First Bus Aims to Power Up Wells Bus Depot for Electric Buses

By Laura Linham 3rd May 2023

Local News by Laura Linham 3rd May 2023

Wells could soon welcome the next generation of buses, as First Bus has submitted a planning application to electrify the Wells Bus Depot.

The application includes a new power supply and the installation of vehicle chargers to facilitate the operation of electric buses in the future.

Although there are no immediate plans to introduce electric buses in Wells, First Bus has already introduced nearly 250 zero-emission vehicles on the road, including hydrogen electric buses in Aberdeen and electric buses in Glasgow, York, Leeds, and Leicester.

By March 2024, the company plans to have over 600 zero-emission buses on the road, including fully electric bus fleets in Leicester, Norwich, and York.

The proposal for the Wells Bus Depot on Priory Road includes a new point of connection to the local power network and chargers of various sizes around the site to provide power connections to the vehicles. According to planning documents, the existing bus washing and fuelling facilities will not be altered.

The plan includes the installation of enough chargers to power up to 18 electric buses parked at the site. The electrification works will be carried out over several years, depending on demand, so the site will continue to have a mix of electric and diesel buses for the foreseeable future.

A First Bus spokesperson said, "As part of our ongoing mission to decarbonise our UK operations, we are progressing planning applications to install electrical infrastructure at more of our sites to future-proof our business for the switch to a zero-emission fleet in the not too distant future. By installing the necessary infrastructure in Wells, it means it will be a seamless transition when we reach that point."

The company is confident in its ability to rapid charge buses now in 2-4 hours, depending on the model, with a range varying from 180-230 miles. This range is a full day's work on most routes, so no charging is required during operation.

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