Local bus operator, Stagecoach Bluebird, has today unveiled the electric double decker buses soon to be on the streets of Aberdeen.
The company has invested £11.2 million investment in 22 electric buses for Aberdeen with £4 million support from the Scottish Government Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme
The fleet of 22 electric buses will be based at the Tullos depot and will bring a breath of fresh air to high frequency routes in Aberdeen. Not only will the fleet reduce CO2 levels in the city but they are also low-floor easy-access and will be fitted with eleather seats – a material made entirely from recycled leather. The new buses are also fitted with on board stop announcements which will be welcome news for visitors to the city landing at Aberdeen Airport as well as anyone travelling with visual impairments.
Service 727 connecting the city centre to P&J Live and Aberdeen Airport will welcome the electric fleet. Service 727 operates up to every 15 minutes Monday to Friday and up to every 20 minutes at the weekends. The service was also crowned the ‘Best Bus Service in Scotland’ in 2017.
Service 59 will also welcome the brand new fleet to the route. Service 59 connects Balnagask with the city centre, ARI and Northfield. Service 59 was one of the first routes in Scotland to be operated using electric-hybrid buses, the hybrid fleet originally launched in 2012 will soon be replaced by the new zero-emissions buses with double the capacity on the route.
Peter Knight, Managing Director at Stagecoach Bluebird said: “We are all really excited to welcome the electric buses to our Aberdeen fleet. Training for our team of drivers and engineers is well underway and we are planning for the new buses to be out in service for our customers later this month.
“Sustainable transport is critical to the future of our planet: decarbonising local journeys, reducing road congestion, improving air quality and tackling climate change. Travelling by bus, when we can, is one of the easiest ways to address climate change through carbon reduction of our own journeys.
“Major investment in new zero-emission buses also needs to be matched by better road infrastructure and more bus priority measures to help encourage people to make the switch from car to sustainable public transport.”
The electric buses will operate on service 59 and service 727 from the end of the month.