Oxford's ambitious drive to achieve net zero by 2040 has been boosted with the official launch of new electric buses.
The fully electric double decker buses were unveiled by Oxford Brookes University's transport partners Oxford Bus Company, at an event at the Headington Campus.
The new all-electric buses, which are owned and run by Oxford Bus Company, will replace the existing fleet of diesel buses and will prevent up to an estimated 850 tonnes of CO2 emissions being released into Oxford per year.
On a full charge of power, they can travel up to 300 miles.
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The new BROOKESbus fleet is Oxford’s first ever electric bus service and consists of 21 buses, the largest electric fleet in the higher education sector.
The new buses are expected to be in service by the end of the year, and will benefit students and staff, the community as well as visitors to the city.
All of the energy used to charge the buses will be from renewable sources, and a full charge of a bus will take approximately three and a half hours.
As electric buses are much quieter than diesel buses, the new buses will emit an artificial sound while travelling at low speeds for the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.
Speaking at the event, Professor Alistair Fitt, vice-chancellor of Oxford Brookes, said: “The launch of these new, fully electric BROOKESbuses is an important step towards our ambition of delivering net zero by 2040, something we know is very important to our students, staff and wider community.
"We are also very proud that these new buses will be charged from renewable sources.
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“We know the impact of the cost of living on students’ lives. That is why I am particularly excited that this new cleaner bus service offers free journeys for the vast majority of our students.”
Managing director of Oxford Bus Company Luke Marion said: “It’s fantastic to see the first BROOKESbus branded electric vehicles arrive as part of our exciting journey towards delivering an all-electric fleet of city buses.
“Our investment in net zero vehicles and the associated infrastructure will further help improve air quality and make bus travel an even more sustainable option for Brookes students, staff, and the wider public to travel around Oxford.”
The new fleet of buses have been manufactured by Wrightbus, based in Northern Ireland.
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The BROOKESbus service has been operational in Oxford since 2009.
Between 2010 and 2022, an estimated 23.5 million people used the service to travel within the city.
This has saved an estimated 1.5 million car journeys each year, reducing carbon emissions by approximately 15 million kilograms.
Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport Management, said: "I'm proud and thrilled that the county council is backing its ambitions with political and financial capital, alongside our partners, to deliver a safer, cleaner, greener, better county for residents and visitors.
“The BROOKESbuses are the first vehicles in a fleet of 159 new battery electric buses to arrive in Oxfordshire, thanks to an £83.8m deal."
A number of staff redundancies have been announced by the university, affecting different departments including music and maths.
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