City's electric bus fleet to expand with funding

An extra 60 electric buses will be added to a fleet of vehicles serving Leicester.

Leicester City Council said it had secured £8m of government funding towards the zero-emission buses.

Operators Arriva and Centrebus are also investing £18m to introduce 56 and four new buses respectively, with the new vehicles due to come into service between September 2026 and March 2027.

The total number of electric buses will rise to 240 and serve the city's entire bus network, the authority added, and it is hoped the move will significantly cut air and noise pollution caused by buses.

Officials estimate the new buses will help reduce the city's carbon footprint by the equivalent of more than 3,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide and more than 1,000 kilograms of nitrogen dioxide per year.

Geoff Whittle, assistant city mayor for transport and climate, said: "The bus companies have made a huge commitment to cleaner, greener travel in Leicester, and the council has had great success in securing additional funds from the Department for Transport which has been very supportive of Leicester's aims."

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