First Bus has marked the arrival of 24 new electric buses in Aberdeen as part of a £12.7 million order from Wrightbus.
The fleet of StreetDeck Electroliner double-deckers is now being used on routes 1 and 2 in the city.
The £12.7 million investment, which is also bringing 12 electric repowers to Aberdeen, forms part of a total outlay of £100 million on fleets for First Bus in 2024/25.
Two of the repowers also went into service this month, while the remainder are due to arrive in the next few weeks.
The new arrivals mean the proportion of zero-emission vehicles in First Bus’s Aberdeen fleet is among the highest in the UK. In July 2023, the division took delivery of 24 new Yutong E12 electric single-deckers. These are added to the 15 hydrogen-powered buses delivered to the city in 2021.
First Bus has a target of achieving a fully zero-emission fleet nationally by 2035.
David Adam, Operations Manager at First Aberdeen, says: “Educating the next generation on the importance of sustainability will continue to be key to achieving the progress needed to make a difference and it was fantastic to hear from students first-hand about their drive and passion to protect the planet.
“This £12.7 million investment in new electric buses will not just help improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions for the city but also aligns with our goal to achieve a fully zero-emission fleet by 2035, with these buses acting as a crucial step towards that goal.”
Students from Robert Gordon University, whose campus is served by those routes, were present at the launch.
Among them was Heather McCole, Architecture Masters student, who says: “I’m in my final year studying my Masters at RGU and it’s great to see the electric buses coming in to get students to and from the uni.
“I get the bus multiple days a week for classes, so I think it’s a hugely positive move for everyone in the city. The focus of my degree is on architecture and sustainability so the environmental impact of everything is at the forefront of the choices I make.”
