Buses: Exhaust Emissions

(asked on 30th November 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many zero emission buses funded through the (a) Ultra-Low Emission Bus scheme, (b) Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme and (c) All-Electric Bus Town or City scheme are used on registered local bus services by licensed Public Service Vehicle operators in England.


Answered by
Trudy Harrison Portrait
Trudy Harrison
This question was answered on 9th December 2021

The Ultra-Low Emission Bus (ULEB) scheme was open to any English or Welsh local authority, combined authority or bus operator. Only buses used on registered local bus services were eligible for funding. Funding from the scheme was provided over three years: 2018-19; 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Currently, over 50 zero emission buses (ZEB) supported by the ULEB scheme are used on registered local bus services by licensed public service vehicle operators in England. These buses were supported by over £14 million in Government funding. In addition, over 60 buses, supported by almost £7 million from the scheme, are also operating in London.

Over 30 further ZEBs, supported by the scheme in England, have been ordered, including 20 hydrogen buses, supported by over £7 million, they are expected on the road in due course.

The All Electric Bus Town or City scheme was open to English local transport authorities outside London. Only buses used on registered local bus services were eligible for funding.

In March 2021 £50 million funding was awarded to the West Midlands Combined Authority to introduce electric buses and charging infrastructure to convert all buses used on registered local bus services to electric buses. This funding will support the introduction of up to 300 electric buses in Coventry.

The Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme was open to English local transport authorities outside London. Only buses used on registered local bus services were eligible for funding.

Up to £270 million funding is available under the ZEBRA scheme in 2021-22. £70.8 million of this funding has been awarded so far to five local transport authorities: Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, Leicester City Council, Kent County Council, Milton Keynes Council and Warrington Borough Council. This will support the introduction of up to 335 electric buses and associated infrastructure. A further 17 local transport authorities are working to produce business cases under the standard process of the scheme. The Department will award funding to successful business cases under the standard process in Spring 2022.

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