Following a multi-million pound upgrade at a bus depot in north Liverpool, the city region’s new 108-strong fleet of electric buses enters service this week. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool city region’s new 108-strong fleet of electric buses enter service this week following the multi-million pound upgrade of Gillmoss depot in north Liverpool.
Gillmoss has been upgraded in a project which saw the Combined Authority work with Scottish Power Energy Networks, electrical vehicle charging specialists VEV, bus operator Stagecoach and Liverpool City Council.
Mayor Steve Rotheram was at the depot to see the first buses being charged. The upgrade has equipped the depot with upgraded grid connections and intelligent charging bays which can fully charge a double-decker bus in as little as 90 minutes.
Gillmoss depot, operated by Stagecoach, is a key operational base for bus services in Liverpool and Knowsley and will now serve as the primary hub for the region’s growing zero-emission bus fleet.
This project has also involved investment into the depot’s engineering and maintenance functions, with local engineers being upskilled in the maintenance processes required for electric vehicles.
Built in the UK by manufacturers Alexander Dennis and Wrightbus, the vehicles can travel up to 275 miles on a single charge. They are equipped with features, including glazed staircases, improved accessibility, USB points, and real-time information screens.
Clad in the region’s new distinctive yellow, black, and grey Metro livery, the publicly owned buses join the £500m Merseyrail trains and the first new Mersey Ferry in more than 60 years.
Rollout of the buses is a key element of Mr Rotheram’s plans to bring the network back under local public control for the first time in more than 40 years. St Helens and Wirral will lead the transition in September 2026 with buses in Knowsley, Liverpool and Sefton set to be fully franchised by the end of 2027.
“When we take back control of services later this year, we’ll already have the foundations in place to deliver a network shaped around passengers – with plans in motion to provide a cleaner, more accessible and more reliable fleet that is fit for the future,” said the Mayor.
“But this transformation goes far beyond shiny new vehicles. We’re investing in the infrastructure to power this transition – from state-of-the-art electric charging facilities to investing in the green skills our workforce will need to maintain these fantastic new buses.
READ MORE: New Birkenhead Market to ‘move forward at pace’
READ MORE: Biffa set to secure £174m Wirral bins contract
“Over the next few months, passengers will start to see a complete transformation taking place across our public transport network.”
Funding for the zero-emission fleet and depot upgrades was secured via the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) and the Department for Transport’s Zero-Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA 2) fund.