Brand new electric buses on display in Portsmouth with more to be rolled out

The News, Portsmouth

A total of 62 new vehicles will be operational in Portsmouth, Gosport, Havant and Fareham. They will be rolled out at the start of April.

Transcript

00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]

00:10 [BLANK_AUDIO]

00:20 [BLANK_AUDIO]

00:30 [BLANK_AUDIO]

00:40 [BLANK_AUDIO]

00:50 [BLANK_AUDIO]

01:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]

01:10 [BLANK_AUDIO]

01:20 [BLANK_AUDIO]

01:30 [BLANK_AUDIO]

01:40 [BLANK_AUDIO]

01:50 [BLANK_AUDIO]

02:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]

02:10 [BLANK_AUDIO]

02:20 [BLANK_AUDIO]

02:26 >> So Simon, you've introduced the two of the upgrading electric feats of

02:30 people of Portsmouth, give us your thoughts on it.

02:32 Why is the company invested this much in new electric vehicles?

02:36 >> Yeah, sure.

02:37 First of all, what a fantastic turnout here this morning in Portsmouth to help us

02:41 with this soft launch.

02:43 So we brought two vehicles out to Portsmouth today.

02:46 We've invested in electric right across the UK.

02:50 And we've made a very clear commitment that by 2035,

02:53 our plan is to have a zero emission fleet completely.

02:57 And in Portsmouth, we've invested in electric because there's a climate

03:02 challenge and a climate emergency.

03:04 And we see that it's our responsibility to do our bit to reduce emissions here

03:09 in Portsmouth.

03:10 And by introducing a zero emission fleet,

03:12 that's a great, great step in the right direction.

03:15 >> We're investing these new vehicles into the fleet.

03:17 Do you see more people choosing to use the bus?

03:20 >> Yeah, that's interesting.

03:21 Personally, I think so because I think personally,

03:24 nowadays people are much more conscious around the impact that their behaviors

03:27 and how they live their lives has on the environment.

03:30 And naturally, having the choice to use a vehicle that obviously produces

03:33 zero emission versus alternatives has to now be a factor in people's

03:37 decision making.

03:38 I'm absolutely convinced that it's going to see the ongoing growth in people

03:42 using the buses continue.

03:44 >> And this fleet will be operating not just in Portsea Island,

03:46 but it will be operating in Gosport and Fairham as well.

03:49 Was that a major thing that you guys wanted to consider to operate on the

03:52 whole route rather than just the island itself?

03:54 >> Yes, it was.

03:55 And as the technology developed and the range of the battery started to

03:58 increase as well, we felt that it was important that we utilize as much

04:02 of the network around the island as we possibly can.

04:06 So as you say, these vehicles will be serving Portsmouth,

04:08 but Fairham and Gosport too.

04:10 >> What other benefits will this new electric fleet bring to commuters?

04:15 >> They're a smooth ride.

04:16 There's no doubt about it.

04:17 The drivers love them.

04:18 All our drivers have been trained now.

04:20 And the feedback we've had where we've launched this exact same vehicle

04:23 elsewhere in the UK is it's such a smooth, quiet, comfortable ride.

04:27 And I'm sure that our passengers will notice a difference straightaway.

04:31 >> The company's invested a lot in Portsmouth itself.

04:34 Why was that focus here in this city?

04:36 Why not somewhere else?

04:38 >> Portsmouth is a really buoyant market for us,

04:41 one of the most buoyant that we have across the UK.

04:44 And it's testament to what we've achieved through partnership working

04:47 with Portsmouth City Council and Hampshire County Council as well.

04:51 There's been a £48 million bus service improvement plan that's been

04:55 delivered here in Portsmouth.

04:56 So we're improving the speed of journeys.

05:00 We are reducing the cost of travelling by bus.

05:04 And it's just a great place to be in Portsmouth at the moment in terms of

05:07 public transport and bus use.

05:09 >> Do you think this new electric fleet will also improve the efficiency of routes?

05:13 >> Yes, I think it will.

05:15 And coupled with some advancements in technology,

05:18 so we've got some fantastic data, and absolutely we see that these will

05:22 help speed up journeys, make journeys more efficient.

05:26 But at the same time, it's still really key that we engage with the

05:29 customer and shape that network around the ever-evolving demands that we

05:34 have in our operating area.

05:36 >> Bus usage dropped off a tiny bit due to the pandemic and some of the

05:40 social distancing measures that we all had to abide by at the time.

05:43 Has the company seen bus usage in Portsmouth and the surrounding area

05:47 increase to a certain extent?

05:49 And do you see that increase going further with this new fleet?

05:52 >> Yeah, as I say, Portsmouth has been one of our most buoyant markets.

05:55 And even post-pandemic, we've seen routes recover to pre-COVID rates.

06:00 And we no longer really use the pre-COVID as a kind of comparison now.

06:04 We are in the luxury of having this growth market here in Portsmouth.

06:09 More and more people are taking the bus.

06:11 And as I say, we're doing everything we can to further enhance that growth.

06:15 >> And finally, when is the new electric fleet going to be in and operating

06:19 in Portsmouth, and how many vehicles are being added?

06:22 >> Sure, we've got 62 vehicles coming into the fleet, which is hugely exciting.

06:26 We're just in the moment going through the infrastructure installations,

06:29 which will basically allow us to charge all the vehicles,

06:32 which you can imagine is quite a feat.

06:34 But we are on track with that target, and so we're hoping to start to roll

06:38 these vehicles out in service towards the end of the month and into April.

06:43 As soon as the power's on, we'll start to transform the way we operate our buses in Solent.

06:48 >> So Gerald, we're seeing two of the new electric buses that are going to be part of the new fleet.

06:53 What do you think of them?

06:54 >> Oh, they're really good. It's been great to go on a ride around the city in them.

06:58 They're really quiet, and the most important thing is they don't chuck out fumes,

07:02 so really help with reducing air pollution.

07:05 >> What other benefits will these buses bring to people in Portsmouth?

07:08 >> Oh, they're new, they're modern, they've got Wi-Fi on them, they're comfortable.

07:12 So it's just another way of encouraging more people to take the bus in Portsmouth.

07:17 And so that people choose to leave the car at home.

07:20 >> It's been a collaborative effort with the investment, hasn't it?

07:23 Millions of pounds being put into this.

07:24 Why is the council prioritising public transport in this way?

07:27 >> Because we're a city where there are now 17,000 more cars than there were 10 years ago.

07:34 And we have to find ways of having a real alternative for people driving a car.

07:39 So lots of people don't have cars, but people who do, we want to encourage them to leave the car at home,

07:45 use public transport, or walk, or cycle.

07:48 So it's just an alternative, and it's good for the economy of the city,

07:53 it's good for the environment of the city, and it's good for the residents of the city.

07:57 >> What routes are going to be added for the electric buses? Which routes are they going to appear on?

08:01 >> So it's the 1 and 3 within Portsmouth, the 6 and 7 outside of the city,

08:05 because we're part of a wider area.

08:08 It is Gosforth, Bearham, Paddon and Portsmouth all together.

08:12 And that's the right thing, because we're all one travel to work area, and it's good that we all work together.

08:18 >> The local authorities have invested a lot in public transport,

08:21 so there are other local authorities across the country even cutting bus services.

08:24 Why are Portsmouth continuing to invest in them?

08:26 >> Well, we're making bus services way better here in Portsmouth.

08:30 We've got night buses for the first time for years and years.

08:33 We've got buses running later in the evenings, earlier in the mornings, and at weekends as well.

08:40 So we're investing, trying to make sure that there's a really good alternative to going by car.

08:47 And it's really important for the city.

08:49 >> Do you see a major uptick in bus usage?

08:52 >> Yes, we're seeing every month more and more people using the bus, which is really good.

08:57 >> Why do you think that uptick is increasing? Is it just the better buses themselves, or is it a cost-living thing?

09:02 >> I think there's a whole range of reasons.

09:04 We need to say thank you to the government. The £2 fare helps.

09:08 But I think people who were frightened about being on the bus during the pandemic are now coming back to using it more and more.

09:15 >> And do you see those numbers continue to increase with the new fleet coming?

09:19 >> Yes, I'm sure they will, because it's a new and attractive way of travelling around the city.

09:23 And with the new terminal where the new centre used to be, that will be a great addition as well to the city.

09:31 >> New electric vehicles are going to be put in place in Portsmouth and the surrounding area as First Bus continues their investment.

09:38 A £12.7 million project was put together with the company and the local authority to try and encourage more people to use the bus.

09:46 Bus usage dropped off during the pandemic, but has seen a gradual recovery since.

09:50 We'll see if this continues with this new fleet coming up.

09:53 Freddie Webb, Portsmouth News, Gilderall Square.

Category

Transcript

Recommended