Following the successful completion of an EV infrastructure scheme, a fleet of plug-in passenger vehicles are heading to the city.
The investment – which has used capital from Hull City Council – will now support the rollout of 21 Wrightbus EVs before the end of 2025. It is hoped the project will lead to reductions in both emissions and road congestion, and is the first time buses of this kind have been introduced in the authority.
‘Step-by-step we are seeing the revolution of Hull’s public transport. It was brilliant to see the progress that has been made by East Yorkshire and their contractors to install this new charging infrastructure in anticipation of the arrival of the first electric buses in the city,’ said Cllr Mark Ieronimo, cabinet portfolio holder for transport and infrastructure at Hull City Council.
‘There are currently no electric or hybrid buses operating on public routes in Hull. Electric buses are greener and cleaner and will have a transformative impact on public transport throughout the city,’ he continued. ‘In addition to the environmental benefits, the new vehicles will have a wider impact by changing how our residents, and visitors to Hull, see buses and help encourage, and increase, passenger demand.’
Hull City Council has been given funding for the initiative from central government, and is working in partnership with two operators, East Yorkshire and Stagecoach East Midlands, and East Riding of Yorkshire Council. The region’s ZEBRA2 (zero emission bus regional areas) project has so far benefited from an initially £6million Department for Transport investment and subsequent £3.9million. There will soon be 82 electric buses operating in the city and surrounding areas.
Image: Mitchell Johnson / Unsplash
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