Coventry and Oxford set to be first all-electric bus cities in the UK

Proposals to see Coventry and Oxford as the UK’s first all-electric bus cities are currently underway, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced

Coventry and Oxford are currently developing business cases in an England-wide competition to create and all-electric bus city/town.

Successful cases will be awarded up to £50 million to replace its entire fleet of buses with all-electric vehicles, install new infrastructure and pay for electric grid updates.

Applicants were required to:

• Demonstrate buy-in from stakeholders in their local areas
• Outline existing plans to reduce greenhouse gases and improve air quality
• Show how the plan would tackle an existing air quality problem.

The initiative will help improve air quality and reduce emissions and support local businesses and jobs in the UK developing green buses.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

“As we build back greener from COVID-19, we can provide people with more environmentally-friendly transport and cleaner air.”

“Coventry and Oxford could soon be at the forefront of our plans for a new era of bus services, helping us develop the green transport network of the future and support jobs right here in the UK.”

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said:

“This news is brilliant for Coventry and the West Midlands, and I am delighted the Secretary of State and his department have once again put their faith in our region to deliver.

Turning all of Coventry’s bus fleet electric is not only a major boost to public transport in the city, but it will also help tackle the climate emergency we face both here in the West Midlands and the wider UK.”

Oxfordshire County Council Leader, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, said:

“Oxfordshire’s bid comes at a time when our council is determined to take concerted climate action to cut vehicle air pollution and expand the provision of bus services with our Zero Emission Zone and Connecting Oxford plans. This council is committed to offering our residents a clean and environmentally sustainable future through a series of steps including”