it sup ports the long-term sustainabil ity of bus networks, which are vital in connecting communities with jobs, education and skills, as well as friends, family, and essential public services.”
A trial flat-rate bus pilot scheme, backed by £23.5million of govern ment funding, launched in Corn wall in January and has seen a 10 per cent increase in passenger numbers. The ‘Any Ticket Any Bus’ scheme, running over four years, includes a £3 day ticket within towns or a £9 day ticket across all of Cornwall, which is valid across different bus operators.
www.dft.gov.uk
www.dft.gov.uk
average single fare for a three-mile journey is estimated at over £2.80, meaning that the new fare will save passengers almost 30 per cent of the price every time they travel.
The new initiative follows the allocation of more than £2bn to
£2 fare cap funded across England for first three months in 2023
Dawn Badminton-Capps, direc tor for England for Bus Users, says: “The cap on fares will bring wel come, short-term relief to the mil lions of people who rely on buses to access education, employment and health services. Buses make a vital contribution to society and Government support is critical in protecting services for the future.”
www.kleanbus.com
Tighe adds: “The potential for repowered buses is huge. They could bring about fully elec tric bus fleets six years earlier than relying on roll out of new zero emission buses alone. This could give a potential saving of over 4Mt CO2 and deliver health benefits of improved air quality sooner.”
Kleanbus says its e-motors do not have permanent magnets, so use no rare earth materials, demanding less of the planet’s resources and limiting the impact of rare earth metals production.
repowering 16 g reenbusandcoachg September 2022
Once a bespoke e-drivetrain has been designed and tested it takes less than two weeks to repower an individual bus, according to Kleanbus.
Kleanbus reveals modular platform for repowering from diesel to electric
BUS repower company Kleanbus has revealed the first images of its new modular platform technol ogy, which it says can turn any bus, whether single or doubledeck, from ICE to fully electric quickly and cost-effectively.
It argues that repowering –removing the diesel engine or hybrid powertrain from an exist ing bus, replacing it with a fully electric powertrain – is the fastest and most cost-effective method to transition the UK bus fleet to zeroJoeemission.Tighe, co-founder and CEO, Kleanbus, says: “With 97 per cent of UK buses powered by diesel engines that emit large amounts of carbon, oxides of nitrogen, and particulate mat ter – and a staggering 35,000 of them on the road – the country faces a major challenge to rapidly decarbonise this vital transport sector and is struggling to move
From its 9,000 sq ft facility in the east of England, the Klean bus repower programme consists of a full evaluation of the vehicle, removal of its diesel engine and all associated ICE components, scan ning and prototyping of the vehi cle’s interior, design of a bespoke platform, installation of a new
e-drive, build, full testing pro cess and final certification.
The company estimates that its electric repowered buses cost a fifth of a new electric bus and there are also options in terms of finance, including paying for the vehicle upfront and leasing the battery or paying nothing upfront and leasing both the vehicle and the battery.
quickly“Replacingenough.these vehicles with new electric buses is very expen sive for private companies and government subsidies will take many years given fleet turnover rates.“Kleanbus offers a fast and effi cient way towards zero-emissions, making buses cleaner, quieter, more comfortable, and more valu able assets for operators.”
First Bus places 193-EV bus order with Wrightbus following ZEBRA funding
ship with Norfolk County Council. Portsmouth (34 Buses) in part nership with Portsmouth City Council & Hampshire County Council.Eachregional project will be completed over the course of the next two years and will mean that First Bus will have more than 500 EV buses working towards its pledge of an entirely zero emission fleet by 2035.
First Bus will invest £43million in the new vehicles and will be supported to complete the elec tric fleet project with a £38mil lion grant from the DfT.
FIRST Bus has placed one of the UK’s largest electric bus orders with Wrightbus, following suc cessful bids with local authori ties as part of the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) funding scheme.The£81million order, totalling 193 buses, is the largest EV bus purchase outside of London and will see new zero emission buses being rolled out across England from March 2023.
17September 2022 g reenbusandcoachgev buses
“All of the buses - the GB Kite Electroliner BEV and the Street Deck Electroliner BEV will be manufactured and assembled at our Ballymena factory, which means support for jobs in NI, and wider across the UK through our domestic supply chain.”
The order will be split between the following five areas; Leicester (68 buses) in partner ship with Leicester City Council.
Leeds (32 Buses) in partnership with the West Yorkshire Com binedNorwichAuthority.(15Buses) in partner
The new EV buses will be fully built in Northern Ireland at the Wrightbus facility in Ballymena.
First Bus UK managing direc tor Janette Bell says: “We are absolutely delighted to place our largest ever zero emission vehicle order and to do so with a UK man ufacturer. Wrightbus have a really exciting product that we feel will enhance the customer experience at the same time as benefitting the environment.“Asleadersin sustainable mobil ity, we are fully aligned with the government’s ambitions for a net-zero carbon transport sys
tem, including zero-emission bus fleets. We will continue to work closely with central and local Government across the UK to support the delivery of our shared decarbonisation ambi tions and commitments.”
Ben Werth, chief commercial officer, Wrightbus, said: “This is another significant deal for Wrightbus - the largest zero emissions bus order outside of London - and we are delighted to once again be partnering with First Bus in the drive to zeroemission public transport. First Bus, like us, is consistently on the forefront of new and exciting technology and at the forefront of zero- and low-emission travel.
www.firstbus.co.uk
York (44 Buses) in partnership with City of York Council.
New zero emission buses are also being introduced over the coming months on Stagecoach networks across other areas in Scotland including Aberdeen, Ayr, Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy and Kilmarnock as part of the ScotZEB plans.Over the past 14 months, Stage coach has rolled out 52 new elec tric buses across its networks in Scotland as part of the Scottish Government’s Ultra Low Emission Bus Scheme (SULEBS), with a fur ther six electric buses introduced across the west of Scotland in part nership with SP Energy Networks.
Stagecoach to deliver all-electric city bus fleets in Perth and Inverness
Minister for transport Jenny Gil ruth says: “This latest announce ment from Stagecoach is welcome,
The £9.1million investment in Inverness will see a fleet of 25 new electric midibuses introduced from late 2022 across routes 1-9, replacing the city’s diesel bus fleet.
ev buses 18 g reenbusandcoachg September 2022
TAGECOACH will be introduc ing all-electric city bus networks in Scotland as part of its drive to deliver a net zero UK bus fleet by 2035. Plans are underway to see Stagecoach’s city bus net works in Inverness and Perth all electric from the end of 2022 and early 2023 respectively. New e-buses will run across routes that have previously operated with largely diesel fleets, helping to drive cleaner air in these two majorStagecoachcities. is introducing the £13.9million fleet of 38 new e-buses, partly funded by the Scottish Government, across Inverness and Perth through the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB), designed to support the transi tion to zero-emission technolo gies as part of Scotland’s overall target to achieve net zero by 2045.The new electric buses in Perth, which will be introduced in early 2023, will be made up of a £4.8million fleet of 13 buses,
They will add to the fleet of nine zero emission buses introduced in the city last December.
including seven single-deck, five midibuses and one double-deck.
and is fantastic news for every one who lives in, works and vis its Inverness and Perth. Not only will these new buses help reduce transport emissions and respond to the climate emergency, they will improve local air quality too.”Sam Greer, Stagecoach regional director for Scotland, adds: “One of the quickest ways local peo ple can help deliver net zero is by switching from cars to buses, as well as walking and cycling more. We look forward to con tinuing to work in partnership with the Scottish Government and local transport authorities on measures to deliver more pri ority for bus passengers, more reliable services, simpler ticket ing and the best value fares.”
The funding announced ear lier this year as part of the Scot ZEB initiative follows two rounds of funding under the predecessor Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme in September 2020 and March 2021.
www.stagecoachgroup.com
Equipmake welcomes inclusion of repowered electric buses in Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund
repowering
Under the ScotZEB Phase 2 which will open for bids in spring 2023, companies who offer repowering with a fully electric drivetrain are now eligible to bid for financial support. With local authorities and public service bus operators eligible too, the newly announced ScotZEB changes indicate incentives will be avail able to reduce the purchase price of a repowered bus, enabling fleets to go electric quickly and cost-effectively.IanFoley,CEO, Equipmake, says: “Repowering is an impor tant and cost-effective transition ary technology that can bridge the gap between diesel and a new electric bus fleet. We welcome
Foley adds: “By repower ing buses with electric power, the technology exists to bring cleaner air to towns and cities very rapidly indeed. The Scottish government is to be praised for the changes to ScotZEB Phase 2 and we now call on the UK gov ernment to outline an electric bus strategy that will see the pur chase price of a repowered elec tric bus incentivised in England &
EQUIPMAKE, has welcomed newly announced changes to the Scottish Zero Emissions Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB), which are set to include financial awards for companies who repower buses with electric drivetrains.
“TheWales.opportunity is clear for all to see. Repowering the driv etrains of existing buses with electric technology at scale can rapidly and dramatically reduce pollution and provide the UK bus industry with a much-needed shot in the arm.
newly-announced changes to Scot ZEB Phase 2, which can play a vital role in making a repowered elec tric bus even more cost-effective for an operator and accelerating Scotland’s transition to a zeroemission bus Equipmake’sfleet.”repower tech
“The UK Government must seize the initiative and make it happen. Contributing to conver sions would be an ideal way of doing so.”
www.equipmake.co.uk
nology programme involves an inspection of each bus to ensure its adaptability to its modular electric chassis. Once its suitabil ity is verified, the process itself is quick, with up to five repowers a week being completed, ensuring a working bus is kept off the road for as short a time as possible. Equipmake says its programme makes sense from a cost perspec tive, with each conversion coming in at less than half the price of a new electric bus, and with most buses expected to remain in ser vice for 14 years or beyond, opera tors can still make significant efficiencies by repowering a bus half way through its working life.
19September 2022 g reenbusandcoachg
“Bynationally.theend of 2022, we will have increased our supply of zero emission single-deck buses fur ther and will have a total of 240 vehicles in service, and we’re also focused on growing our range and services to the UK’s coach operators who have shown that they are keen to adopt the latest technology, adding greener and more efficient alternatives to their
“Asfleets.well as receiving orders from new customers, we are already seeing repeat orders from operators in England, Scot land and Wales who have tri alled zero emission vehicles and seen the benefits, and we have a strong pipeline of orders going forward.”
www.pelicanyutong.co.uk
business 20 September 2022 g reenbusandcoachg
PELICAN Bus & Coach is expanding its facilities with the opening of a new national parts distribution centre to support its growing bus and coach division. Located adjacent to J31/M62, close to Pelican’s existing facili ties, the new 12,000 sq ft build ing has been fitted with two-level racking, enabling it to carry suf ficient parts to support all types of Yutong buses and coaches in service, especially its electric bus fleet
It has seen fast-growing interest in its range of zero-emission electric coaches and buses from all sec tions of the industry.
Richard Crump, managing director, Pelican, says: “After the disruption of the last two years, we are seeing all parts of the busi ness recovering well and will be reinvesting our increased revenues in plant, resources and people to better support our customers into the“Despitefuture. being possibly the old est commercial vehicle dealer ship in the country, we are at the forefront of introducing the very latest electric vehicle technology to the UK market. As well as the significant investment in our new showroom, we are also investing in our warehousing and parts distribution ahead of the 1,000th Yutong vehicle sale expected early nextHeadyear.”of Pelican Yutong Bus Ian Downie adds: “In addition to the growth of our DAF and MAN truck dealerships, we’ve also seen sales of our zero-emission vehi cle division gaining momentum as we partner with coach and bus
operators and local authorities nationwide. Since 2020, when we delivered our first Yutong zero-emission vehicles, we have grown our share to over 10 per cent of the UK market for allelectric passenger vehicles and become one of the largest suppli ers
New parts distribution centre for Pelican as revenue rises by 70 per cent
Thecustomers.movecoincides with the appointment of Sam Williams to the role of Yutong bus and coach parts operations manager. His role at Pelican is to optimise the stock holding and distribution function in order to maximise customer satisfaction and he will be visiting customers nationwide fromPelicanSeptember.hasalso reported a 70 per cent uplift in turnover to £73million for the year ending 31 March 2022 with the com pany benefitting from growth across all its business operations, including strong revenues at its DAF and MAN truck dealerships.
