- First Solent operator First Bus South has started construction work to electrify Hoeford bus station
- The new electric depot will accommodate 62 new electric buses for Portsmouth and Hampshire.
- The electric buses and electric infrastructure are an initiative jointly funded by Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council.
Innovative work is underway to transform local bus operator First Solent's Hoeford depot in Fareham, ready to operate 62 new single-decker electric buses from March 2024.
Once completed, works to create electric vehicle charging infrastructure at Hoeford Bus Station will allow the fleet of 62 electric buses to travel around Portsmouth, Fareham and Gosport, providing cleaner and greener journeys for local people.
The project, the first in the region, has been made possible through a partnership with Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council. Working together, an investment of £12.7 million of government funding from the Department for Transport's (DfT) Zero Emission Regional Bus Area (ZEBRA) has been secured, along with a significant capital investment of around £15, 9 million from First Bus South, which operates First Solent. – electrify bus services from Hoeford station.
The introduction of state-of-the-art electric buses to the First Solent fleet is a first for bus travel in the Solent area and leads the way in reducing emissions and improving air quality. The electric buses will replace part of First Bus South's current diesel fleet and overall each electric bus is expected to save up to 60 tonnes of tailpipe emissions per year.
The British-made electric buses will provide smoother, quieter rides for passengers and will run on routes traversing the Solent area, including lines X4 (The Hard – Fareham – Southampton) and X5 (Gosport – Fareham – Southampton) and transit fast Eclipse. Fareham to Gosport corridor for ferry connection to Portsmouth.
In support of the project, representatives from Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council attended a launch at Hoeford depot to mark the start of the infrastructure works.
Simon Goff, managing director of First Bus South, said: “Bringing electric buses to Portsmouth, Fareham and Gosport is a vital project that will not only improve our customers’ journeys, but marks a major transformation of our Hoeford station and its functions.
“This is just the beginning and there are exciting times ahead for public transport in the Solent area. “I am proud to be part of this extremely important partnership with Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council as we support their plans for better air quality and cleaner, greener travel.”
Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councilor Rob Humby, said: “The area where these new electric buses will operate has two Clean Air Zones. These are places where poor air quality is detrimental to public health, so this investment marks an important milestone in cleaning up our entire transportation system. If you don't use the bus yet, I encourage you to try it, benefiting from the £2 flat fare.”
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Portsmouth City Council's Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transport, said: “This is an exciting time in our journey to bring electric buses to Portsmouth and surrounding areas. Partnering with First and Hampshire County Council has allowed us to take big steps in the right direction to support the shift to sustainable travel methods. We have a vision to transform bus services in our city and, by working together, we can achieve it. “I look forward to seeing the development of the Hoeford site and the arrival of electric buses early next year.”
The electrification of the Hoeford depot is the next step in the company's commitment to the 2035 mission of operating a zero-emissions fleet. In March this year, First Bus South also announced Plans for a new state-of-the-art warehouse in Hilsea.which once completed, will have the capacity to operate a fully electric fleet of up to 90 vehicles.
