Liverpool receives first of 100 electric double-deckers

However, it will still be some time before the buses enter regular service. According to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, driver training sessions are now underway before the vehicles begin carrying passengers in the coming months. Visually, the double-decker buses feature a yellow, grey, and black ‘Metro’ livery. Based on the accompanying press photos, the first arrivals are Enviro400EV buses from ADL.

According to the official statement, these buses can travel up to 440 kilometres on a roughly 90-minute charging session. ADL first introduced the model in November 2022. The previous generation of this widely used model in the UK was still produced in collaboration with the Chinese company BYD. However, ADL is solely responsible for the new Enviro400EV.

Liverpool is set to receive 58 units of this model from an order placed at the beginning of 2025. An additional, unspecified number will be supplied by Wrightbus. As the goal is to deploy around 100 new battery-electric double-decker buses in Liverpool, roughly 50 more units are expected from Wrightbus. Their integration is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027.

The procurement of the new battery-electric buses is part of a broader transformation of the public transport system in the Liverpool City Region. Like most parts of the UK, public transport there has so far been deregulated and dominated by private operators. However, Liverpool is now transitioning to a so-called franchise model, similar to the one already in place in London and currently being established in Manchester. Under this model, public transport is publicly owned, with ticket prices, schedules, and routes determined by public authorities, while private operators tender for route operations.

Over the coming years, significant investments are planned for the Liverpool City Region’s bus network. Backed by funding from the £1.6 billion Transport for City Regions (TCR) programme, the plans include extensive investments in depots, smart ticketing systems, and the aforementioned new fleet. The battery-electric buses will thus become the property of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, commented: “This year will be remembered as a turning point for public transport in the Liverpool City Region. After four decades of deregulation, we are taking back control of our buses and building a network that works in the interests of passengers, not shareholders. The arrival of our new publicly-owned electric fleet is a tangible example of that change.”

liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk