New electric bus link service removes emissions in Glasgow
ScotRail, in partnership with First Bus, has introduced new zero emissions vehicles to operate its Glasgow station bus link service.
The new electric buses, branded in ScotRail’s iconic blue livery with Saltire logo, began operating on Sunday, 1 October, and connect Glasgow’s three major transport hubs – Glasgow Central, Glasgow Queen Street, and Buchanan Bus station.
Replacing the existing vehicles with new electric buses will remove 50 thousand kilometres of diesel operation from Glasgow city centre.
Each year, tens of thousands of journeys are made on the bus link service, which plays a crucial role in making rail travel more accessible for customers making cross-Glasgow journeys.
ScotRail has already made impressive strides towards decarbonisation, achieving a 12 per cent reduction in emissions (CO2e) since 2019/20.
The introduction of electric vehicles on the Glasgow station bus link will further support these efforts and help towards achieving both Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council net-zero targets.
David Lister, ScotRail Safety, Engineering & Sustainability Director, said: “ScotRail is proud to lead the charge in providing greener and more sustainable transport options.
“Our partnership with First Bus to introduce new electric vehicles on our station bus link service represents a bold step toward cleaner air and a more sustainable transport network.
“As Scotland’s Railway continues to work on its wider decarbonisation plans, this initiative will make a significant impact on our journey towards net zero.”
Graeme Macfarlan, First Bus Scotland Commercial Director, said: “We are delighted to announce this new partnership with ScotRail on the station bus link service.
"Not only will customers be able to take advantage of an environmentally friendly way to travel between stations, but they will also benefit from greater levels of comfort and lower noise levels.
“First Bus is a leader in sustainable travel in Scotland with over 200 electric buses operating across Greater Glasgow.
"We are incredibly proud to continue increasing sustainable travel options, and I’m sure it will encourage even more people to leave their cars behind in favour of environmentally conscious travel that will help to reduce congestion and improve air quality.”
Notes to editors
Notes to editors
About First Bus
First Bus is one of the UK’s largest bus operators. Making journeys easier for our customers, we were the first national bus operator to accept contactless card payments across all of our services and our First Bus App is voted ‘best in class’ amongst UK bus operators. Our most recent investments are in new, state-of-the-art buses across our key networks.
We work proactively with our local authority partners, making a positive impact on air quality, tackling congestion and improving customer experience. We are focused on First Bus becoming a leader in the transition to a low-carbon future and are committed to operating a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035; we have pledged not to purchase any new diesel buses after December 2022. We also operate the Aircoach network in Ireland.
First Bus is a division of FirstGroup.
First Bus is an equal opportunity employer
First Bus is an excellent place to work with opportunities for a rewarding career.
We are committed to equality of opportunity, diversity and inclusion. We believe diverse experiences and attitudes help us better understand the needs of our customers.
For more information on First Bus: news-scot.firstbus.co.uk