West Coast Motors has ordered 10 open-top Wrightbus StreetDeck Electroliner battery-electric double-deckers for the City Sightseeing Glasgow tour.
With entry into service of the StreetDeck Electroliner open-top fleet – expected in July 2023 – the City Sightseeing Glasgow service will be converted to zero-emission in its entirety. The deal is among the first globally for zero-emission buses for use on City Sightseeing duties.
Currently in build at the Wrightbus plant in Ballymena, the buses will be 78-seaters with USB charging points and multilingual audio commentary. Each will have 454kW/h of energy storage to deliver a range of up to 200 miles.
The vehicles represent a £4.5m investment and their purchase is supported by a £2.4m award from the first round of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus challenge fund. They represent a further step on the decarbonisation of the city’s bus fleet, with both First Glasgow and McGill’s Buses already operating significant numbers of battery-electric buses with more to come.
The tour serves a variety of attractions in Glasgow, including the city’s cathedral, Riverside Museum and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
Says City Sightseeing Glasgow Communications Director Sharon Morrison (pictured, left): “While we already offer one of the most sustainable ways for visitors to enjoy the best of Glasgow, the move to full electric means we can showcase our city’s wealth of cultural heritage, and of course its dear green spaces, with zero environmental impact on our city, its residents and its visitors.
“As well as the environmental benefits of operating an electric fleet, the buses will offer an improved customer experience, with a much smoother and quieter journey for those enjoying Glasgow’s story.”
Adds Wrightbus Head of Business Development Tom Greenshields (pictured, centre): “We are absolutely delighted to be supporting the city of Glasgow’s sustainability mission with our StreetDeck Electroliner open-top buses.”
