First Bus seeks approval for six more charging gantries at Bath depot

First Bus has applied to Bath & North East Somerset Council for permission to install six additional steel gantries to charge electric vehicles at its Bath depot, following planning consent granted last September for 64 ground-mounted chargers and four overhead gantries. The new application involves relocating the bus wash and demolishing the service lane building, with four gantries currently being installed on site. The overhead gantries will allow the depot yard to remain clear during the day for car parking and driver training.

Why it matters: The expansion signals sustained capital investment in depot electrification infrastructure by a major UK bus operator, creating follow-on opportunities for gantry fabrication, installation and grid connection work. Overhead charging systems that free up daytime yard space may become a reference design for other constrained urban depots.