York to get 24 new electric buses for park-and-ride fleet
The first fully electric park-and-ride bus fleet in the country is set for the tourist hotspot of York, the city council has announced.
The authority has won a bid for £3.3m from the Department for Transport to help fund 24 new emission-free buses.
The new 18 double-deckers and six larger single-deckers will join the pre-existing 14-vehicle electric fleet.
When the buses arrive, about a third of bus journeys will be on low emission vehicles, York Council said.
There is no confirmed date for the new fleet to start.
It is hoped the double-deckers, which will have a 200kWh battery, will run all day on a single charge, the council said.
Almost seven million tourists spend more than £600m each year in York, according to Visit York's 2016 figures.
There are six park-and-ride sites around the city to help reduce traffic in the city centre.
Councillor Ian Gillies said it was "exceptional news" and "a step towards a full electric bus fleet for York".
The new buses will also help the city to meet air quality measures, the council added.