Oxfordshire County Council applies for funding for 159 electric buses

Published by

Stephen Emerson

Oxford is pushing ahead with its electric bus rollout

Oxfordshire County Council continue their efforts to become a leader in decarbonisation with its £32.8m bid for 159 electric buses.

The authority has applied to the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme for funding for the electric bus scheme.

Council have committed £6million, while private investors have pledged in excess of £40million to the project.

It is the latest step by the local authority to reduce net emissions to zero. This week saw the launch of a zero emissions zone in Oxford, with further traffic reduction measures to follow.

Read more - Everything you need to know about the Oxford Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ)

A council spokesperson said the new bus bid: “proves our ambition to be a global leader in transport decarbonisation through the radical transformation of Oxford's transport system.”

If successful, the electric buses will appear on Oxford streets in early 2023. Estimates suggest the fleet could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by almost 10, 000 tonnes.

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Stephen Emerson

Stephen Emerson is the Managing Editor of The Business Magazine and is responsible for the publication's print publications and online properties including the newly launched Biz News websites in Hampshire and Dorset. Stephen has been a journalist for 20 years and has worked at local, regional and national publications and led a team which made The Scotsman website one of the fastest growing news sites in the UK with over eight million monthly users. He has a keen interest in technology, property and corporate finance and telling the stories of the people behind the successful firms in these sectors.