Five Salford bus routes are set to go fully electric thanks to a large order from the Bee Network.
A further 125 electric buses will soon join Greater Manchester’s fleet as part of a move to improve local air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the region.
The number eight and ten bus routes, which serve Pendlebury and Salford, will become fully electric when the new vehicles are delivered.
Also, the V1, V2 and V4 services, which connect Salford with parts of Greater Manchester will become fully electric thanks to the new order of buses.
Manufactured by Northern Ireland-based Wrightbus, the order puts the Bee Network on track to have a fully electric fleet by 2030.
It’s all part of Greater Manchester’s investment-led approach to improving air quality by making the Bee Network a cleaner, greener and more reliable public transport system.
Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “It is brilliant to see these new yellow electric buses come off the production line and onto the streets of Greater Manchester. There will be many more to come.
“Placing these orders for another 125 zero-emission vehicles from Wrightbus puts the Bee Network on track to meet our target”
“To have a fully electric fleet by 2030, bringing huge benefits for our passengers, air quality and fast-growing economy.”
The order is just the latest example of Transport for Greater Manchester’s continued commitment to working with and investing in UK businesses to deliver the Bee Network.
Half of Greater Manchester’s depots have been electrified so far, with Ashton and Middleton now fully electric, while Bolton, Oldham and Hyde Road have been upgraded.
By the end of the decade, the Bee Network will have a fully electric bus fleet, removing more than 76,000 tonnes of CO₂ – equivalent to the emissions linked to powering more than 9,000 homes or charging 9 billion smartphones – and 280 tonnes of NOx per year.
