Scottish government awards £62 million for zero-emission buses

Credit: Transport Scotland - the Scottish Minister for Transport, Jenny Gilruth.

The Scottish government has announced that it has awarded over £62 million through the first phase of the Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB). This is the largest investment made in Scotland to decarbonise buses, supporting the Scottish government’s Mission Zero ambition for transport.

The funding will support operators in replacing 276 old diesel buses with new battery-electric models and the required charging infrastructure – putting the sector firmly on an accelerated path to a decarbonised, zero-emission fleet.

With 137 of the buses to be built in Falkirk, this investment continues to support skilled, green manufacturing jobs in Scotland, as well as cutting transport emissions and contributing to wider climate change targets.

The Scottish Minister for Transport, Jenny Gilruth, said: “We want more people to choose to travel by bus now and in the future, and to do so knowing that local buses are contributing to our climate change ambitions. Our Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund is successfully decarbonising Scotland’s bus fleet faster than ever before and making a significant contribution to our Mission Zero ambition for Transport.”

“We’re providing £62 million in a way which attracts additional private sector investment, resulting in 276 new zero-emission buses to be deployed across Scotland. And 137 of these buses will be built in Falkirk – supporting skilled, green manufacturing jobs and benefitting the Scottish economy.

“Supporting a just transition to a net zero economy is central to the ScotZEB approach. Through this round, we’re supporting smaller bus operators and rural service providers, whom I’m pleased are equally keen to step up and help tackle the climate emergency.

“I’m pleased that, with this significant award for greener buses, free bus travel for under 22s and the provision of over half a billion pounds in long term funding for bus priority infrastructure – we’re putting buses at the heart of Scotland’s green recovery and helping people to choose to travel more sustainably,” Gilruth concluded.