Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed progress towards electrification of Transdev’s fleet in Harrogate on a visit to its depot in Starbeck yesterday.
The PM learned about the operator’s order in August 2023 of 20 Mercedes-Benz eCitaro single-deckers and 19 Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV double-deckers. The orders were supported by a successful North Yorkshire Council bid for £7.8 million from the government’s Zero-Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.
The Starbeck depot is being upgraded to serve the new buses, along with the existing fleet of eight Volvo 7900Es, by this summer.
Transdev Managing Director Henri Rohard says: “The Prime Minister was very impressed by the progress made towards our first fully electric depot. Our project includes new electric buses, upgraded maintenance facilities, the latest battery charging infrastructure and a commitment to upskill our colleagues with this new technology.
“Our electrification project has been made possible thanks to significant support from the government’s ZEBRA fund, and Mr Sunak was keen to see and hear how that investment will help us to deliver a revolution in the quality and sustainability of public transport in Harrogate and North Yorkshire.
“In combination with our existing eight Harrogate Electrics-branded Volvo 7900E electric buses, the first of their kind in Britain, 47 fully-electric vehicles will be in service when our project is complete by this summer. All our bus fleet will be renewed, giving The Harrogate Bus Company the most modern and passenger oriented network in Britain.”
The E-Citaros will be used on routes such as the urban route 1 between Harrogate and Knaresborough, while the flagship 36 route between Ripon, Harrogate and Leeds will receive the Enviro 400EVs.
Accompanied by Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones, Mr Sunak was also shown around Transdev’s training centre, The Academy, which operates SkillUp, a joint initiative with Total People to promote engineering as a career move.
