Electric bus charging infrastructure funding

[Justin Tyme]

Warwickshire County Council has announced £1.366 million funding to provide electric bus charging infrastructure in the county, initially for buses to be used on services into and out of Coventry.  It's the second item of funding in this article: -

   https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/news/article/1712/county-council-approves-over-6-4m-funding-for-countywide-projects.

The article contains interesting information, although I wonder if it is 100% accurate - particularly the sentence "the County Council, Coventry City Council and Transport for West Midlands put forward a partnership Expression of Interest focused on replacing 325 cross boundary buses with an all-electric specification".  Should this really be 325 buses altogether, including cross boundary buses?

Still, it's good news.

[Sandy Lane]

Yep, good news.
Would this item sit best under Coventry as I think it will be hub for most of these services?

[Justin Tyme]

Yep, good news.
Would this item sit best under Coventry as I think it will be hub for most of these services?

I thought about that but 'Coventry electric buses' is under NX Coventry and this covers other operators.   But I won't object if the moderators wish to move it.

[2206]

I thought about that but 'Coventry electric buses' is under NX Coventry and this covers other operators.   But I won't object if the moderators wish to move it.

A lot of them are Stagecoach operated I think. NX Coventry have never ran a service to Stratford or Warwick.

[Kevin]

Interesting to see cooperation across county boundaries though, Warwickshire County Council funding this despite (initially) being for Coventry buses. Definitely something to be applauded

[Tony]

A lot of them are Stagecoach operated I think. NX Coventry have never ran a service to Stratford or Warwick.

Generally correct, so I am not having a go, but NX did run the once a day 538

[2206]

Generally correct, so I am not having a go, but NX did run the once a day 538

What did the 538 used to be?

[Tony]

What did the 538 used to be?

It was a Coventry to Warwick service.

[Stu]

The article contains interesting information, although I wonder if it is 100% accurate - particularly the sentence "the County Council, Coventry City Council and Transport for West Midlands put forward a partnership Expression of Interest focused on replacing 325 cross boundary buses with an all-electric specification".  Should this really be 325 buses altogether, including cross boundary buses?

I suppose the way to interpret 'cross-boundary' is that Coventry is being chosen to be a 'electric bus city', and while geographically Coventry sits in the county of Warwickshire, administratively it falls under the West Midlands.

While the majority of NX Coventry services do operate solely within the Coventry area of the West Midlands, some do venture beyond the 'boundary' and into Warwickshire. And of course there are other operators such as Stagecoach who also operate 'cross-boundary' services.

Also to be taken into consideration would be the NX West Midlands X1 service, which would also presumably end up being electric vehicle operated, and Johnsons' 87 and X20 services too.

[JPC]

It was a Coventry to Warwick service.

This would be the school day service numbered 537 tendered between Burton Green and Trinity School & Warwickshire College (which NX commercially extended between Pool Meadow and Burton Green for the morning journey at least), the return journey was numbered 536 or 547 at various stages.
Not to be confused with the current 539 which a good twenty or so years back, in the hands of A-Line Travel et al. did extend to Warwick and variant 538 which ran something like Coventry-Bubbenhall-Eathorpe-Weston-Cubbington-Leamington, A&M Flexibus still operates a 538 one day a week but on a completely changed route.

[PB2938]

WMT 2979 E979 VUK on the 537

https://flic.kr/p/oSVLie