First Publicly Owned Electric Buses Arrive in Liverpool City Region
The first of more than 100 publicly owned electric buses have arrived in the Liverpool City Region, marking a major milestone in the region’s journey towards a cleaner, more modern public transport network.
Dressed in the bold yellow, grey and black Metro livery, the zero-emission double-deckers rolled into the city region this morning. They are the first to be delivered as part of a wider programme that will see more than 100 new electric buses introduced, built by leading UK manufacturers Wrightbus and Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL).
The arrival signals the start of a new era for local bus travel. As the first of a high-tech fleet, the vehicles are recognised among the most efficient of their kind, capable of travelling up to 275 miles on a single 90-minute charge.
Passengers can also expect a significantly enhanced onboard experience. The new buses have been designed with improved accessibility, offering more space for wheelchair users and prams, alongside audio-visual announcements with real-time travel information. USB charging points and free Wi-Fi will also be available, helping to make journeys more comfortable and convenient.
Purchased by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the investment forms a key part of Mayor Steve Rotheram’s ambition to create a fully integrated London-style transport system and achieve net zero carbon across the city region by 2035.
Although passengers won’t be boarding just yet, the buses will now begin driver training and route familiarisation ahead of entering service in the coming months, bringing cleaner, greener travel one step closer for communities across the Liverpool City Region.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said:
“This year will be remembered as a turning point for public transport in the Liverpool City Region. After four decades of deregulation, we are taking back control of our buses and building a network that works in the interests of passengers, not shareholders.
“The arrival of our new publicly-owned electric fleet is a tangible example of that change. These state-of-the-art, zero-emission buses – alongside our £500m fleet of trains fitted with pioneering battery technology – will give people a genuine alternative to the car, improve air quality and help us meet out ambitious target of becoming net zero by 2035.
“We’re putting the public back into public transport with better services, simpler fares and the modern, affordable network out 1.6 million residents deserve.”
In 2023 Mayor Rotheram took the landmark decision to bring bus services back under local control for the first time in 40 years, allowing the network to be operated in the interests of passengers rather than private shareholders.
Starting in St Helens this autumn before rolling out across the city region by the end of 2027, bus franchising will enable the Combined Authority to set fares, routes and timetables.
Hundreds of millions of pounds are to be invested in the Liverpool City Region’s bus network over the coming years, bringing services back into public control, improving journey times and making travel greener and easier, under plans confirmed by Mayor Rotheram.
With hundreds of thousands of journeys in the region taken by bus each day, they’re at the heart of the Mayor’s vision for an integrated transport system which is more accessible and affordable for all 1.6 million of the region’s residents.
The plans for the network – backed by funding from the £1.6bn Transport for City Region (TCR) settlement – will see major investment in depots, smart ticketing and a new fleet of state-of-the-art vehicles.
These planned improvements come on the back of several years of record level investment in transport across the region, including the rollout of a £500m fleet of state-of-the-art trains, the extension of the Merseyrail network to Maghull North and Headbolt Lane in Kirkby, a brand-new £35m transport interchange for St Helens town centre and the building of the first new Mersey Ferry in more than 60 years.
