The UK government is providing an additional €85 million as part of its ZEBRA program. The funds will subsidise the purchase of a total of 484 new zero-emission buses. Nearly half of the funding will go to Sheffield, where the local transport authority will deploy 186 electric buses.
London is launching another funding round through its government programme, Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA). This time, £73.2 million (approximately €84.7 million) is being allocated for the procurement of battery-electric buses and associated infrastructure across ten regions. According to the Department for Transport, the public funds are being supplemented by private investments totalling £94 million (around €109 million). Most of the grants will be used to expand existing projects aimed at creating regional ‘zero-emission’ bus zones, specifically in:
- South Yorkshire – £33.4 million for 186 buses
- Tees Valley – £11 million for 82 buses
- Devon – £7.53 million for 90 buses
- Liverpool – £7.3 million for 36 buses
- Isle of Wight – £3.67 million for 23 buses
- North East – £3.6 million for 18 buses
- Reading – £3 million for 17 buses
- West Northamptonshire – £2.2 million for 17 buses
- Nottinghamshire – £1 million for 11 buses
- Surrey – £0.5 million for 4 buses
By far the largest recipient of the funding is South Yorkshire, specifically Sheffield. The city is set to receive 186 electric buses and has also been promised funds to modernise its Olive Grove depot. In addition to the £33.4 million from the ZEBRA programme, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is contributing £58.3 million (plus an additional £26 million for infrastructure), ensuring the large-scale project can proceed.
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