Last week, the Scottish Government announced the award of £40.5 million in funding to bus operators through a second round of the Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme.
The initiative helps bus companies invest in electric vehicles and associated infrastructure, supporting a green recovery out of the coronavirus pandemic, improving air quality and advancing Scotland’s ambitions for a net-zero economy.
Funding has been awarded to operators following a competitive bidding process. Successful proposals for 172 zero-emission buses were made with ADL as the intended supplier and the company will now work with the awardees to finalise contracts for these electric buses, which will be built by ADL in Falkirk in collaboration with BYD, the company’s partner for electric buses in the UK and Ireland.
This follows an earlier first round of funding awarded in September 2020, which has enabled 35 BYD ADL electric buses to be firmly ordered by bus operators.
ADL President & Managing Director, Paul Davies commented: “The Scottish Government deserves huge credit for leading by example to support bus operator’s commitment to invest in cleaner, greener buses and we are delighted that bids for 172 of our electric buses have been successful.
“These zero emission buses will be built at our factory in Falkirk and therefore ensure this Scottish Government investment is made domestically, allowing the benefits to be felt across our communities whilst helping to underpin skilled jobs. We very much look forward to working with the successful operators to finalise terms and get these vehicles into service at pace.”
The operators
The new e-buses will be deployed by the following operators:
- First Glasgow No 1 Ltd
- McGill’s Bus Service Ltd
- Ember Core Ltd
- Stagecoach West
- Stagecoach East
- Stagecoach Bluebird
First order for Stagecoach
ADL and BYD UK announced on 30 March 2021 that their electric vehicle partnership, the UK’s leading electric bus producer, has taken firm orders from Stagecoach for 46 zero emission buses. The 24 single deck and 22 double deck buses have been part-funded by the Scottish Government and will be deployed in the operator’s fleets in Aberdeen, Perth and Kilmarnock.
Stagecoach will receive 22 BYD ADL Enviro400EV double deck buses with a length of 10.8m for Aberdeen city services, as well as 15 BYD ADL Enviro200EV for Kilmarnock and nine similar buses for Perth. While the single deckers for Kilmarnock town services will be 10.9m in length, the operator has chosen the longer 11.6m model for Perth to offer additional capacity.
Using BYD’s battery electric driveline technology, ADL will assemble the buses at its factory in Falkirk, ensuring the investment benefits the local economy in Scotland’s Central Belt.
31.03.2021
