Go-Ahead launches new Voltra electric buses in the North East
Go-Ahead has added nine Voltra electric buses to expand its electric bus fleet in the North East region. The new Yutong electric buses are the result of a £2million investment with support from the government’s Ultra-Low Emission Bus Fund.
The new buses will be serving the Q3 route which runs from Great Park to Wallsend via Newcastle City. Go-Ahead says it remains committed to a ‘net zero’ bus fleet by 2035.
The Voltra buses will be charged overnight at the state-of-the-art Riverside depot in Gateshead.
Go North East managing director Nigel Featham says: “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.”
Christian Schreyer, Go-Ahead Group CEO, adds: “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.”