Southern Vectis will introduce 31 new electric buses to several Isle of Wight routes over the coming months, representing a significant upgrade to the Island’s public transport fleet.
The operator has placed the order with a manufacturer in Northern Ireland, Wrightbus, with deliveries set to arrive at a rate of eight buses per week.
Expanded order
With support from Government funding, the company initially ordered 22 vehicles, before increasing the total to 31.
The first 22 buses will begin arriving in February, with the remaining nine scheduled for delivery during the final two weeks of March.
Southern Vectis says receiving so many new buses in such a short timeframe is unusual for the operation.
Routes and charging considerations
The new electric buses will serve routes 1, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 37 across the Island.
Each vehicle can travel up to 200 miles on a full charge, though some Isle of Wight services cover closer to 250 miles daily.
The operator may need to plan additional charging stops to accommodate the longer routes, though they say existing timetables will remain in place for now.
Infrastructure ready
Southern Vectis has upgraded its Nelson Road depot with the infrastructure needed to charge the entire electric fleet.
The new vehicles will form a substantial portion of the Island network, which currently operates 48 buses in total.
The same type of electric bus already runs in Plymouth and other locations across the south of England.
Improved accessibility
Each new bus features two wheelchair bays, improving accessibility for disabled passengers.
The vehicles also include tip-up seats that passengers can use when the wheelchair spaces are not required.
Look out for the new buses in the coming weeks.
