PLANS for Coventry to become the UK’s first £50million all electric bus city have been given the green light.
The pollution-busting proposals were supported by West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) leaders on Friday (March 19).
Under the pioneering project, every bus in Coventry will be electric powered by 2025, leading to improved air quality, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and lower running costs.
Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street, who chairs the WMCA, said: “It took a lot of lobbying and persuading, but I am delighted we won the Government’s national competition to turn Coventry’s bus fleet all electric.
“It was great to welcome the Prime Minister to Coventry this week to talk about our all-electric plans, and crucially today’s confirmation by the WMCA board now unlocks his Government’s £50 million investment, meaning we can get on with rolling out the clean, green, electric buses onto the city’s roads.
“Not only will the clean bus fleet improve the public transport offering in Coventry, but it is also another step towards tackling the climate emergency and helping to attract people to leave their cars at home in favour of taking the bus.
“This is a great time for bus users in Coventry, with our newly refurbished Pool Meadow bus station, the trial of West Midlands On Demand buses serving the University of Warwick campus, as well our wider investment in fare-capping and better value fares, bus priority measures, real-time travel information and on board facilities like wi-fi and USB charging.
“It is a bus revolution here in the West Midlands, and Coventry is right at the heart of it.”
The decision means £50 million Department for Transport (DfT) funding will now be handed to the region to deliver the green transport roll-out.
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the WMCA, will lead the project in partnership with Coventry City Council, Warwickshire County Council and local bus operators – who are together paying 25% of the added costs of electric vehicles over diesel and charging infrastructure.
Transport Minister, Baroness Vere, said: “Our £50m investment will see Coventry’s entire fleet of buses replaced with new, all-electric vehicles. This will have a profoundly positive effect on air quality and emissions in the area and reduce noise pollution.
“This Government is committed to decarbonising the transport network across the UK, as we build back greener and strive to achieve net zero by 2050.”
Coventry city councillor Jim O’Boyle said: “We have finally got this over the line after we were able to convince the government that this city is the ideal location and this will make a major dent in addressing air pollution.
“We already have a range of schemes to improve air quality and this will help exceed our targets.”
