West Midlands Mayor Andy Street says Walsall bus passengers will soon be able to enjoy a cleaner, greener way of getting about, with the arrival of 300 UK-made electric buses in the region.
National Express West Midlands is investing £150 million in the zero emission electric buses, which will be delivered by the end of December 2024, to be deployed across the West Midlands.
Mr Street, who heads the West Midlands Combined Authority, said: “Walsall people will now be able to benefit from these wonderful buses - offering them a quieter, smoother and more comfortable journey.
“As we aim to tackle the climate emergency and maintain our commitment to reach net zero by 2041, these buses are exactly what we need - saving energy, improving air quality and cutting fuel costs for operators.
“They are British made too, so they will also boost the UK’s economy, by investing in supply chains, skills, training and jobs.
“My transport plan for the West Midlands aims to create a world class transport network for our citizens, by reopening old railways stations, investing in things like cycling and working with service providers to keep fares low.
“Electric vehicles are the future - and I cannot wait to see even more electric buses arriving in our region in the months and years ahead.”
This investment is part of National Express delivering on its commitment to have a completely zero emission bus fleet in the UK by 2030. Thanks to the original Government investment that kick started the transition to Zero Emission Buses (ZEB), the bus operator is now in a position to acquire these buses.
This will mean that over a third of the fleet will be zero emissions - which is the highest proportion of any city region in the country.
Each zero emission vehicle saves an average of 66 tonnes of carbon annually, so this investment will save a total of nearly 20,000 tonnes from going out into the atmosphere every year.