The first in a new fleet of fully-electric double decker buses have been unveiled in Dublin this morning.
The Government has agreed to buy at least 120 electric buses from Northern Ireland firm Wright Bus at a cost of €80.4m
The order is part of a framework agreement which could see Ireland buying up to 800 ‘Streetdeck Electroliner Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs)' from the company in the next five years.
If the agreement is completed in full, it will be the single biggest bus procurement in the history of the State.
The new fully-electric buses that will take to the streets in Dublin and on the Bus Éireann network. Image: Emma Tyrrell/NewstalkWork on installing the necessary charging infrastructure will get underway later this year, with the first electric buses taking to the streets in 2023.
100 of the new buses will be used by Dublin Bus, with the remaining 20 destined for the Bus Éireann fleet in Limerick.
The NTA said future ordered may be used for public service buses in Cork, Galway and Waterford.
Environment
Speaking at the launch today, the Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said the new buses reduce air pollution and bring us closer to our climate goals.
“Public transport, because it is shared mobility, is already a far more sustainable and economical way of getting around,” he said. “Particularly compared to a private car that runs on fossil fuel”
“The battery-electric buses that we are now ordering will accelerate the transition to a zero-emission fleet.
“Going electric will reduce the carbon footprint of our public transport fleet and will help us reach our long-term climate goals, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan.
“These new electric buses will also help reduce air pollution, improve public health and improve access to public transport for people of all abilities.”
120 fully #electric double-deck #buses have been ordered by the NTA. Most will be in operation in Dublin by next year pic.twitter.com/tNWbLXLs2Q
— Emma Tyrrell (Ní Riain) (@EmmaNiRiain) June 13, 2022
Before officially hitting the streets, the buses will be wrapped in the standard green, white and yellow colours used on all PSO buses.
Facilities on-board include:
- Seating for up to 65 passengers
- A permanent wheelchair space
- A dedicated pram/pushchair/buggy area
- Prominent and distinctive priority seating
- High-definition real-time passenger information displays
- USB charging sockets
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
With reporting from Emma Tyrrell
