£11m will buy 23 electric buses to help clean up York air

Passengers will benefit from cleaner and greener journeys as the government commits £11m to roll out low-emission buses in towns and cities across England.

Local authorities and bus companies in York, Bristol, Brighton, Surrey, Denbighshire and Wiltshire have been awarded the funding under the Government’s Low Emission Bus Scheme to help them buy 153 cleaner buses.

The successful bidders will use the funding to buy new electric and gas buses, and to install stations to fuel or charge them. The government is determined to clean up air in towns and cities across the country, and today’s investment in green buses comes after an air quality plan was published by the Government last month.

Transport Minister Paul Maynard said: “City of York Council’s plans will make a real difference in cleaning up emissions from buses in the local area.

“New greener buses will be more comfortable for passengers, they are cost-efficient and are good for the environment.

“I am pleased that our funding will deliver 24 new electric buses for York.”

The York award is for £3.3m for 24 electric buses to be used on park-and-ride services in York.

Councillor Ian Gillies, executive member for transport, said: “This is truly exceptional news for the entire city, and a further step towards our goal of a fully electric bus fleet for York.

“Every electric bus can prevent air pollution caused by diesel bus engines – so 24 more will have a massive impact on the air that we breathe.”

Councillor Andrew Waller, executive member for the environment, said: “To meet our air quality health obligations it was clear that we need an electric park-and-ride fleet, and by pressing for central government funding the council has enabled this to take place. I welcome the position that York will be in being a leading city, and that more vehicles are electric and low-emission in our air pollution hotspots.”