Rutland County Council has, on 2 December 2024, launched an electric minibus service on both the Oakham Hopper routes and R9 service to and from Stamford. In early 2025, the Uppingham Hopper routes will also be added.
Following the fleet procurement award by cabinet in January 2024, dedicated charge points have been installed for these vehicles and necessary training for drivers has also taken place. The new vehicles have a 15-seat capacity and wheelchair access.
The purchase of the vehicles was paid for using the Levelling Up funding (LUF), held in conjunction with Melton Mowbray, to help improve transport services and launch a new hub for public transport within the county. The running costs will be covered by the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding, which is money specifically to help improve bus services.
The purchase of fleet vehicles supports the ambition of the council to reduce the impact on the environment by using electric vehicles and to develop a new public bus network service for the county.
“We are very pleased to see the new electric minibuses on the road, and we see this as a vital step to achieving the new public bus network. Not only this, but the environmental impact of using electric minibuses is far less and is in line with our core aims to deliver greener transport solutions for residents.
Through new services such as this, we aim to make Rutland more sustainable for the future and ensure our bus infrastructure is always moving forward and adapting to the needs of our residents”
Councillor Christine Wise, Portfolio Holder for Transport, Environment and Communities
More information on Rutland’s buses including full timetables can be found on our Bus timetables and travel page.