Heliox electrifies five more bus depots for First Bus
The Dutch charging infrastructure specialist Heliox, which has since been taken over by Siemens, is to electrify the bus depots in Bristol, Weston-super-Mare, Minehead, Taunton and Basildon on behalf of First Bus. First Bus expects to invest £89 million (around €107 million) in the project, with the government contributing £16 million (around €19 million) from the ZEBRA 2 funding programme. The new initiative is intended to prepare the deployment of 178 additional electric buses in four regions. By 2025, First Bus aims to have 14 depots with more than 800 electric buses.
Heliox describes the new order as a ‘significant expansion of the collaboration’. This is because the Dutch company has recently been active for First Bus on several occasions. The first joint project in 2021 was the electrification of a large depot in Glasgow. The 160 charging points installed there in the first expansion phase were considered ‘the largest fast-charging centre for electric vehicles in the UK’ when they opened. This was followed by the installation of charging infrastructure at eight other depots in Scotland (Glasgow Scotstoun and Aberdeen) and England (York, Leeds Bramley, Leicester, Norwich, Portsmouth Hoeford and Summercourt Cornwall). The bus depot in Summercourt Cornwall also offers the public direct access to fast chargers.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with First Bus on their journey towards a zero-emission fleet,” said Stephen Wood, Heliox Country Manager UK & Ireland. “The huge £89m investment from First Bus and support from the ZEBRA 2 funding programme has enabled us to play a vital role in accelerating the transition to electric public transport, particularly in rural areas. These new charging depots will be instrumental in achieving this goal.”
Faizan Ahmad, Decarbonisation Programme Director at First Bus, added: “These projects mark another significant milestone in our commitment to a zero-emission bus fleet across the UK. Our partnership with Heliox has enabled us to electrify our depots and introduce cutting-edge electric buses, delivering cleaner air and a better passenger experience. As a leader in sustainable transport, we’re committed to working with both central and local governments to support national decarbonisation goals and encourage more people to choose bus travel.”
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