First Glasgow has announced that it plans to invest millions in more ultra-low emission vehicles, with additional funding being granted from the Scottish Green Bus Fund.
The business plans to invest in another 75 new ultra-low emission vehicles for Glasgow in 2019, which includes £400k of investment from the Green Bus Fund and an additional £16.35million investment from First Bus. This follows on from more than £14million of investment in 2018, which highlights the city’s largest bus operator’s commitment to improving the quality of offering to its customers while at the same time playing its role in improving air quality in the city.
At an event hosted at Alexander Dennis Ltd’s bus factory in Falkirk earlier this month, Andrew Jarvis, Managing Director for First Scotland met with Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson to mark the latest award from the Scottish Green Bus Fund and to get a sneak peek at some of the new buses on the production line.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson said: “It is good news that First Bus continue to invest in a modern fleet, manufactured here in Scotland, in partnership with Alexander Dennis. It is encouraging that First Bus have been able to take advantage of funds provided through the Scottish Government Green Bus Fund and move to new buses which offer significant carbon savings over the existing fleet.
“These new vehicles will help improve air quality and support the low emission zone which will shortly commence in Glasgow. The buses offer significant improvements in amenities and facilities, which I’m confident will help attract new customers, as well as being enjoyed by regular passengers. This is a positive step in our ambition to develop a low carbon economy.
“Buses have an important role in being part of the solution to improving air quality in our towns and cities. I welcome this investment by First Bus, which supports this government’s sustainable transport ambitions, as well as being great news for the people of Glasgow and beyond.”
Andrew Jarvis, Managing Director for First Glasgow, adds: “We are committed to working with Glasgow City Council, Transport Scotland and the Cabinet Minister to improve the city’s bus services. The bus is very much part of the solution when it comes to reducing emissions on our already congested roads as one full low emission bus can take up to 75 cars off the road.
“By deploying our new Euro VI technology vehicles that offer more comfort and are eco-friendlier we are headed in the right direction, but I know that a lot more can be achieved with strong working partnerships as we look to make public transport a more attractive alternative to the car for more people.
“In addition to the 75 Glasgow vehicles, First Bus in Scotland will also be working with Scottish Power Energy Networks to introduce two electric vehicles to the city of Glasgow, as well as continuing to work with Aberdeen City Council on the next phase of Hydrogen bus deployment in Aberdeen.”
About FirstGroup
FirstGroup plc is a leading transport operator in the UK and North America and our services help to create strong, vibrant and sustainable local economies. During the last year, two billion people relied on us to get to work, to school, to visit family and friends and much more. Each day, every one of our 100,000 employees works hard to deliver vitally important services for our passengers.
For more information about FirstGroup please visit www.firstgroupplc.com
First Bus
First Bus is one of the largest bus operators in the UK, serving towns and cities across the country, with a fleet of over 6,000 buses carrying 1.6 million passenger a day. The business is:
- Focussed on improving the customer experience through investment in driver training, new technology and operations.
- Influencing customer behaviour through investment in the right digital channels, which includes smarter ticketing options and developing our apps, Web2mobile and CRM systems.
- Working in partnership with local authorities to combat road congestion.
- Committed to investing in vehicles with ultra-low emissions that assist with improving air quality.
For more information about First Bus please visit www.firstgroup.com
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