First Bus Leeds: Operator announces further £11.2m funding for Bramley bus depot

First Bus and West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) announced a further investment in the operator’s Bramley depot which will make half the fleet zero emission before the end of 2024.

WYCA with support from First Bus were successful in securing £3.4 million in a ‘variation request’ from the Department for Transport (DfT) Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) project.

First Bus is investing £7.8 million which will introduce an additional 22 double-decker electric buses (EV), increasing the total at the depot to 79.

Coun Peter Carlill said: “These state-of-the-art electric buses will help West Yorkshire towards its goal of becoming a net zero economy by 2038, as well as encouraging more people to use public transport.

“We are constantly working to introduce more zero-emission buses to the region’s fleet – boosting air quality, improving public transport and helping tackle the climate emergency.

“This investment will help us build a greener and better-connected West Yorkshire.”

It came as councillors for the Bramley and Stanningley Ward, Tom Hinchcliffe and Kevin Ritchie visited the depot, now home to the largest fleet of zero emission buses in West Yorkshire, which launched in March.

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The additional funding boost comes only two months after the depot, which has been transformed with the capacity to operate a fully electric fleet from earlier ZEBRA funding and investment totalling £29m, was celebrated by First Bus and senior members from WYCA.

The extra 22 electric buses brings zero emission fleet to 79, with the delivery of more buses due by July 2024.