All-electric minibuses, claimed to be the first of its kind in Glasgow, are being rolled out in the city.
Community Transport Glasgow, working in partnership with Glasgow City Council, will use the minibuses as social transport to support vulnerable, disadvantaged and elderly people to access appointments and community activities.
The community transport minibuses will be a first for Glasgow, as both 15-seater and seven-seater vehicles are fully electric and Orion E low floor accessible – which ensures the fleet provides transport solutions to assist vulnerable communities while helping to improve air quality in the city
The fives minibuses, funded by SP Energy Networks, will help Community Transport Glasgow to reduce carbon emissions by 33 tonnes.
Graham Dunn, Manager at Community Transport Glasgow said: “Community Transport Glasgow is delighted that it is able to move to an electric fleet that will reduce our CO2 emissions. This would not have been possible without full funding from SP Energy Networks’ Green Economy Fund.
“This will be transformational, not only in terms of the environment, but also for the social impact it will have as it assists with our long term financial sustainability to ensure we can continue to provide vital transport services to the vulnerable communities of Glasgow. Our ambition is to lead the way by being the first community transport organisation to operate with a fully electric fleet in Scotland.”
The Green Economy Fund supports Glasgow’s mission to become the UK’s first net zero emissions city by 2030 and the Scottish Government’s net zero target for 2045.
Frank Mitchell, CEO at SP Energy Networks, added: “SP Energy Networks is working closely with Glasgow City Council and a wide range of local partners to support the city’s net zero vision. Just two weeks ago, we unveiled Glasgow’s first commercial electric bus route – the M3 from Milton to the City Centre – and infrastructure that will allow First Bus to introduce 22 electric vehicles in the future.
“Decarbonising Glasgow requires everyone to think and act differently – we’re playing our part by supporting innovative solutions and providing a roadmap to net zero for Glasgow.”
