Blackpool electric bus rollout stalls with fleet cut to 85 and £4m returned to DfT
By Eve
Blackpool Council and Blackpool Transport Services secured £20m from the DfT's ZEBRA fund in 2022 to buy 115 electric buses, but a complex procurement process has reduced the order to 85 vehicles and forced the return of £4m to the Department for Transport. The project, originally scheduled for completion within five years, remains in limbo as funding discussions with the DfT continue, with residents questioning whether the remaining £16m can be retained. The ZEBRA fund was launched in 2020 to support zero emission buses and charging infrastructure across local transport authorities.
Why it matters
The case highlights procurement and delivery risks in publicly funded electric bus programmes, where specification challenges can shrink fleet sizes and jeopardise capital retention. Operators and infrastructure suppliers bidding into similar ZEBRA or successor schemes need clarity on contract timelines and scope flexibility to avoid partial fund clawbacks.
Source
- Original title
- “Blackpool electric bus plans in limbo amid delays and funding cut”
- Published
- 13 March 2026 (date approximate)
- Updated
- 22 September 2026
In this story
- Topic
- Electric Vehicles
- Place
- United Kingdom
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