Our electric 36 scoops top UK innovation award

We’re celebrating news that our groundbreaking electric buses on our flagship Yorkshire route, The 36 linking Harrogate with Leeds and Ripon, have been named as Britain’s best zero emission transport innovation.

Judges at the national E-Mobility Awards selected our multi-million pound project to deliver 19 new Alexander Dennis Enviro 400EV double deck vehicles – part of a wider £21 million programme to replace our entire Harrogate fleet with new zero emission buses – as winner of the Best Bus Innovation trophy.

Our mission to convert our Harrogate depot to 100 per cent electric bus operation presented a once-in-a-generation opportunity to develop a new bus design capable of building on The 36’s potential for further growth.

Working with North Yorkshire Council, Government funding worth £7.8 million was secured to support just over a third of the total cost of 39 new electric buses, plus re-equipping our Harrogate depot to power and maintain the innovative buses.

The first new electric double-deck bus destined for The 36 was unveiled at a high-profile VIP launch in front of Harrogate’s prestigious Yorkshire Hotel in June 2024 – followed by a free family party.

Our Managing Director Henri Rohard said: “We are delighted to receive this prestigious national award for our innovative zero emission buses, which are proving reliable and popular with customers on our premium route, The 36. 

Most of our zero emission buses on The 36 cover over 100,000 kilometres, or 62,100 miles, a year, with over two million customer journeys per annum, and they are performing well in service.

“Our new electric buses for The 36 and our other routes in and around Harrogate are custom engineered to deliver a positive step change in performance, and just as important, are proving popular with our customers.”
Transdev received the Best Bus Innovation trophy at the e-Mobility Awards presentation, held at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire.