The United Kingdom’s Department For Infrastructure has announced £88 million of funding for 100 electric buses and the charging infrastructure to power them. Translink has also signed a contract with the electric bus manufacturer Wrightbus to supply the electric buses for this fleet.
Translink’s CEO Chris Conway mentioned that 60 of the buses will be deployed in Belfast, Northern Ireland to expand its zero emission vehicle (ZEV) fleet. This means that over half of their services will now be zero emissions. The remaining 40 buses will be deployed to Coleraine, North-West, and Craigavon.
He also pointed out that the buses will utilize ‘green’, sustainably sourced electricity to minimize their environmental impact. The new fleet of buses will consist of both single-deck and double-deck buses that offer amenities such as WiFi and USB charging outlets.
Wrightbus is a local manufacturer of buses in the United Kingdom and the buses supplied will be the StreetDeck Electroliners and GB Kite Electroliners. Translink is a metro transit company in the U.K.
