There was something of a spark in the air in south Bristol as the city’s first fully electrified bus depot officially opened at Hengrove. Flanked by dignitaries and the smell of fresh concrete, this newly upgraded depot marks a significant moment in Bristol’s journey towards a cleaner, quieter, less diesel-scented future. First Bus It is not just a few charging points and some optimistic banners. Hengrove depot has undergone a full scale £44 million revamp, turning it into one of the most advanced electric bus hubs outside the M25. This includes five massive charging gantries stretching across a site roughly the size of four football pitches. These are not the sort of gantries you string Christmas lights from. These deliver serious voltage. Who Paid for What and Why It Matters Most of the cash came from First Bus, who stumped up £37.4 million. Another £6.6 million was drawn from the government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas fund, more fondly known in the industry as ZEBRA. The ...
