Devon awarded £5.3 million for zero emission buses
A fleet of 41 electric buses are set to take to Devon’s roads in Exeter, North Devon and Torridge.
A successful joint bid by Devon County Council and Stagecoach has secured £5.3 million from the second round of the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.
Stagecoach will be investing a further £15 million into the project to roll out new EV buses in Exeter on Service 4, Service A and the Green Park and Ride service, while in North Devon and Torridge they will operate on Services 21/21A as well as town services in Barnstaple.
The introduction of electric buses, which should be on the road by early 2026, is expected to create a new image to appeal to new passengers, boost park and ride use and improve air quality by reducing pollution.
Stagecoach is ready to roll out EV charging infrastructure across its depots, including Exeter and Barnstaple.
This new investment will form the basis for the bus company to expand its fleet of zero and low emission vehicles across the south west, and there are also plans in place to develop a community charging hub at the Matford depot in Exeter.
Councillor Andrea Davis, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, said: “We want to tackle carbon emissions and reducing emissions of public transport can have a huge impact in helping us achieve our net zero targets. These new electric buses can help transform our local bus network in Devon and hopefully they will appeal to more people and encourage them to travel by bus.”
Peter Knight, Managing Director at Stagecoach South West, said: “This is an exciting and important moment for Stagecoach in the South West. As a key driver of supporting the move to net zero, our sustainability strategy sets out a roadmap to decarbonise by 70% by 2035 and to become a carbon-neutral business by 2050.
"We welcome this allocation of funding to local authorities for investment in new zero-emission buses. This support gives renewed confidence to the whole supply chain and will unlock significant private sector investment into new, clean vehicles.
"Securing this funding in partnership with Devon County Council will get us on the road to deliver our shared ambitions to reduce carbon emissions, deliver cleaner air and thriving bus services that support our region. We are delighted that government and Stagecoach Group are investing in the South West and we look forward to welcoming the new fleet that will benefit the local community and bus users alike.”
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “As part of our plan to improve local transport across the South West, we’re providing over £43 million to roll out 352 brand new zero-emission buses across the region.
“This latest investment into our bus fleet comes on top of the £3.5 billion we have invested into our bus network since 2020, protecting and improving bus routes into 2025 as well as extending the £2 bus fare cap until the end of 2024, made possible by reallocated HS2 funding.”
Devon is one of 25 local authorities across the country receiving a share of the £143 million funding through the second round of the ZEBRA programme, enabling the rollout of 955 zero emission buses in England.
