The first of a brand-new fleet of electric buses are now on the roads in Gloucestershire, as part of multi-million-pound investment from the county's network provider, Stagecoach.
A major upgrade of the county's network, first revealed back in November 2025, Stagecoach's rollout of 42 fully electric buses to support services in Cheltenham, Gloucester and Tewkesbury is now underway.
As of March 2026, electric buses are live on the 1 and 2/2A services in Gloucester; and in Tewkesbury on the 71 and 351, with more set to be deployed in the coming months.
Described as a 'landmark' project for the county, Stagecoach says the new fleet will deliver quieter streets, reduced emissions and a significant improvement in local air quality, as well as making bus travel more attractive.
The rollout – funded by £17 million from Stagecoach along with £3.5 million from Gloucestershire County Council and the UK government – marks a 'major milestone' in the partners' mission to deliver a 'cleaner, greener and more modern' transport network for Gloucestershire.
Part of Stagecoach’s vision for the future, the move is seen as the start of a journey towards all of its vehicles operating in Cheltenham, Gloucester and Tewkesbury becoming fully zero-emission.
The 'electrification' of its Gloucester depot – which includes the installation of solar panels and high-powered charging systems – will see the new electric buses serving some of the region’s busiest and most important routes, including the 94, 95, 94X, 41, 42, 43 and T in Cheltenham; and all Stagecoach services running to and from Tewkesbury.
Stagecoach is replacing up to 42 of its diesel buses with electric, equating to just over 20 per cent of its Gloucestershire vehicle fleet. The move is expected to remove around 22 tonnes of nitrogen oxide emissions and around 43,224 tonnes of carbon emissions from its overall output.
Chris Hanson, managing director at Stagecoach West, said: 'This investment is a huge leap forward for greener travel.
'These new electric buses
don’t just help the environment; they transform the passenger experience. Residents will have better buses, cleaner air, and reduce their carbon
footprint.'
Leader at Gloucestershire County Council, Lisa Spivey, said: 'We’re proud to support this major investment in zero-emission transport. These new electric buses will play a vital role in cutting carbon emissions, improving local air quality, and encouraging more people to choose public transport.
'It’s a key step in our ambition to create a greener Gloucestershire and reach net-zero by 2045.'
The project is part of the UK government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) initiative, designed to accelerate the transition to clean public transport across the UK.
For more
information about Stagecoach's sustainability initiatives, visit stagecoachbus.com/corporate/sustainability.
