Following the successful introduction of Nottingham City Transport’s (NCT) first electric buses into service on 8th April 2024, the UK Bus Operator of the Year is today marking the one-year anniversary of its zero-emission fleet being rolled out across Nottingham.
Since entering service, NCT’s fleet of 48 electric buses have:
- Travelled 870,980 miles
- Prevented 1,263 tonnes of CO2e being emitted
- Carried over 3.8 million passengers
The buses have quickly become a highly praised part of Nottingham’s public transport offering. In NCT’s most recent customer survey, 97% of respondents rated electric journeys as comfortable, with 88% describing them as quiet and 97% finding the ride smooth. Additionally, 88% of respondents would like to see electric buses introduced on more NCT routes.
Electric buses are now operating across a wide range of routes in the city, including Navy 3, 48, Green 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, Pink 30, Blue 39, 40, 41, 42, Red 45, Sky Blue 61 and Yellow 70, 71. Each bus is built to NCT’s usual high specification, but also feature several improvements for customer comfort and accessibility. These include air conditioning for year-round comfort, repositioned visual next stop displays, extra legroom, a larger buggy bay, USB-C charging points, hearing loops, and a more accessible wheelchair space without tip-up seating. Full colour destination displays also improve visibility from a distance and in the dark.
NCT has ordered a total of 62 electric single-deck buses, with the final 14 currently in build and due to enter service by the end of the year. These additional buses will include upgrading Grey Lines 53 and 54 routes, serving Arnold, City Hospital, Ring Road, QMC, and Clifton — completing the full conversion of NCT’s single-deck fleet to electric in just 18 months.
David Astill, NCT’s Managing Director said, “On the first anniversary of our electric buses taking to the streets, they’ve contributed to significant reductions in emissions and helped improve air quality within Nottingham. The buses have proven very popular with our drivers, engineers and customers and we are on track to completing the full electrification of our single deck fleet by the end of the year, enabling more people to travel sustainably”.
The introduction of these further electric buses follows Nottingham City Transport’s ongoing efforts to play its part as Nottingham aspires to be carbon-neutral by 2028, while also improving air quality and reducing the city’s carbon footprint. The buses are part of NCT’s partnership with Nottingham City Council and the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) fund, which contributed £12.3 million to the £30 million total cost for the new buses and supporting infrastructure. The remaining £17.7m is investment by NCT.
The vehicles, manufactured by Yutong and finished to NCT’s specification by Yorkshire based Pelican Engineering, are supported by infrastructure provider Zenobe.
As Nottingham continues its journey toward becoming a carbon neutral city by 2028, the introduction and expansion of electric buses is helping reshape how residents travel — sustainably, comfortably, and with confidence in the future of public transport.
NCT’s website hosts an informative page full of facts, figures and FAQs about the electric bus project at www.nctx.co.uk/electricbus
Posted on 14 April 2025
