TAMESIDE is now home to the first all-electric bus depot in Greater Manchester.
The site off Clarence Street in Ashton-under-Lyne is home to 83 of the Bee Network’s more than 300 electric double deckers and is capable of charging 54 of them simultaneously.
There are now 10 times as many zero emission buses in the fleet compared to before the city region’s buses came fully under public control in January this year.
It means all 14 routes that operate from the Ashton depot now use electric engines: – 7, 216 219, 220, 221, 230, 231, 237, 336, 337, 346, 347, 382, 389.
“We’re driving a green revolution across the city region through investment in the Bee Network,” said Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham.
“To see us complete the first fully electric depot in Greater Manchester – and one of just a few in the country – shows, once again, we’re leading the way in making journeys cleaner and greener.
“With one in five buses now electric – up from one per cent before franchising – we’re transforming how people get around, with 14 more routes now served entirely by zero-emission buses.
“The Bee Network is already proving massively beneficial to residents and businesses across the city-region and the funding announced this week – which demonstrates confidence in what we are doing at the highest level – will enable us to go even further as we press ahead and create the UK’s first fully electric, zero emission integrated public transport system.”
Patrick Sibley, the regional chief executive of depot operator Metroline, echoed the mayor’s thoughts, adding: “We are proud at Metroline to operate Greater Manchester’s first fully electric bus depot for the Bee Network in Ashton.
“Since mobilisation, completing the electrification process at Ashton has been a key priority, and we have been working closely with TfGM (Transport for Greater Manchester), our electric infrastructure partners and Volvo to ensure that we were able to get more electric buses on the road.
“We are committed to continuing to work with TfGM and their objective to achieve a fully electric Bee Network by 2030.”
TfGM has also upgraded its charging capabilities at the Oldham, Manchester’s Hyde Road and Bolton depots, while improvements are imminent at Middleton.
The government recently announced a £2.5 billion investment in the Bee Network, which will see new transport infrastructure built across Greater Manchester.