Nottinghamshire County Council to receive £2.8million share of £25 million HS2 funding from Government for electric buses

Nottinghamshire is set to get a share of funding for 177 electric buses from reallocated HS2 funding.

Four East Midlands councils have received a share of £25.4 million from central Government, to fund electric buses for cleaner, more reliable and more comfortable journeys.

Nottinghamshire County Council is set to receive £2,800,000 to fund 23 zero-emission buses in a bid to decarbonise bus fleets.

The funding was announced today (March 22) by Transport Secretary Mark Harper.

He said: “As part of our plan to improve local transport in the East Midlands, we’re providing over £25 million to roll out 177 brand new zero-emission buses across the region.

“This latest investment into our bus fleet comes on top of the £3.5 billion we have invested into our bus network since 2020, protecting and improving bus routes into 2025 as well as extending the £2 bus fare cap until the end of 2024, made possible by reallocated HS2 funding.”

The funding is part of the £143 million investment from the second round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) programme, a scheme which has resulted in no other European country having registered as many electric buses in 2023 as the UK.

Zero-emission buses accounted for almost half of all new large buses introduced last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

184 electric buses in the East Midlands were funded in the first round of ZEBRA funding.

The new state-of-the-art buses aim to improve the passenger experience, with Enhanced Accessibility Standards, wi-fi and USB charging sockets, as well as improving air quality both for bus users by replacing older diesel buses.

Alison Edwards, director of policy and external relations at the confederation of passenger transport (CPT) said: “CPT welcomes this support from Government to help accelerate vital public and private investment in new zero emissions vehicles and charging infrastructure. The transition to a zero emissions bus fleet is a huge opportunity for Britain to lead the world in creating a modern zero emission bus network that offers a growing number of passengers one of the most sustainable forms of transport.”

Derbyshire County Council is set to receive funding for 57 buses, Leicestershire County Council 46, and West Northamptonshire Council 51.