Blackpool Navigates Funding for Electric Fleet
Blackpool's £20m electric bus project stalled four years later with £16m in limbo
Blackpool Electric Bus Fleet Faces Delays
Blackpool's plan to introduce 85 electric buses remains stalled four years after initial approval, with officials still negotiating how to use £16m in remaining federal funding. In 2022, Blackpool Council and Blackpool Transport Services received £20m from the Department for Transport's Zero Emission Bus Regional Area fund to purchase what was originally 115 electric buses. Following procurement complications, the fleet size dropped to 85 buses and £4m was returned to the Department for Transport, though officials haven't said when the remaining vehicles will arrive.
Context
The project was designed to help Blackpool reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 and improve air quality across the Fylde Coast. Officials originally described the fleet as "a shot in the arm for Blackpool's public transport system" when announcing the funding in 2022. The buses were meant to be introduced within five years of the initial award. Transit agencies across the UK have been transitioning to zero-emission fleets under government programs aimed at reducing transport sector emissions, though procurement and infrastructure challenges have delayed multiple projects nationwide.
Key Details
The council is still in discussions with the Department for Transport about how the remaining £16m funding would work, with those talks not yet complete. Each new bus was designed to be entirely tailpipe emissions-free, replacing diesel vehicles currently serving routes across the seaside town. Blackpool Transport Services' Rigby Road depot was earmarked for an £8m redevelopment to accommodate charging infrastructure and maintenance facilities for the electric vehicles. Officials haven't provided updated timelines for when the depot upgrades will begin or how long the funding negotiations might continue.
Timeline
Blackpool trialled its first electric bus two years ago when the project appeared to be moving forward. The buses were originally meant to be introduced within five years of the 2022 funding award, but officials haven't announced a revised timeline following the procurement delays and fleet reduction. The council hasn't said whether the remaining funding must be used by a specific deadline or if the Department for Transport has set conditions for retaining the £16m.
Rider Impact
The delays have led residents to question whether the remaining funding can be retained and what the project's current status means for local air quality goals. Once operational, the zero-emission buses would serve routes across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast, reducing tailpipe emissions on corridors currently served by diesel vehicles. Officials haven't specified which routes would receive the electric buses first or how the phased introduction would work. Riders can check Moovit for real-time updates on Blackpool Transport Services routes and service changes as the project develops.
