Labour unveils £4bn plan to electrify all buses by 2030 and bring 'services into the future'
2 min read
Labour is unveiling £4billion plans to electrify the country's entire bus fleet and bring “services into the future” as part of their Green Transformation Fund.
The move is part of the party’s wider plan to cut emissions provide free bus travel to under 25s, make fares affordable and give all councils the power and resources to regulate local services.
Its leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "The Westminster bubble doesn't care about buses but cuts to bus routes leave so many people isolated, stuck at home and unable to make vital trips out.
“Away from London, many people have approached me in this election to talk about their local bus route closing down.
"This policy will bring our bus services into the future and help to revitalise our high streets and rebuild local communities.
"We want people to be proud of their local bus service.”
Labour say England’s 35,000 buses will be made electric by 2030 if they get into Government.
Currently less than 700 of the country’s fleet are electric, most of which are in London.
They say the vehicles will save up to 72% of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions compared with standard diesel buses.
This will help tackle the air pollution crisis, which is responsible for 40,000 premature deaths in the UK each year, the party said.
Labour are pledging to invest £1.3billion per year for a ‘Bus Transformation Fund’ to “reverse £645miliion per year of real terms cuts to bus funding and to invest the same amount again”.
Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said: “The Tories' manifesto didn't pledge a penny to reverse a decade of cuts to local bus services.”
He added: "Labour is offering a once in a generation transformation of bus services by delivering the funding and powers to deliver a world class bus service in every corner of the country, that will connect people and communities to work and leisure."
In response the transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “Labour’s war on the motorist continues apace.
“Labour won’t be able to deliver a modern bus network because they would raid the roads budget and scrap vital new roads and upgrades to fund their fantasy giveaways.
“Corbyn’s Labour would bring gridlock to our roads and gridlock to parliament with their plans for another two chaotic referendums next year.”
PoliticsHome Newsletters
PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe
