Bus Ambassador

Warrington’s Own Buses has officially rolled out the first wave of its all-electric fleet, a momentous stride toward greener urban transport backed by the town’s purpose-built electric bus depot. Marking a true milestone for public transport, the 105-vehicle order of Volvo BZL Electric buses is part of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) initiative, aiming to drastically cut emissions and noise pollution in towns across the UK.

Ready to ride? Warrington just took its electric bus game to new heights – literally! The very first Volvo BZL Electric double-decker has rolled into town, marking a major milestone in the switch to greener, cleaner travel. And let’s be real – who doesn’t love a double decker?

First Bus has just welcomed its latest crew of engineering apprentices to the training academy at Reaseheath College in Cheshire – the UK’s first dedicated bus and coach engineering facility.

Alexander Dennis, part of the global bus manufacturing giant NFI Group Inc., has just delivered two shiny new Enviro400 double-decker buses to Selwyns Travel, one of the North West's top independent coach operators. And these aren’t just your average buses – they’re packed with 85 comfy, high-backed seats complete with 3-point seat belts.

Hold onto your seats – Warrington’s streets are about to get a whole lot greener. At a special Zero Emissions Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) event, Warrington unveiled its shiny new yellow eBus, giving locals their first glimpse of the eco-friendly fleet set to take over.   Warrington’s Own Buses / Volvo Picture this: 105 brand-new electric buses, set to phase out diesel ones. Yep, Warrington’s saying goodbye to fossil fuels and hello to state-of-the-art Volvo BZL Electrics. It’s one of the largest orders of electric buses in the UK, and it’s kicking off this summer . This is more than just a fancy fleet – it’s Warrington’s leap towards a cleaner, quieter future. And the best part? The charging system for these buses will be powered entirely by green energy, thanks to EO Charging. No tailpipe emissions. Less noise. More breathe-easy moments for everyone. Warrington Borough Council Leader and Cabinet Member for highways and transport, Cllr Hans Mundry, said: “These are exciting times fo...

Warrington Borough Council is moving ahead with the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme and has now signed an agreement with Volvo Buses. The order has officially been placed for 105 Volvo BZL Electric vehicles. Warrington Borough Council The council has also awarded the contract for the bus chargers to power the new electric buses. EO Charging, a leading provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions for fleets – will supply the chargers, which will be installed at Warrington’s brand new bus depot. All energy will be supplied directly by one of the council’s own solar farms. It means the countdown can now begin to the arrival of Warrington’s all electric bus fleet – replacing Warrington’s Own Buses’ entire fleet of diesel buses – in 2024. The state-of-the-art Volvo BZL Electric, which will soon be making Warrington its home, provides clean, near-silent, comfortable and efficient public transport. It is built to a high safety standard and complies with the toughest re...

Bus passengers in Cheshire can breathe a sigh of relief today, as Stagecoach has announced that it is taking over the 84 bus service that runs between Chester, Tarvin, Tarporley, Nantwich and Crewe. Tom Harrison (Bus Ambassador) The news follows the announcement that  Arriva North West intends to close its Winsford and Macclesfield bus depots . Starting from the 24th of April, Stagecoach will provide customers with bus services along the route 84 connecting Chester, Nantwich and Crewe.  Stagecoach is also offering PCV licence holders an incredible welcome bonus of £1000 for anyone who signs up for employment at their Chester depot. Matt Davies, Managing Director of Stagecoach Merseyside, Cheshire and South Lancashire, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming this route into our depot at Chester. “We currently operate 15 routes in the Chester area network going to Liverpool, Ellesmere Port and now out to Nantwich and Crewe. “We know it can be unsettling when a bus route could be...

The Mid Cheshire bus network faced the possibility of being put in jeopardy following news that local Arriva depots in Winsford and Macclesfield were at risk of closure. Despite this threat, however, Cheshire residents are breathing a collective sigh of relief. Another operator has now pledged to fill the gap left by Arriva, covering as much of the network as they possibly can. Tom Harrison (Bus Ambassador) The local community has shown incredible strength and determination in a short period of time, amassing nearly 4,000 signatures  as of Wednesday 1st of March 2023, to urge Arriva North West to scrap their plans to axe the Winsford and Macclesfield depots. We are pleased to report that this strong and unified effort has not gone unheard. Bus operator D&G, which already operates buses in the area, has recently announced their intent to take up Arriva's mantle, agreeing to step in and provide some routes in the Northwich, Winsford, Crewe and Macclesfield areas of Cheshire from...

Warrington is paving the way to become one of the greenest towns in the UK after Warrington Borough Council's Cabinet gave the green light for Warrington's Own Buses to move forward with replacing its entire diesel bus fleet with zero tailpipe emissions electric buses. Warrington's Own Buses By 2024, Warrington will have a total of 105 electric buses taking the place of their current diesel fleet. This ground-breaking initiative will be one of the largest such programs ever established in the UK, revolutionising the public transport in the town. People of Warrington can look forward to a more eco-friendly, reliable and cost-efficient transportation service in the near future. The success in securing the largest funding award made from the Government's ZEBRA (Zero Emission Bus Regional Area) scheme in 2021 will go towards the replacement of Warrington's diesel buses. In addition, the Council is contributing significantly towards the scheme with its funding commitment...

We’ve just received heart-breaking news here in the North West – Arriva is proposing to close its Winsford and Macclesfield bus depots . This could be the end of the line for many bus services in these areas and so many communities are being affected. Tom Harrison (Bus Ambassador) It’s hard to fathom how a business can stay afloat when times are already so hard, but it’s becoming clearer that cost inflation in the bus sector is having an unprecedented and overwhelming impact on local businesses and the people they serve. Since the pandemic started, there has been a steady decline in bus journeys in Winsford, Northwich, Crewe and Macclesfield, meaning that Arriva's operations in the area were no longer financially viable. This is the case even with the new network they introduced in November 2021. It’s a devastating blow to so many local people and businesses and one that will be felt in the region for a long time to come.  The employees of these depots have been doing their best to...