Engineering firm wins two contracts to support First Bus’ transition to electric
NG Bailey has secured two new contracts as principal contractor to support First Bus’ transition to electric buses at depots in Minehead and Hengrove, Bristol.
The contracts will see NG Bailey providing the design and installation of new charging facilities, including the construction and civils works, and associated low voltage electrical infrastructure.
The first contract at the Hengrove depot in Bristol will see NG Bailey create capacity to charge the 74 new electric buses joining the city’s network, as First Bus looks to transition to carbon neutral transport solutions. The depot upgrades are part of a £37.4m investment by First Bus at the Hengrove depot and is supported by £6.6m of government funding through its Zero Emissions Bus Regional Areas 2 (ZEBRA2) scheme.
The second project, in Minehead, Somerset will see the business complete the installation of four new ultra-rapid chargers at the depot.
These new contracts are both scheduled to be completed by early 2025.
Alex Chilvers, EV Director at NG Bailey, said: “If the UK is to meet its ambitious decarbonisation goals, the adoption of electrical vehicles across the region’s public transport network is critical. We’re pleased to be working with First Bus, one of the country’s largest bus operators, to deliver the infrastructure they need to make this happen.
“We’re pleased on both projects to be working closely with local contractors and suppliers on these schemes, ensuring that these investments deliver not just for the local environment but also the local economy.”
Doug Claringbold, First West of England’s managing director, said: “This is a real ground-breaking moment for the West of England, as we see the first signs of a new electric, zero emission era for bus travel in our region.
“We’re proud as a company to be investing more than £50m into electrification projects across the West of England which also includes these projects as well as one in Weston-super-Mare. It marks our biggest investment this region for decades and supports First Bus’ commitment to have a zero-emissions fleet by 2035.”
