Greater Manchester has announced a £60 million funding boost that will bring 220 more electric buses to the city region’s streets.
This will switch a further 13% of the Bee Network bus fleet from diesel to fully electric, with the first buses expected to be in service by the end of 2026.
It follows the introduction 12 new electric vehicles on the Manchester city centre Free Bus routes, as the city looks to deliver a fully electric fleet by the end of the decade.
Nearly 350 electric buses – about one in five – currently serve communities in Greater Manchester, compared to a national average of one in 10.
Funding has also been agreed to deliver a new Travel Hub in Tyldsley, with work set to start in the New Year.
This will provide an extra 99 parking spaces, including electric vehicle charging stations and accessible spaces close to the Leigh Guided Busway.
The funding approved at the latest Bee Network Committee meeting is part of the £1.07 billion City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, which helps fund Greater Manchester’s pipeline of transport infrastructure projects.
Bus journeys around the city are increasing in popularity – with a 10% rise in passenger numbers in the last year.
Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “We are accelerating investment to introduce even more electric buses to add to those which already comprise 20 per cent of our vehicles, marking another significant step towards the goal of a fully zero-emission bus fleet by 2030.”
