West Northamptonshire secures £2.2 million for 17 electric buses, bringing Government-backed fleet to 71
By Eve
The UK Government has awarded £2.2 million to West Northamptonshire to fund 17 new electric buses, adding to 54 already funded under the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) programme for a total of 71 vehicles. The Government's total investment in the roll-out stands at £11.8 million, with operator Stagecoach contributing £28.1 million. The first buses are being prepared for service and will replace diesel vehicles across Stagecoach's fleet in the area.
Why it matters: The expanded ZEBRA programme signals continued public funding for zero-emission bus fleets, creating procurement opportunities for vehicle suppliers and charging infrastructure providers. With Stagecoach committing more than double the public investment, the project underscores the scale of depot charging and grid upgrade work required to support large electric bus deployments.