Fourteen BYD BD11 battery-electric double-decks will enter service with Arriva from its Blyth depot in Northumberland as part of a wider £37 million investment in the group’s operations in north east England.
They are the first provincial specification examples of the BD11 built for a customer since introduction of the model in 2024. BYD is manufacturing 39 battery-electric buses for Arriva operations outside London and 191 for the capital as part of an over-800-vehicle fleet renewal project that was confirmed in early 2026.
The BD11 fleet for Blyth represents a spend of £6.1 million by Arriva, with part funding from government investment with the North East Combined Authority (NECA). The buses are for use on services 43, 44 and 45 linking Morpeth and Dinnington with Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Arriva’s larger overhaul of its north east operations will see one-third of the fleet replaced with new buses alongside refurbishment of some existing vehicles and improvements to depot facilities.
Speaking about the BD11 fleet in Blyth, Arriva UK Bus Managing Director Martijn Gilbert says: “This £6 million investment in these state-of-the-art electric buses is a clear sign of our confidence in Northumberland and our determination to provide the kind of modern, sustainable transport that our customers deserve.
“Customers will have smoother, quieter and cleaner journeys, making public transport an even more sustainable choice. Our drivers will benefit from working with the very best vehicles, and our engineers have been specifically trained to maintain and manage this new electric fleet.”
Mayor of the North East Kim McGuinness adds that while NECA secured £3.7 million to electrify the routes from Blyth depot, she wants to see every bus in the region moved to zero-emission technology “within the next decade.”
Continues Ms McGuinness: “However, with nearly 100 electric buses in the north east, fare prices capped through the Mayor’s Fares and more people using the bus, we are doing what we can to give our communities a better service.
“Local people in the north east deserve nothing less than world-class public transport, and this latest investment is another important step forward.”
The electric fleet for Blyth has gained Northumbria Electrics branding on standard Arriva livery. Arriva already runs over 100 examples of the BYD BD11 in London.
