A £9.1 million scheme to introduce 17 additional electric double-decker buses on Nottingham City Transport routes 28 and 60 has been recommended for approval by the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA).
The proposal would fund the second phase of electrification at Nottingham City Transport’s Parliament Street depot, replacing older diesel buses with electric vehicles and installing additional charging infrastructure.
An assurance report prepared for EMCCA sets out a total project cost of £9,088,483, including a requested contribution of £3,096,894 from the combined authority’s Transport Investment Programme.
Nottingham City Transport would fund the remaining £5,991,589, representing approximately two-thirds of the overall cost.
The scheme received the endorsement of EMCCA’s Investment Panel on 13 October 2026, with approval recommended subject to a series of conditions. However, the assurance report does not establish that final funding approval has been granted.
The investment would provide 17 electric double-decker buses and 12 charging points, alongside new traffic signals intended to manage vehicle movements associated with the depot.
The additional buses would operate on the Pink 28 and Sky Blue 60 services, serving journeys between Nottingham city centre and areas including Beechdale, Bilborough, Mapperley and Chase Farm in Gedling.
The routes use corridors including Ilkeston Road, Woodborough Road and Shelford Road, with the scheme intended to reduce emissions within Nottingham’s designated Air Quality Management Area.
The proposals also identify a link to the planned Ilkeston Road bus lane and the provision of public transport for the Chase Farm housing development.
The project follows an earlier phase of depot electrification, supported by EMCCA funding, which introduced 19 electric double-decker buses.
If the second phase proceeds as proposed, the two phases would account for 36 electric double-decker buses.
The business case allocates £8,228,000 to purchasing the 17 new vehicles and £860,483 to installing charging infrastructure.
The combined authority’s grant would contribute towards these capital costs, while Nottingham City Transport would be responsible for the continuing operation of the buses and depot infrastructure. The report says no ongoing operating contribution would be required from EMCCA once the scheme is completed.
An economic assessment carried out using the Department for Transport’s Greener Bus Tool estimates benefits worth £4.29 million against assessed costs of £4.04 million, producing a benefit-cost ratio of 1.06.
This means the appraisal forecasts approximately £1.06 in benefits for every £1 of assessed costs, with a net present value of £256,258.
Although the assessment concludes that the scheme offers positive value for money, the benefits are only marginally higher than the costs.
The report identifies expected reductions in exhaust emissions, improved air quality and lower maintenance and fuel costs from replacing ageing vehicles.
However, it also highlights that the overall carbon savings have not been quantified in the submitted business case.
The Investment Panel has therefore recommended that the carbon impact be confirmed in accordance with Department for Transport appraisal guidance before the scheme proceeds.
Other conditions include providing an estimate of the Bus Service Operators Grant, clarifying project management and governance arrangements, submitting an updated risk register and confirming how the proposed traffic signals will be procured.
The grant is intended to support bus operations, including helping operators maintain services and keep fares affordable, although the report does not specify the amount Nottingham City Transport expects to receive.
The assessment also considered an alternative scheme that would have electrified only one of the two routes and introduced a roundabout on Nottingham Road to manage traffic movements.
That option was not preferred because it would have left diesel or methane-fuelled vehicles operating on one of the routes and delivered fewer environmental benefits.
Under the preferred proposal, traffic signals would be introduced instead, although the report says the timing of their installation and the contractor responsible have yet to be confirmed.
The project is scheduled to run from October 2026 until September 2027, with practical completion expected during summer 2027.
Nottingham City Transport is expected to order the vehicles during winter 2026, subject to confirmation of EMCCA funding, with delivery planned for summer 2027.
The report identifies Yutong and Wrightbus as potential vehicle suppliers, but states that no final selection has been made.
VEV has already been selected to undertake electrical works at the Parliament Street depot following detailed design work, with the additional chargers scheduled for installation in spring 2027.
The assurance assessment concludes that the project appears affordable and deliverable within its proposed timetable, although the management and commercial arrangements require further clarification.
Final approval of the requested £3.1 million contribution, and confirmation of the outstanding conditions, will determine whether the second phase can proceed on the proposed timetable.
