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Electric bus scheme in limbo amid delays and funding cut

Richard HuntLocal Democracy Reporting Service
News imageLDRS A blue electric bus is parked alongside a residential road, with three people standing next to it on the pavementLDRS
Blackpool trialled its first electric bus two years ago, at a time when the project looked to be moving forward

Plans to launch a fleet of electric buses to help make a seaside town "greener" remain under discussion, despite a four-year delay and a fifth of the funds being handed back.

In 2022, Blackpool Council and Blackpool Transport Services (BTS) received £20m to buy 115 electric buses, but following a "complex procurement process" that number was reduced to 85 - and £4m returned to the Department for Transport (DfT).

"We are still in discussions with DfT about how the funding would work and these discussions are not yet complete," a council spokesperson said.

The buses, hailed as "a shot in the arm for Blackpool's public transport system", were originally meant to be introduced within five years.

The delays have led some residents to question the status of the project and whether the remaining £16m of funding can be retained.

The allocation of £20m followed a successful joint bid to the DfT's Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) fund.

The fund was first announced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2020 to help local transport authorities introduce zero-emission buses and the infrastructure needed to support them.

BTS' Rigby Road depot was earmarked for redevelopment in order to accommodate the new electric vehicles, after the council approved an £8m loan to the operator.

Two years ago, Blackpool trialled an electric bus, as it sought to move the project forward.

Each new bus was said to feature a customer-focused design and would be entirely "tailpipe emissions-free", helping to improve air quality across the Fylde Coast and reach the council's stated aim of net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.

"The ZEBRA funding means we can push forward with plans to replace the current bus fleet with zero-emission vehicles," said councillor Neal Brookes, Blackpool Council's Cabinet Member for Enforcement, Public Safety, Highways and Transport, when the funding was first awarded in 2022.

"It's yet another shot in the arm for Blackpool's public transport system and our push towards becoming a greener town.

"We're working hard to make public transport more attractive for local residents, and I hope this will encourage more people to swap their car for the bus."

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