Thousands of passengers across Teesside are set for cleaner and quieter journeys thanks to an £11 million Government investment to deliver a new fleet of zero emission buses. Across the region, 82 new electric buses will replace older diesel vehicles, cutting harmful emissions and improving journeys for people travelling for work, education and healthcare.
The expansion to the Tees Valley Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) programme forms part of a £73.2 million package from the Labour government that will deliver 484 zero emission buses across England, building on the Government’s existing ZEBRA programme which has already funded more than 2,500 cleaner buses nationally.
The announcement comes on the eve of a crunch Tees Valley Combined Authority decision on bus funding. MPs and residents have been calling on the authority to support rural areas like East Cleveland with better transport connectivity ahead of the meeting on 20 March.
Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, said:
“Buses are the backbone of our public transport system, and passengers in the Tees Valley deserve a network they can rely on and be proud of.
This funding will replace polluting diesel buses with new electric vehicles that will make a real difference to people’s daily lives, better connecting them to work, to healthcare and to opportunity, whilst cleaning up the air we all breathe.
But this is about more than new buses. It’s about cleaner air for children walking to school and reliable connections for people getting about their daily lives, and I’m proud to back the North East and Tees Valley’s ambition to deliver exactly that.”
Luke Myer, MP for Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland, said:
“Better buses are essential if our towns and villages are going to thrive. This £11 million investment in a state-of-the-art new fleet is welcome, and it sits alongside the £1 billion the Government has given to the Combined Authority to improve transport across Teesside – a clear sign that our region is finally getting the backing it needs.
“But fleet upgrades are only part of the picture. I’ve been pressing the Combined Authority to use its funding to strengthen the routes people rely on and improve links between our villages, town centres and industrial sites. Let’s see proper connectivity for rural communities that have been left behind for too long.”
Graham Vidler, CEO of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, said:
“Today’s announcement is a welcome step forward for the UK’s transition to greener public transport. Bus operators across the country are committed to decarbonising their fleets, with the Government funding announced today being matched by more than £94 million of investment from operators in new vehicles and charging infrastructure. This partnership between government and industry is exactly what is needed to deliver the next generation of greener, quieter buses while maintaining reliable services for passengers.”