The first fleet of zero emission electric buses arrive in Chesterfield following £31 million investment

Stagecoach has introduced its first electric buses into Chesterfield. The project is part of a £31 million investment in partnership with Derbyshire County Council and UK Government.

Stakeholders were able to get a look at the state-of-the-art Yutong single deck buses and Alexander Dennis double deck buses, at a launch event held at Barrow Hill on Friday 14^th March to celebrate the arrival of the zero emission buses and the future of bus travel.

The new buses replace over two-thirds of Stagecoach’s conventional diesel fleet at Chesterfield and across the Northeastern part of Derbyshire, and the project has included installing a charging infrastructure with a 4.5Mw power supply to Chesterfield depot. The new electric fleet is saving over 102,000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year compared to diesel, helping to bring cleaner air to the local community.

The brand-new electric buses feature the latest accessibility technology with Next Stop audio and visual announcements to assist customers travelling, and air conditioning. A total of 57 single and double-decker electric buses are being introduced into Chesterfield.

The project is part of Derbyshire’s successful bid for Zero Emission Bus Regional (ZEBRA) funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) in partnership with Derbyshire City Council (DCC) and Stagecoach. The Zebra2 grant funding totals £5,755,126, and Stagecoach investment totalling £25,308,928. The total value of the project is the largest investment ever in bus travel into the Chesterfield local area.

Stagecoach Yorkshire’s Managing Director, Matt Kitchin, said “We are delighted to be introducing this significant investment in electric bus services for the region covering North East Derbyshire and South Sheffield. The arrival of these state-of-the-art buses provides a much improved experience for our customers including next stop announcements, air conditioning and zero emissions for the communities we serve. This project reflects Stagecoach’s commitment to achieving net zero to help tackle climate change and contribute to the future of zero-emission travel."

Councillor Charlotte Cupit, Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport said: “We’re excited to be part of, and supporting, this investment into electric buses in Derbyshire. Not only do they lower carbon emissions, but the air conditioning and other new technology on board provides a comfier journey. Enjoy a ride on one soon!"