Transdev places £7.5 million order for 15 new electric buses

Government-backed order to convert Shuttle route between Keighley and Bradford to zero-emission operation

Yorkshire bus operator Transdev today confirms it has placed an order worth £7.5 million for 15 new electric buses to convert one of its most popular routes, the Shuttle linking Keighley and Bradford in West Yorkshire, to zero-emission operation.

The orders are supported by £3.1 million of funding from the Government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) funding, following a successful bid by Transdev’s partner, West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Today’s Transdev order calls for 15 new Mercedes-Benz E-Citaro all electric single deck buses, and follows a separate order for 20 similar vehicles for use in the Leeds, Wetherby and Harrogate areas.

Transdev’s new vehicle order follows successful trials of several types of all-electric buses on the high-frequency Shuttle route, which operates up to every 15 minutes, as well as on its busy North Yorkshire route 1 linking Harrogate and Knaresborough.

The new buses will be fully compliant with Bradford’s Clean Air Zone, after the city became the first in Yorkshire to introduce the scheme in September 2022, covering all vehicles except private cars and motorcycles.

One year on, Bradford Council confirmed the city has recorded its lowest level of air pollution since records began, and Transdev’s switch to electric power on one of the region’s most popular bus routes is expected to further improve air quality on some of the region’s busiest urban roads.

Transdev’s new vehicle order follows successful trials of several types of all-electric buses on the high-frequency Shuttle route, which operates up to every 15 minutes, as well as on its busy North Yorkshire route 1 linking Harrogate and Knaresborough.

As part of its vehicle trials, Transdev invited its customers to rate key design features on each bus tested, with feedback incorporated into the specifications of the new buses now on order.

Transdev Managing Director Henri Rohard said: “We’re delighted to announce this significant order for 15 new electric buses which will deliver the best experience for our customers as well as helping to clear the air in Bradford, Saltaire, Bingley and Keighley.

“The project has been made possible thanks to the significant support from the Government’s ZEBRA fund, in addition to our introduction of 39 new electric buses in Harrogate and on routes serving Pateley Bridge, Wetherby and Leeds.

“Transdev is also directly investing £4.4 million in these new buses for our Shuttle route between Bradford and Keighley, representing almost 60 per cent of their total cost. The new buses are expected to be in service by the end of next year.

“Higher power output delivered by today’s new generation batteries means each bus can go further between charge-ups, while helping us to provide our customers with the reliable and punctual service they rightly expect from us.”

Today’s news is also being welcomed by West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which submitted a successful bid to Government for £24 million to support West Yorkshire’s three major bus operators, including Transdev, with the introduction of zero emission electric buses.

Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee, Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, said: “Bus travel is vital for people across West Yorkshire, but so is the need to safeguard our environment for future generations.

“Schemes like this will ultimately form part of a modern, greener public transport network, fit for the 21^st century, and help encourage more people onto the bus.

“It will also help us tackle the climate emergency and achieve our target of becoming a carbon net-zero region by 2038.”

Transdev will now work with Mercedes-Benz engineers to ensure its in-house engineering team at its Keighley depot, where its new buses will be based, have the training and upskilling needed to deliver the best performance from its new all-electric buses.