Charging ahead: Delivering zero emission buses in Nottingham

Building the business case

ITP supported Nottingham City Council in preparing the successful business case for the Department for Transport’s first round of Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) funding, submitted in January 2022. The funding secured £12.3m towards the £30m required to introduce electric single‑deck vehicles. The operator Nottingham City Transport (NCT) invested the remaining funding.

Delivering the fleet

With the funding in place, NCT has now introduced all 62 electric single deck buses, completing the transition to a fully zero emission single deck fleet. A further 30 electric double deck buses, supported through a combination of East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) and local authority funding streams, are planned to enter service by the end of the 2025/26 financial year, making significant contributions to NCT’s ambition to become the UK’s first carbon neutral bus operator.

The scheme is already demonstrating substantial environmental benefits. Based on operational mileage and energy consumption to date, the electric fleet has saved an estimated 581 tonnes of CO₂e when compared with Euro VI diesel vehicles. When the full fleet transition is complete, annual emissions savings are expected to reach approximately 3,800 tonnes of CO₂e, alongside notable reductions in NOx and particulate matter.

Passenger feedback and satisfaction surveys indicate that the introduction of electric buses has improved the customer experience, with smoother, quieter journeys and strong support for further electrification. Operationally, the project has also enabled reduced maintenance needs, lower running costs, staff upskilling, and knowledge sharing through local and national transport networks.