Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) and BYD UK have supplied four zero-emission double-decker buses to Lothian Buses in Edinburgh.
The £1.7million project was funded as a flagship project of SP Energy Networks’ £20 million Green Economy Fund, enabling Edinburgh to take a major step in its journey towards the city becoming Net Zero by 2030. The buses will bring immediate benefits to the city and the communities in which they operate, helping to improve the city’s air quality and delivering multiple health benefits.
Lothian’s four brand new all-electric double-decker buses will be introduced onto Service 10, which connects outlying parts of the city, Western Harbour and Bonaly with Edinburgh’s city centre.
“Across the last decade, Lothian has removed around 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from our carbon footprint through our fleet replacement strategies, and the introduction of Edinburgh’s first fully electric double decker buses allows us to continue on this journey, further reducing our impact on the environment,” said Nigel Serafini, Interim Managing Director at Lothian Buses.
“These new buses are fitted with the most advanced zero-emissions technology and the introduction of these vehicles across our Service 10 further cements our commitment to meet the requirements of the Scottish Government and The City of Edinburgh Council’s climate change strategies.”
The City of Edinburgh Council has committed to establish a Low Emission Zone (LEZ), reducing the carbon footprint of public transport and the new Lothian electric buses are a statement of intent for the city’s transport network. The launch of these buses will play a big part in the city’s green transport infrastructure.
“It’s enormously encouraging to see initiatives like the Green Economy Fund supporting the switch to eMobility. As a result, Scotland is embracing electrification as enthusiastically as any nation in Europe,” said BYD UK Managing Director, Frank Thorpe.
“I’m also delighted to see forward-thinking operators, like Lothian Buses, looking increasingly to the BYD ADL partnership to deliver not only the highest quality electric buses, but also genuine long-term economic and environmental benefits for Scottish towns and cities.”
The buses will play an important role in Edinburgh’s green transport infrastructure.
ADL is a subsidiary of leading independent global bus manufacturer NFI Group Inc. (NFI), while BYD is a global leader in batteries, energy management and electric mobility. SP Energy Networks is part of the ScottishPower group, a Principal Partner for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow in four months’ time. Through the Green Economy Fund, SP Energy Networks is investing in the communities it serves to support the UK and Scottish governments’ green energy ambitions.
The four BYD ADL Enviro400EV buses were built locally by ADL in Falkirk. Lothian Buses will use the electric buses, each of which is 10.8m long and has seats for up to 72 passengers, on its route 10 between Leith, Edinburgh city centre and Bonaly.
