OPERATORS in the Leicester Buses One Network Partnership are being encouraged to bid for up to £5m of grant funding to help purchase more electric buses.
The grant has been allocated to Leicester City Council to promote its recently approved One Network bus plan. This continues the transformation to a high-quality bus network that is fully electric, frequent, reliable, easy and great value.
The grant will pay up to 75% of the cost difference between a new electric and diesel bus, together with up to 75% of associated charging infrastructure costs.
The zero emission buses will have advanced accessibility features, including additional wheelchair/buggy space, hearing loops and audio-visual next bus stop announcements. They will be painted in the distinctive green ‘One Network’ brand.
There are already 190 electric buses in operation, around 75% of the Leicester Buses network, with a further 60 on order to come into service by March 2027.
This latest grant funding round will fund up to 30 more electric buses and enable the Leicester network to become fully electric in 2027. The One Network Partnership has formally agreed to only operate electric bus services from April 2028, two years ahead of the government’s target.
Councillor Geoff Whittle, assistant city mayor for environment and transport, said:
“This is great news for public transport users, the new Leicester Buses One Network Partnership plans to deliver a further £75m investment into local bus services.
"This will accelerate our delivery of a fully electric network, which we expect to achieve in 2027.
"We are now working with operators in the partnership, seeking bids for up to £5m of new grant funding to help expand their electric bus fleets.”
For more information about the One Network Partnership visit: leicesterbuses.co.uk/one-network-partnership