Nottingham completes electric bus rollout

Nottingham City Transport has finished electrifying its entire single decker bus fleet, following the recent delivery of a final 14 electric buses. It is now looking to convert its double decker fleet to electric.

In total, Nottingham City Transport (NCT) has now deployed a total of 62 electric single decker buses, which serve routes in and out of the city. The final 14 buses have been introduced on the Grey Line 53 and 54 routes, serving Arnold, City Hospital, Ring Road, QMC, and Clifton. Overall, NCT said it has managed to electrify its single deck fleet in just 18 months.

The buses themselves are manufactured by Chinese firm Yutong and customised to NCT’s own specification by Pelican Engineering, a firm based in Yorkshire. The purchases of the buses was supported by funding from the UK’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) Fund, which provided £12.3 million worth of funding. The remaining £17.7 million came from NCT itself.

Not keen to rest on its laurels, NCT is already looking to the rest of its fleet. The transport operator has already ordered its first electric 13 double deckers, with a total of 19 set to be introduced on its routes in the city. This is being supported by the East Midlands Combined Authority, which is providing £4.5 million worth of funding. The first 13 double deckers will enter service in late 2026 and include Yutong’s new U11DD model – making NCT one of the first operators to deploy this bus on public routes.

David Astill, Managing Director of NCT, said the rollout of the single decker electric buses is a key step towards NCT’s transition to a ‘zero-emission fleet’. Astill said: “Our attention will now turn to the double-deck fleet”.

Ian Downie, Head of Yutong UK at Pelican Bus and Coach, added: “The performance of our single decks has demonstrated our vehicles are at the vanguard of reliable and efficient zero emission buses, with fantastic feedback from passengers and drivers. It is a testament to the service we provide that NCT have honoured Pelican with an additional 13 electric double decks. The NCT team have been instrumental in designing the revised UK double decker and we are really looking forward to NCT being the first operator of the full height vehicle in the UK.”

nctx.co.uk