First Bus launches biggest Park & Ride fleet in the UK
The UK-based public transport operator First Bus launched the roll out of the so-far biggest zero emission park and ride fleet in the UK. A total of 21 new all-electric double-deckers will enter service on the York Park & Ride network.
York Park & Ride is a partnership between First York and City of York Council, which will service the Askham Bar corridor to the south west of the city of York. The rest of the Optare Metrodecker EVs are to be brought into operation this summer. They will replace the existing diesel vehicle fleet with an investment totalling £9.3m. The York Park & Ride fleet will also be expanded to 33 buses.
“This is an important stage in our shared ambition to expand sustainable transport in the city,” says Marc Bichtemann, Managing Director of First York, adding: “We are determined to attract more customers to using buses and realising the real impact this has in reducing congestion, creating cleaner air and supporting the local economy, not least as York continues its revival from the pandemic.”
The transition to electrified vehicles is expected to save 1.6 million tonnes of CO2 per year, once the 21-bus fleet is complete. The operators calculate a total of 80,000 kilometres travelled for these numbers. Notable regarding the electric buses is that the production is mostly local – Metrodecker EVs were developed by Yorkshire-based bus manufacturer Optare in a partnership with First York and the city council which launched three years ago. Production and assembly take place at Optare’s factory near Leeds with “more than 50 per cent of components supplied by UK businesses”.
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