A £82.5 million project will deliver 159 battery buses onto the streets of Oxford – the first of which have already gone into service, Go-Ahead states.

Go-Ahead had just been celebrating 10 years of electric bus operation in London: the company operates 520 zero emission buses on behalf of TfL and expects to increase this number to 1,000 by the end of 2026 – account for almost half the company’s fleet. According to plans, Go-Ahead’s entire fleet of 5,000 UK buses will be converted to zero emission vehicles by 2035. It’s just one of the pillars of the company’s strategy to reach carbon neutrality by 2045.

At the moment the company is investigating investigating causes of a e-bus fire in Wimbledon, London. The fleet has been removed from service “as a precaution”.

A partnership behind future Oxford electric bus fleet

It has been funded via a collaboration between Oxfordshire County Council, Go-Ahead’s Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach. The Council was awarded £32.8M from the Government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme and contributed £6M directly, while bus operators invested £43.7M.

Oxford Bus Company (belonging to Go-Ahead) will deliver 104 electric buses into service and Stagecoach 55. In preparation for launch, Oxford Bus Company has electrified its Cowley House depot, turning it into one of the biggest electric bus charging stations in Britain – with each charging point providing enough electricity for buses to drive up to 200 miles per day.

Matt Carney, CEO of The Go-Ahead Group’s bus division, said: “Go-Ahead is proud to be the largest operator of zero emission buses in Britain. Electric buses make an enormous difference to air quality in cities and by decarbonising our fleet in towns and cities across the country, we aim to make a positive contribution to the fight against climate change. These new buses in Oxford will form Go-Ahead’s biggest fleet of zero emission buses outside London. The project is an example of bus operators working closely with local authorities to deliver for communities”.

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director, said: “This is a historic moment in our journey towards transforming our city services to electric. Our first tranche of electric buses is now in service, and are already starting to improve air quality and make bus travel an even more attractive option for people to travel around Oxford. Decarbonising buses is an exciting project – and we have demonstrated that with the right strategic partnership working between the public and private sector, we can unlock investment to make it happen. We look forward to working with Oxfordshire County Council on important initiatives going forward to encourage people to travel by bus.”

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Go-Ahead London is currently conducting an urgent investigation into a fire incident that occurred on one of its electric buses on 11th January 2024, trade media Bus and Coach Buyer reports.

The fire caused damage to a portion of a double-decker electric bus. “The double-decker, identified as an Optare Metrodecker, caught fire at around 7.20am on Wimbledon Hill Road in Wimbledon. The bus was in service on Route 200 travelling towards Raynes Park”, Bus and Coach Buyer says.

Go-Ahead had just been celebrating 10 years of electric bus operation in London: the company operates 520 zero emission buses on behalf of TfL and expects to increase this number to 1,000 by the end of 2026 – account for almost half the company’s fleet. According to plans, Go-Ahead’s entire fleet of 5,000 UK buses will be converted to zero emission vehicles by 2035. It’s just one of the pillars of the company’s strategy to reach carbon neutrality by 2045.

Go-Ahead fire from an electric bus: no injuries

The London Fire Brigade dispatched three fire engines and approximately 15 firefighters to contain and extinguish the blaze. As a precautionary measure, a 25-meter cordon was established, and road closures were enforced. Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries resulting from the incident as passengers were evacuated in time.

An ongoing investigation by the London Fire Brigade is seeking to determine the cause of the fire. Go-Ahead London said it is actively collaborating with relevant authorities to gather facts and insights into the incident. The Transport for London (TfL) is also engaged in the investigation, working closely with both the operator and the bus manufacturer, Switch Mobility, to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the fire. Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.

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Go-Ahead London operates 520 zero emission buses on behalf of TfL and expects to increase this number to 1,000 by the end of 2026 – account for almost half the company’s fleet. According to plans, Go-Ahead’s entire fleet of 5,000 UK buses will be converted to zero emission vehicles by 2035. It’s just one of the pillars of the company’s strategy to reach carbon neutrality by 2045.

Go-Ahead London hosted a celebration at its Camberwell depot to mark the 10th anniversary of the operation of London’s first modern day emission-free bus, which was trialled on December 18th 2013.

London’s red buses are iconic and are some of the greenest in the world, with the lower CO2 emissions per passenger kilometres compared to other global cities like New York, Paris and Vancouver. With more than 1,300 zero emission buses on our roads, our programme of decarbonising the fleet is playing a crucial role in the journey to net-zero. Zero emission buses help Londoners breathe cleaner air and reduce the impact of road transport on our environment.

Tom Cunnington, TfL’s Head of Buses Business Development

Go-Ahead operates over 500 e-buses in London today

Across the UK as a whole, The Go-Ahead Group operates 670 zero emission buses and is shortly to deploy an additional 106 electric vehicles in Oxford, part funded by the Government’s ZEBRA scheme.

In 2022, a Zero Emission Centre for Excellence was opened in London by Go-Ahead to develop ways of optimising operation of zero emission buses – including maximising energy efficiency, standardising maintenance, bringing down the cost of charging infrastructure and extending the lifespan of batteries. The Centre found that 55% of customers would be more likely to travel by bus if they knew that a zero emission bus was available.

Go-Ahead, 10 years of e-buses and a look to the future

As part of the event, pictures were displayed of the ‘clean bus of the future’ drawn by pupils from local schools and guests were served with a zero emission bus themed birthday cake.

David Cutts, Managing Director, Go-Ahead London, said: “It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since our first electric bus hit the road. The technology has developed at a rapid pace and electric buses are rapidly become the norm, rather than the exception, on London’s streets. We’re proud to work in partnership with Transport for London to deliver cleaner air and quieter journeys for Londoners. The Go-Ahead Group as a whole has been able to take experience from London and apply it to the roll-out of zero emission buses across the UK.”

Tom Cunnington, TfL’s Head of Buses Business Development said: “London’s red buses are iconic and are some of the greenest in the world, with the lower CO2 emissions per passenger kilometres compared to other global cities like New York, Paris and Vancouver. With more than 1,300 zero emission buses on our roads, our programme of decarbonising the fleet is playing a crucial role in the journey to net-zero. Zero emission buses help Londoners breathe cleaner air and reduce the impact of road transport on our environment. We’re really proud to be celebrating this milestone with Go-Ahead London who are marking 10 years of their emission-free electric bus services on our roads. We are working closely with capital’s bus operators to convert the whole fleet and remain on track to be a fully zero-emission fleet by 2034, which could be accelerated to 2030 with further Government funding.”

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They will take the total number of BYD–Alexander Dennis electric buses in the Go-Ahead London fleet to 577, confirming the company as the largest operator of the partnership’s clean buses. More than two thirds of all zero-emission buses currently in service or on order for Transport for London routes have been supplied by the BYD–Alexander Dennis partnership, the manufacturers say.

Go-Ahead orders other BYD – Alexander Dennis e-buses

This new order follows Go-Ahead London’s success in winning contracts for bus routes tendered by Transport for London. TfL’s vision is to accelerate the delivery of an entirely zero-emission bus fleet by 2030, a target that requires continued Government investment.

In total, 169 BYD–Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV double deckers and 130 BYD–Alexander Dennis Enviro200EV single deckers are expected to be supplied by the end of 2023, with deliveries already under way, manufacturer highlights. All the double deckers will be 10.8m long, while the single deckers will be built to three different lengths of 9.6m, 10.2m and 10.9m to suit different route profiles and passenger volumes.

Go-Ahead London Engineering Director, Richard Harrington, said: “As the capital’s largest, and most experienced electric bus company, we are in the process of introducing around 300 zero-emission vehicles this year. This pace of innovation would not be possible without dependable industry partners like BYD and Alexander Dennis, who are building these new buses to our exacting specification. This now includes an eye-catching new interior with high-backed seats and additional amenities, which is proving very popular with the travelling public.”

BYD UK Managing Director, Frank Thorpe, said: “We are very pleased to support Go-Ahead London once again with another significant electric bus order, as it continues to expand its zero-emission fleets. It underlines how effectively BYD–Alexander Dennis buses are providing an efficient and reliable solution for operators seeking to introduce more eco-friendly bus services. BYD is dedicated to developing innovative and effective EV technology for a more sustainable future and to see how operators, such as Go-Ahead, are embracing ‘electric’ is making the ‘green dream’ come alive.”

Alexander Dennis President & Managing Director, Paul Davies, said: “We’re delighted that the largest single operator of electric buses in the UK has again chosen the BYD–Alexander Dennis partnership. This takes the number of our zero-emission buses in the Go-Ahead London fleet to well over 500, representing a stunning vote of confidence in these reliable, cost-effective buses. We look forward to continuing to develop our relationship with Go-Ahead London and supporting the further electrification of its fleet.”

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Go-Ahead London division will operate the service from November 2024. Existing buses will replaced with a zero emission fleet on the network, which runs in the Dartford, Bluewater, Ebbsfleet and Gravesham area.

Fastrack BRT system in Kent, with zero-emission buses

Go-Ahead states in its press note that it “is in talks to deploy a fleet of 28 brand new Irizar ie tram on the network, powered by inverted electric pantograph technology. The distinctive, eye-catching vehicles feature leather seats, USB chargers, Wifi, braille buttons, luggage racks and real-time passenger information”.

Similar vehicles are already in operation on Go-Ahead London routes in south-east London: Irizar e-mobility and the operator have indeed signed a contract to supply 20 buses and related charging infrastructure to electrify route 358 in south London, the first ultra-fast opportunity charging route in the capital. Chargers are to be provided by Jema Energy (Irizar Group).

The contract will add 100 colleagues to The Go-Ahead Group, which states “has made it a priority to expand in the UK bus and passenger transport market under its Next Billion Journeys strategy. Go-Ahead intends to use its award-winning transport apprenticeship scheme to recruit for Fastrack”.

Fastrack BRT, a blueprint for the future of bus travel

Christian Schreyer, Chief Executive, The Go-Ahead Group, said: “Kent’s Fastrack network is a fantastic blueprint for the future of bus travel, on dedicated busways away from traffic congestion. Go-Ahead will make this a zero-emission service and will deploy comfortable, modern, state-of-the-art ieTrams to enhance passengers’ journeys.”

Shane Hymers, Fastrack Development Manager at Kent County Council said: “Fastrack is the jewel in the crown of Kent’s bus network and our intention with this new contract was always to achieve the best possible outcome for our users, securing the highest quality service proposed to us. Another key agenda was to transform Fastrack into a zero-emission operation, improving out footprint in Kent Thameside. Following KCC’s successful bid for DfT ZEBRA funding, we’ve been able to make this a reality. We’re delighted to embark on this 15-year partnership with Go-Ahead and I can’t wait to see the next generation of Fastrack come to fruition in 2024.”

Cllr David Brazier, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at Kent County Council said: “Our flagship Fastrack Bus Rapid Transit service is a singular tool designed to enable continued economic development and sustainable regeneration in Kent, crucially helping to prevent unacceptable traffic congestion in and around the key traffic interchange, The Dartford Crossing. Fastrack’s new zero-emission fleet will further improve air quality and visibly set the trend for local communities and other industries. Through the National Bus Strategy, Kent County Council is working even closer with our bus operators, and it is only through these strong partnerships that we can achieve the bold ambitions that we have set for ourselves. We look forward to welcoming Go-Ahead to Kent.”

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The deal is Go-Ahead’s biggest electric bus order to date, adding to the group’s 350-strong fleet of plug-in buses across Britain, and is a further step towards a goal of a zero-emission fleet nationwide by 2035.

Oxford Bus Company orders Wrightbus electric buses

The mobilisation of these buses will see Oxford Bus Company become the second largest bus operator of zero emission buses within the Go-Ahead Group, behind Go Ahead London. Once on the road in late 2023, it will bring the total number of zero emission buses within the Go-Ahead Group to 456.

The order from Oxford Bus Company will comprise 5 single and 99 double-decker buses, to be manufactured in Northern Ireland by Wrightbus, and all vehicles will be fitted with free customer WiFi, at-seat USB chargers and audio-visual next stop announcement systems as standard.

8 of the double-decker buses will be open-topped, to support the company’s popular City Sightseeing tour route, and once all buses are in service all local bus routes wholly within the Oxford urban area will be converted to zero-emission operation.

ZEBRA fundings for zero emission buses

Go-Ahead is investing more than £30 million in the buses, alongside funding from Oxfordshire County Council and from the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme. This is part of a total package of £82.5 million of funding for 159 buses for operators in Oxford, which will become one of Britain’s leading electric bus cities.

Luke Marion, Managing Director of the Oxford Bus Company, said: “This is a fantastic day for bus passengers in Oxford. We’re proud to be ordering a fleet of state-of-the-art, UK-made electric buses which will be cleaner and healthier for local residents, and offer a quieter, more comfortable ride for customers.”

Ben Werth, Chief Commercial Officer at Wrightbus, said: “We are, through this significant order, delighted to be working with Go-Ahead to further demonstrate their commitment to offering zero-emission public transport. It has been a real team effort between Wrightbus and the Oxford Bus Company to deliver this exciting project. All of the buses will be manufactured and assembled at our Ballymena factory, which means support for jobs in Northern Ireland, and wider across the UK through our domestic supply chain.”

Christian Schreyer, Group Chief Executive, The Go-Ahead Group, said: “This is a step towards our goal of a zero-emission bus fleet nationwide by 2035. It’s important to remember that decarbonising vehicles is only part of the challenge – we also need to encourage more people out of their cars and onto public transport. It’s great to see Oxford taking progressive measures to prioritise buses over private cars.”

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The Go-Ahead Group operates more than 6,000 buses across the UK, and has committed to an entirely zero emission UK fleet by 2035. The company is the largest operator of buses in London.

Go-Ahead research: people more likely to travel on electric buses

Research by ComRes for Go-Ahead’s Zero Emission Centre of Excellence has found that only 26% of the public view bus travel as a ‘green’ form of transport – on a par with rail travel, but well below the number who view cycling or walking as ‘green’. However, if they are specifically told that a bus they are catching is powered by an electric or hydrogen fuel cell battery, the proportion who view it as a green form of transport rockets to 81%.

What is interesting, 55% of respondents said that they would be more likely to travel by bus if they knew that a zero emission bus was available. For those aged under 35, the figure was 66%. This raises the prospect of a significant increase in bus travel as the UK’s 30,000-strong bus fleet transitions from diesel fuel to electric or hydrogen power.

Asked what would encourage them to travel by bus more often, 56% chose cheaper tickets, 41% increased frequency, 34% cleaner buses, 34% speedier journeys, 30% zero emission buses, 23% clearer bus information and 20% improved security

The poll of 1,000 respondents was carried out by ComRes over the weekend of December 3^rd to 4^th.

Go-Ahead: zero emission buses are a game changer

Louis Rambaud, Go-Ahead’s Director of Strategy and Transformation, said: “It is surprising that so few people view buses as green, given that they account for just 2% of greenhouse gas emissions from transport, compared to 52% from cars. Public transport is a fundamentally sustainable way to get around. Nevertheless, these findings show that zero emission buses are a game changer. If we can demonstrate to the public that buses are green, we can persuade millions of people to leave their cars at home in favour of public transport. And this reinforces the value of public sector support for investment in zero emission buses – including the Government’s ZEBRA funding scheme for electric and hydrogen buses.”

Richard Harrington, Engineering Director at Go-Ahead London and head of the group’s Zero Emission Centre of Excellence, said: “Go-Ahead is already the UK’s largest operator of electric buses and we’re determined to deliver a zero emission fleet by 2035. Our new centre of excellence will develop solutions to the challenges such as equipping depots, buying buses, managing battery life and training drivers. We will also be looking at ways to open up our depots to third parties who may wish to use our charging points for their own vehicles.”

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Go-North East’s zero-emission buses will help to improve air quality in the region as it backs the Government’s ‘net zero’ commitment. The new buses will be serving the Q3 route which runs from Great Park to Wallsend via Newcastle City. Go-Ahead’s investment reflects the company’s commitment to a ‘net zero’ bus fleet by 2035 (with goal of becoming a carbon-neutral company by 2045).

Voltra e-buses for Go-Ahead

The Voltra buses boast a range of onboard features to deliver a bus of the future experience, including air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, wireless and USB charging phone holders and ‘tap-on tap-off’ contactless is available for passengers to pay for their travel through Google Pay or Apple Pay. The Voltra buses will be charged overnight at the state-of-the-art Riverside depot in Gateshead.

Go North East, Managing Director, Nigel Featham said: “Our Voltra buses run on electricity sourced with green credentials, but Voltra is far more than just an electric bus fleet.  We’ve looked at every detail, working with Pelican Yutong and other suppliers, to maximise the use of technology and innovation. We’re providing high standards in bus travel including customer comfort, information, and ticketing.

“We hope that by adding to our zero-emission bus fleet, we can help flip the switch on people’s behaviour and see more people across our region leave the car behind to help reduce congestion on our roads and improve air quality for us all.”

Transport Minister Baroness Vere said: “Buses are at the heart of our public transport network which is why we are determined to drive down bus emissions even further, providing an extra £200 million for zero-emission buses. Our Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme has given operators such as Go-Ahead the opportunity to provide greener connections, reduce congestion and improve air quality across the country and it’s brilliant to see even more hit the road.”

Christian Schreyer, Go-Ahead Group CEO said: “The importance of sustainable travel is growing, reflecting trends in climate change, digitalisation, urbanisation, and demographics. There are increasing funding opportunities for bus lanes, traffic management and improvements to bus stops, helping to reduce journey times and improve the reliability of services. Go-Ahead see opportunities to grow by encouraging people to leave their cars at home and improving our services to make bus travel more attractive for our customers. We’ve set ambitious, but deliverable, targets in our ‘Next Billion Journey’s business strategy, and there is an exciting future for Go-Ahead.”

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After a successful proof of concept (PoC) trial in 2021, Go-Ahead Ireland decided to extend Stratio’s service to its entire fleet, Stratio announces in a press note. The strong results of the trial indicate that Stratio’s technology will aim to reduce GAI’s vehicle breakdowns by over 57% in the next three years.

Go-Ahead Ireland goes with Stratio

Stratio will enable Go-Ahead Ireland to turn its vehicle data into intelligence to inform and optimize maintenance operations. Its AI platform remotely collects and analyses crucial indicators of vehicle condition, turning them into real-time actionable insights that allow GAI to predict breakdowns.

With Stratio, Go-Ahead Ireland is set to be able to reduce the frequency of preventive checks and plan the wear rate of components dynamically, rather than relying on more approximative mileage-based estimates, ultimately saving time and resources. 

Stratio predictive maintenance platform for Go-Ahead Ireland

The Stratio platform integrates predictive maintenance and advanced remote diagnostics with Go-Ahead Ireland’s current fleet management system by automating faults raised, further streamlining operations, and taking the company closer to a fully predictive maintenance regime. The automated, intuitive reporting function allows GAI to monitor key metrics and easily show vehicle faults before the driver receives any dashboard warning.

“Stratio’s technology gives our engineers the upper hand. The large-scale data processing offers actionable, real-time intelligence that prevents vehicle failure and passengers being impacted”, said Chris Stringer, Engineering Director at GAI. “We are excited to implement Stratio across our entire fleet. The platform’s capabilities fit into our zero-breakdown strategy to further improve our customer experience, and supporting our desire to move from preventive to predictive maintenance on the National Transport Authorities assets”, Stringer added. 

“By implementing a predictive maintenance model, GAI is embracing the future of transportation”, said Ricardo Margalho, CEO and co-founder of Stratio. “Their commitment to delivering the safest, most reliable service to passengers is reflected by their pragmatic approach to innovation. They are determined to stay ahead of the curve, and we are delighted to be supporting them in achieving their operational goals”.

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They’ll be on service on the Fastway routes in the Crawley, Redhill and Gatwick Airport area. The single-decker GB Kite Hydroliner buses will be delivered in June 2022 and will be the first hydrogen powered vehicles in Go-Ahead’s fleet of more than 6,000 buses. The model has been released this year.

The single-decker fuel cell buses are part funded with money from UK Government and European Union zero-emission bus schemes.

Further 34 fuel cell buses to be in operation

Brighton & Hove and Metrobus is pursuing a second tranche of a further 34 buses to operate on other services in the Fastway bus rapid transit network – a network of guided busways and dedicated bus lanes designed to speed buses past congestion hotspots – and on the majority of services which are operated by Metrobus in Surrey. If completed, this has the potential to be one of Europe’s biggest local fleet of hydrogen buses to date.

David Brown, Chief Executive of The Go-Ahead Group, said: “This is a significant milestone for Go-Ahead as we work towards our goal of a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035. These buses will be clean, green and will provide a comfortable journey for passengers. New technology is only one piece of the puzzle though in addressing climate change – we also need to encourage a large-scale change in behaviour by persuading people to switch from cars to walking, cycling and public transport.” 

Go-Ahead buys hydrogen buses

Jo Bamford, Executive Chairman of Wrightbus, said: “Greenhouse gases released from transportation currently account for a third of the UK’s total carbon emissions, which is a sobering statistic and one that we are seeking to change at Wrightbus thanks to our world-leading zero emission vehicles. To date, our world-leading double decker Hydroliners have prevented one million kg of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. The introduction of the new GB Kite Hydroliner single decker will help to prevent even more carbon from being released. It’s fantastic to see Brighton & Hove and Metrobus taking this vital and progressive step to decarbonise public transport to help the UK hit its ambitious net zero targets.”

Martin Harris, Managing Director, Brighton & Hove and Metrobus, said: “We run services 24 hours a day, with hilly terrain, heavy passenger loads and duty cycles well in excess of the national average at up to 370 miles per day. Those provide really challenging conditions for any technology but we concluded that hydrogen provides the most efficient replacement for our diesel buses. To kick start the behaviour change we need to see in people’s travel habits, we need highway infrastructure that matches the ambition we have for zero emission buses, enabling bus journey times to become significantly quicker and more attractive to motorists.” 

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