The multimillion-pound package will deliver huge fleet of electric and hydrogen powered buses across England.

Millions of people across the country will be able to make greener, cleaner journeys as almost 1,000 green buses are rolled out with the backing of nearly £200 million in government funding.

Nearly 1,000 more zero-emission buses are to be funded in towns and cities across the country, bringing the total funding in England to 2000 so far under this government. a further 600 zero-emission buses have been funded in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This comes as a consultation launched on ending the sale of all new non-zero emission buses from 2025 to 2032. The government continues taking unprecedented action to hit net zero and level up transport across the country.

This £198.3 million of funding will provide:

• £71 million was announced last year to support up to 335 new zero emission buses in 5 areas
• a further £50 million funding for the UK’s first All Electric Bus City, Coventry, supporting up to 300 buses
• 100 buses funded by previous funding schemes

Twelve areas in England, from Greater Manchester to Portsmouth, will receive grants from the multimillion-pound package to deliver electric or hydrogen powered buses, as well as charging or fuelling infrastructure, to their region.

The funding comes from the Zero Emission Buses Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme, which was launched last year to allow local transport authorities to bid for funding to purchase zero emission buses.

Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary, said:

“I will level up and clean up our transport network. That’s why I’ve announced hundreds of millions of pounds to roll out zero emission buses nationwide.”