A further 11 electric buses will be running on the streets of Norwich by the end of the month, after a city bus depot was transformed into one of the first all-electric facilities in the country.

First Buses already have 59 double-decker electric buses running on routes around the city, but more single-decker vehicles are due to arrive, bringing the total being used in Norwich to 70.

They will run on the green line 14/15/16 route, which connects Silfield, Wymondham, Hethersett, Norwich, Dussindale, Brundall, Blofield and Lingwood.

Eastern Daily Press: More electric buses are on their way to Norwich's streetsMore electric buses are on their way to Norwich's streets (Image: Denise Bradley)

It follows eight months of work on the bus company's Norwich Roundtree Way depot to enable it to take an all-electric commercial bus fleet.

It is the first complete zero-emission commercial bus fleet in England outside of London, with a £37.2m investment made.

The changes and new vehicles, provided by Northern Ireland company Wrightbus, were paid for using £14.7m of government money, bid for and won with Norfolk County Council, plus £22.5m put in by First Bus.

Eastern Daily Press: First Bus's Roundtree Way depot in Norwich is now fully electricFirst Bus's Roundtree Way depot in Norwich is now fully electric (Image: Denise Bradley)

Piers Marlow, managing director of First East of England, said: “We are incredibly proud of the work that’s been done here at Roundtree Way.

"Simultaneously running a busy bus depot and construction project has been tough at times, but it has been worth it.

“These vehicles are absolutely fantastic - not only from a sustainability and air quality perspective, but they are great for our customers, as well as our drivers and engineers, and we’re already receiving lots of positive feedback.”

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Graham Plant, Conservative cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport at Norfolk County Council, said: "The arrival of these buses is an extraordinary boost to our ambitions to run a net-zero transport system in Norfolk."

New figures showed bus usage in Norfolk went up 16pc when comparing April to December 2023 to the same period the previous year, with fares capped at £2 through a government initiative.

Electric double-decker buses are already running on Norwich's pink line 11/12, orange line 21, red line 23/24 and blue line 25/26.