Public Transport: Expansion and Electrification

Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate Excerpts

Monday 19th May 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

I absolutely agree with my noble friend that electrification is an important part of the mix in decarbonising our transport network and achieving our net-zero goals. Electrification is indeed the most widespread method of decarbonising the railway. Some 39% of the railway network is electrified but 74% of passenger vehicle kilometres travelled are electric, so we are making progress. I cannot give my noble friend any further commitments, but we are looking beyond the trans-Pennine route upgrade to identify further opportunities for electrification across the network as part of the spending review.

[Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate (Con)]

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Hendy, very kindly joined me in congratulating the Harrogate Bus Company on its full electrification programme. I ask the Minister: what more can be done to actually encourage bus companies around the country—particularly in rural areas—to join and produce electric buses for those that use them?

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

If it is not jumping on the bus bandwagon, I would like to join in both the noble Lord’s and my noble friend Lord Hendy’s congratulations on Harrogate’s achievement. We have made some amazing progress when it comes to zero-emission buses: more than 50% of new buses registered last year were zero-emission—that is a record 1,600. I am very pleased to tell the House that more than 60% of buses procured via the ZEBRA process were procured and made by UK-based manufacturers. Zero-emission buses are not just good for decarbonising transport and providing better, more reliable bus services; they are good for growth in this country, which we need to see.