Nottinghamshire County Council to receive £2.3million share of £37.5m Government investment into 319 new zero emission buses as part of Zero Emission Vehicle mandate

Passengers across England will enjoy greener, smoother and quieter bus journeys thanks to a £37.5 million Government investment into 319 new zero emission buses, with Nottinghamshire one of the counties set to benefit.

Twelves local authorities have been allocated funding following bids to expand their zero emission bus fleets, and Nottinghamshire County Council will benefit from £2.6 million to launch 42 new zero emission electric buses.

It comes as the Government made changes to the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, including increasing flexibility of the mandate up to 2030, and allowing hybrid vehicles to be sold until 2035, all with the aim of supporting UK EV manufacturers.

Matt Cranwell, Stagecoach East Midlands Managing Director, said: "Stagecoach prides itself on the importance of putting sustainability at the core of our business strategy. We're delighted to be working with local authorities and the Government to invest in a further 78 new electric buses to play our part in improving air quality in those regions where we operate.

"This new government funding, supported by significant investment by bus operators, will play a key role in Stagecoach's transition to green bus fleets, helping us to meet our goal of having a zero emission UK bus fleet nationally, by 2035."

This funding comes on top of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area 2 (ZEBRA 2) programme which has funded a further 995 zero emission buses.

Regional leaders and leading manufacturers are also being given a voice on zero emission plans, through the UK bus manufacturing expert panel, which seeks to put local people at the heart of bus building.

Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood, said: “I’m thrilled to announce this £38 million investment, which will deliver 319 new zero-emission buses to communities across England by 2027. This funding will not only make bus travel cleaner, greener, and more comfortable, but it will deliver on our Plan for Change; creating jobs, supporting local economies, and accelerating our journey towards a zero-emission future.

“By backing local councils and UK manufacturers, we are putting the power in the hands of communities, while helping to deliver on our vision of a sustainable, green transport network.

“From Hull to Hove, there’s an electrifying future on the way for our buses.”

The incoming Bus Services Bill will not only hand power back for local authorities to operate their own services, but also include a measure to ultimately end the use of new diesel and petrol buses across England. It is expected to progress into the House of Commons shortly.