Stagecoach North East has debuted its first battery-electric buses in the form of 20 Yutong single-deckers that will enter service in Sunderland over coming weeks.
They have been funded by the North East Combined Authority as part of a £19.5 million Levelling Up Fund investment to decarbonise the region’s transport. 10 twin-charger units are being installed at Sunderland depot and the vehicles will carry 30,000 passengers per week.
Additional funding from the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme means that in total, 95 battery-electric buses will enter service in the North East during 2025, complementing some already in use there with Go North East.
Sunderland FC’s Stadium of Light hosted the launch of the Stagecoach North East Yutong fleet. That event was joined by Mayor of North East England Kim McGuinness (pictured, left) and Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander (pictured, right). Mayor of Sunderland Allison Chisnall also attended.
Speaking about the vehicles, Stagecoach North East Managing Director Steve Walker says: “Moving to zero-emission buses is good for the communities we serve, helping to protect their environment and quality of life.
“It is also important, too, for the upskilling of our teams, giving them skills that can move forward within the industry.”
Mr Walker adds that nationally, Stagecoach will have 40 sites in the UK with battery-electric buses by March 2026. They will service almost 1,100 zero-emission buses – and a handful of electric coaches – in total. Stagecoach North East is to introduce 18 of the former to routes 30, 31 and 36 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne after the Sunderland work.
Pelican Bus and Coach has supplied the Yutong fleet for Sunderland. Says Head of Yutong UK Ian Downie: “We are absolutely delighted to have provided these state-of-the-art zero tailpipe emission vehicles to Stagecoach.
“The buses are packed with customer-centric features, such as full electric air-conditioning, providing an unrivalled passenger experience. The team at Stagecoach has been fantastic to work with on this project, and we look forward to seeing the vehicles in service.”
