Work has finished on a multimillion-pound electrification project at a bus depot in Liverpool, to support the region’s new fleet of 108 publicly owned battery-electric buses.
The city’s Gillmoss Depot has been equipped with upgraded grid connections and high-powered, intelligent charging bays which can fully charge a double-decker bus in 90 minutes.
Operated by Stagecoach, the depot is a key operational base for bus services in Liverpool and Knowsley and will now serve as the primary hub for the region’s growing zero-emission bus fleet.
The project was delivered by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in partnership with Scottish Power Energy Networks, electric vehicle charging specialists VEV, Stagecoach and Liverpool City Council
Built in the UK by manufacturers Alexander Dennis and Wrightbus, the new electric buses can travel up to 275 miles on a single charge.
Funding for the zero-emission fleet and depot upgrades was secured via the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) and the Department for Transport’s Zero-Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA 2) fund.
This year, bus services in the Liverpool City Region are being brought back under local public control for the first time in more than 40 years.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said, “When we take back control of services later this year, we’ll already have the foundations in place to deliver a network shaped around passengers – with plans in motion to provide a cleaner, more accessible and more reliable fleet that is fit for the future.
“We’re investing in the infrastructure to power this transition – from state-of-the-art electric charging facilities to investing in the green skills our workforce will need to maintain these fantastic new buses.”
