Electrifying Bus Funding

Norfolk County Council and First Eastern Counties are receiving an additional £11.4 million from the Department of Transport (DfT) leading towards 70 zero emission buses arriving in Norwich next year. The money is in addition to the £3.3 million confirmed last year.

The original joint bid by the two was submitted to the DfT under the Zero Emission Bus Regional Access (ZEBRA) scheme. Matched by £3.6 million by First Bus the award allowed for 15 battery electric buses joining the fleet along with the necessary infrastructure and electrical grid upgrade work.

After inviting all the cities that were successful in the ZEBRA scheme to provide the opportunity to alter the scope of the schemes, additional buses and infrastructure could be provided. This resulted in a proposal for a further 55 zero emission double deckers in addition to the fifteen single deckers previously agreed. It will include money for additional fast chargers with all diesel infrastructure removed at Norwich's Roundtree Way depot.

The revised bid will see new electric buses serving Greater Norwich running through the city centre's Air Quality Management area on the Pink, Orange, Red, and Blue routes. The earlier bid will also mean new electric buses on the Green Line.

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