Funding awarded for zero emission buses in Devon

New zero emission buses are set to be delivered with £7.53 million of funding awarded to a council.

Devon County Council said the latest investment from the Department for Transport would benefit thousands of passengers across the county.

The funding is part of an expansion of existing Zero Emission Bus Areas (ZEBRA) projects in the south west and south east.

The council said the new fleet of about 90 would replace older diesel vehicles and cut harmful emissions to improve air quality and improve journeys for people travelling for work, education and healthcare.

Councillor Jacqi Hodgson, cabinet member for climate change and biodiversity, said its ambition was to encourage more people in Devon to travel by bus.

She said: "This is a vital investment that can help upgrade our local bus network.

"Cleaner, greener buses benefit passengers and the environment, and the rollout of new electric buses will play a key part in tackling carbon emissions."

Managing director at Stagecoach South West, Peter Knight, said the company welcomed the funding and working with the council, the zero-emission buses would help it replace buses with modern electric alternatives.

"Investment like this is vital to supporting the transition to a greener fleet and encouraging more people to choose the bus for everyday travel across the county," Knight added.

The council said across England, the government's new investment of £73.2 million would deliver 484 zero emission buses and was building on the existing ZEBRA programme which had already funded more than 2,500 cleaner buses nationally.

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