Home / Environment / Blackpool Electric Bus Dreams Delayed: £4m Funds Returned
Blackpool Electric Bus Dreams Delayed: £4m Funds Returned
13 Mar
Summary
- Electric bus project faces a four-year delay and returned funds.
- 115 buses reduced to 85, with £4m returned to the Department for Transport.
- Discussions regarding the remaining £16m funding are ongoing.
Plans to electrify Blackpool's bus fleet are facing considerable delays, with a four-year setback and a significant portion of allocated funds returned. Initially, Blackpool Council and Blackpool Transport Services secured £20m in 2022 to procure 115 electric buses. However, a complex procurement process has since reduced this number to 85, resulting in £4m being returned to the Department for Transport (DfT).
Discussions between the council and the DfT regarding the future of the remaining £16m are ongoing. The electric buses were intended to enhance public transport, improve air quality, and contribute to the council's goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The Rigby Road depot was designated for redevelopment to accommodate these new vehicles, with an £8m loan approved for the operator.
