New £32m electric bus fleet launches on routes across Northampton
The buses were officially launched at the recent Northampton Balloon Festival
A new fleet of 54 electric buses has started carrying passengers on routes across Northampton following a £32.1 million investment.
Stagecoach Midlands has introduced the vehicles on a number of services in the town, supported by £9.5 million of grant funding from West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) and the Department for Transport.
The investment, which also includes new charging infrastructure, is believed to represent Northampton’s biggest order of buses in the past 100 years.
Electric buses have now been introduced on Services 1, 2, 3, 4, 4A, 4B, 5, 8, 8A, 9, 9A, 12, 12A, 15 and 16.
Stagecoach has installed 56 charging points at its Minton Business Centre depot to support the new fleet.
According to the operator, a fully charged electric double-decker has a range of approximately 260 miles, while a single-decker can travel around 300 miles.
The vehicles are also significantly quieter than their diesel counterparts, with Stagecoach saying they produce around 50 decibels of noise compared with approximately 72 decibels from a diesel bus.
They are equipped with features including electric parking brakes, hill start assist and electric “smart” mirrors designed to improve visibility, particularly in low-light conditions.
The buses were officially launched at the recent Northampton Balloon Festival, where visitors were able to look around one of the new vehicles.
Mark Whitelocks, managing director of Stagecoach Midlands, said: “Investments like this aim to offer a more reliable and more comfortable service, as well as cleaner air for everyone.
“Our ongoing multi-million-pound investment will continue to decarbonise our fleet while bringing state-of-the-art bus travel to our customers.”
Councillor Richard Butler, WNC cabinet member for highways and transport, said the investment would help reduce emissions across the area.
He added: “These new electric buses are quieter, cleaner and more comfortable for passengers.
“Working with Stagecoach and the Department for Transport, we're making bus travel a more attractive option and giving residents a reliable, modern service they can be proud of.”