First Solent is fitting its Hoeford depot in Fareham with EV charging infrastructure ahead of the arrival of 62 new electric single-deck buses in 2024.
The zero emission Wrightbus GB Kite Electroliners, built in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, for First Bus South will replace its current diesel fleet from March next year, running on routes around Portsmouth, Fareham and Gosport.
Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council secured £12.7m from the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) government funding for the project.
Meanwhile, First Bus South, which operates First Solent, has provided capital investment of about £15.9m.
More than 600 buses, or 15% of First Bus’s entire UK fleet, will be zero emission from March 2024 and the company has pledged to reach a fully zero emission fleet across all operations by 2035.
In March this year, First Bus South announced plans for a new depot in Hilsea, which will have the capacity to operate a fully electric fleet of up to 90 vehicles.
Simon Goff, First Bus South Managing Director, said: “Bringing electric buses to Portsmouth, Fareham and Gosport is a vital project that will not only improve travel for our customers, but marks a major transformation of our Hoeford depot and its functions.”
