Seventeen more electric buses will join Reading’s public transport network after the council secured £3m in Government funding.
The grant from the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) 2 scheme was awarded to Reading Borough Council in partnership with Reading Buses and will increase the town’s electric double-decker fleet to 49 vehicles.
The new buses will operate on the emerald 5 and 6 routes serving south Reading, alongside other routes across the borough. They will feature high-back seating, heating and air conditioning.
Reading’s first 24 battery-electric buses began running earlier this year on the purple 17 and claret 21 routes, while a further eight are due to enter service on the yellow 26 route this summer. The latest buses are expected to roll out from 2027.
Cllr John Ennis said the investment would support efforts to boost public transport use, cut emissions and improve air quality across the town.
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