MAYOR of Derry City and Strabane District Council Alderman Graham Warke has welcomed the announcement by the Department for Infrastructure that £30m funding is being made available for 38 new zero emission battery electric buses for the Foyle Metro service across the city.
The announcement was made by DfI Minister Nicoal Mallon during a virtual address at the COP26 Conference in Glasgow on Wednesday.
The new fleet will include 28 single decker and ten double decker buses.
The Minister said the city will become one of the first cities in the UK and Ireland to have a fully zero emission bus fleet when all the vehicles go into passenger service in 2023.
Welcoming the announcement, Mayor Warke said the investment was excellent news for the city and marked a significant investment in public transport.
He said: “This is fantastic news for the city and for all public transport users.
“By replacing the current Foyle Metro fleet with new zero emission battery electric buses the Department and Translink are providing cleaner and greener transport facilities for our city and helping make a positive impact on our air quality and our ongoing commitment to protecting our local environment.
“I strongly believe that low emission public transport in our city will make it more accessible to local communities.
“The announcement today of this investment is in line with Council’s ongoing commitment to Climate action and the work we are doing to ensure the protection of our environment is included in all our strategies and plans going forward.
“Sustainable transport is also a key element of our Strategic Growth Plan and a key objective of our ambitious City Deal plans.
“So this announcement is very timely,” added the Mayor.
Tags: