Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many buses have been ordered through the Zero Emission Buses Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme in each month since the scheme’s introduction.

In March 2021 the Transport Secretary launched the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme which was open to local transport authorities who were able to bid for funding to introduce zero emission buses and the infrastructure needed to support them in their areas.

The Government announced the first areas to be awarded funding under the fast track process of the scheme in October 2021. Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Leicester, Warrington, Kent and Milton Keynes have been awarded £70.8m funding for zero emission buses and associated infrastructure. This will support the introduction of up to 335 electric buses and associated infrastructure. We expect first orders for these buses to be placed this year.

A second group of local transport authorities have submitted business cases to secure funding through the standard process. The Department is currently assessing these business cases. Funding will be awarded to successful areas later in 2022.