Green Revolution Hits The Liverpool City Region with New Zero-Emission Buses

The first of more than 100 publicly owned electric buses have arrived in the Liverpool City Region ahead of their introduction into passenger service.

Clad in distinctive yellow, grey and black ‘Metro’ livery, the zero-emission double-deckers arrived in the city region this morning. Over the next few months dozens more electric buses are set to be delivered by UK manufacturers Wrightbus and Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL).

The first of a new hi-tech fleet, the buses are widely recognised as some of the most efficient of their kind, able to run up to 275 miles on a single 90-minute charge.

They have been built with a range of high-spec new features, including more space for wheelchair users and prams, audio visual announcements with real-time information, USB phone charging and free Wi-Fi.

Purchased by the Combined Authority, the buses mark another important step towards Mayor Steve Rotheram’s goal of reaching net zero carbon in the Liverpool City Region by 2035.

While the vehicles aren’t ready to start picking up passengers just yet, they’re about to start hitting the streets for driver training with the plan for them to enter service in the coming months.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said:“This year will be remembered as a turning point for public transport in the Liverpool City Region. After four decades of deregulation, we are taking back control of our buses and building a network that works in the interests of passengers, not shareholders.

“The arrival of our new publicly-owned electric fleet is a tangible example of that change. These state-of-the-art, zero-emission buses – alongside our £500m fleet of trains fitted with pioneering battery technology – will give people a genuine alternative to the car, improve air quality and help us meet out ambitious target of becoming net zero by 2035.

“We’re putting the public back into public transport with better services, simpler fares and the modern, affordable network out 1.6 million residents deserve.”

In 2023 Mayor Rotheram took the landmark decision to bring bus services back under local control for the first time in 40 years, allowing the network to be operated in the interests of passengers rather than private shareholders.

Starting in St Helens this autumn before rolling out across the city region by the end of 2027, bus franchising will enable the Combined Authority to set fares, routes and timetables.

Hundreds of millions of pounds are to be invested in the Liverpool City Region’s bus network over the coming years, bringing services back into public control, improving journey times and making travel greener and easier, under plans confirmed by Mayor Rotheram.

With hundreds of thousands of journeys in the region taken by bus each day, they’re at the heart of the Mayor’s vision for an integrated transport system which is more accessible and affordable for all 1.6 million of the region’s residents.

The plans for the network – backed by funding from the £1.6bn Transport for City Region (TCR) settlement – will see major investment in depots, smart ticketing and a new fleet of state-of-the-art vehicles.

These planned improvements come on the back of several years of record level investment in transport across the region, including the rollout of a £500m fleet of state-of-the-art trains, the extension of the Merseyrail network to Maghull North and Headbolt Lane in Kirkby, a brand-new £35m transport interchange for St Helens town centre and the building of the first new Mersey Ferry in more than 60 years.