Successful bid for ultra-low emission park and ride buses

6 February 2019

A £617,000 bid by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to fund a fleet of five ultra-low emission electric buses to serve the new, 1,200 space park and ride site at Stourton in Leeds has been successful.

In addition, bus company First West Yorkshire have been awarded £1.77 million to introduce nine of the ultra-low emission buses.

Cllr Kim Groves, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee said: "This announcement that these bids for £2.38 million to fund 14 ultra-low emission electric buses, five of which will serve the new park and ride site at Stourton, is great news for local air quality."

"Our Elland Road Park and Temple Green park and ride facilities are already removing around 9,000 cars and the pollution they can cause, particularly when queuing, from Leeds city centre roads each week. The development of the 1,200-space Stourton with these five electric buses to serve it will further enhance those significant benefits."

Professor Simon Pringle, Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (The LEP) Green Economy Panel said: "Good transport systems that reduce congestion underpin the clean growth that we have been championing for the Leeds City Region through our Green and Blue Infrastructure and Energy Strategies."

"By replacing thousands of city centre car journeys from Leeds each week, with travel on low-emission buses from Elland Road and Temple Green, park and ride is already having a positive impact on the city's air quality and today's announcement is good news that will build on that success."

Executive Board Member for Transport, Regeneration and Planning, Councillor Richard Lewis, said: "We're delighted the funding will support the development of the 1,200-space Stourton park and ride site with five electric buses. It will make more and more people's journey greener, having the opportunity to leave their cars behind and travel into the city by electric bus. It will enhance our efforts to make the air cleaner in Leeds. Not only will people benefit from this, they will have a clear conscience that the vehicle they are using is contributing to the clean air zone."

Paul Matthews, Managing Director of First West Yorkshire, said: "We're pleased with today's announcement, which adds to our existing commitments to invest £71m in ultra-low emission vehicles to aid with improving air quality in Leeds. Together with the support of our partners, the introduction of these electric vehicles will enable us to convert route 5 to a fully electric service between Leeds and Halton Moor which also incorporates the popular Leeds City Bus route."

"The successful West Yorkshire Combined Authority was for £617,000 to fund five buses and the charging infrastructure required. First West Yorkshire will receive £1.77 million for nine buses and infrastructure."

This is the latest funding announced by the Department for Transport to drive the uptake of zero emission vehicles. Across the UK, passengers will benefit from £48 million investment in 263 new ultra-low emission buses.

Announcing the funding, Buses Minister Nusrat Ghani said: "This government is doing more than ever before to reduce emissions across all modes of transport and I'm delighted to see the bus industry putting itself at the forefront of this."

Find out more about park and ride in Leeds