First Bus begins transformation of Norwich depot
In the UK, First Bus has commenced ground-breaking work to transform its Norwich Roundtree Way depot to prepare for 70 Wrightbus electric buses. The new 11 single-deck and 59 double-decker buses are scheduled to arrive between Autumn 2023 and March 2024.
In March this year, First Bus ordered 117 fully electric buses from Wrightbus. This adds to the 193 electric buses that First Bus ordered from Wrightbus last year. In total, First Bus will operate more than 600 electric buses by March 2024, and the company aims to be CO2 neutral by 2035.
First Bus says the new depot is one of the UK’s first outside London. The introduction of the new bus fleet means that over half of the Norwich network operated by First Bus will now be electric. The solo buses will likely be the GB Kite Electroliner BEV, while Wrightbus offers the StreetDeck Electroliner BEV as an electric double-decker.
In collaboration with Norfolk County Council, First Bus says an investment of £14.7m has been secured from the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) government funding. This is alongside the £22.5m capital investment made by First Bus to help to fully electrify bus services at their Norwich Roundtree Way depot. The public transport provider says that photovoltaic installations have been fitted to the bus depot roof at RoundTree Way.
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