Barnstaple to lead North Devon’s shift to electric bus fleet

Stagecoach has confirmed a £29.3 million investment to bring more than 100 electric buses to Devon, with Barnstaple set to become a primary hub for the new green technology.

A total of 21 ‘state-of-the-art’ vehicles will be based at the town's depot as part of a wider rollout of 110 electric buses across the county. 

The project, delivered in partnership with Devon County Council and Torbay Council, aims to tackle air quality and reduce traffic noise by replacing ageing diesel models with zero-emission alternatives.

The investment is being supported by the Government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme, known as ZEBRA. 

While 59 of the new vehicles are destined for Torbay and 30 for Exeter, the allocation for Barnstaple represents one of the most significant upgrades to North Devon’s public transport infrastructure in recent years.

Stagecoach has appointed e-fleet solutions provider VEV to design and build the high-powered charging infrastructure required to keep the fleet moving. 

Work is already under way at the Barnstaple depot to install 11 specialised chargers. 

These will be managed by VEV’s digital platform, which monitors power demand in real time to ensure the buses are fully charged and ready for service each morning.

Stagecoach told the Gazette that the new fleet would include 110 state-of-the-art electric vehicles within the next few months.

The rollout comes at a time of rapid growth for the UK's electric vehicle market. 

Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that the UK is currently the largest market for electric buses in Europe, with zero-emission models accounting for an increasing share of new registrations.

Nationally, the Department for Transport has allocated hundreds of millions of pounds to ensure that rural areas are not left behind in the transition to green energy.

For North Devon, this means the introduction of buses that produce no tailpipe emissions and operate with significantly less noise than the vehicles they replace.

Industry experts suggest that each electric bus has the potential to save approximately 40 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually compared to a standard diesel equivalent. 

Local transport officials have welcomed the move, noting that transport remains one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions in the region.

The arrival of the 21-strong Barnstaple fleet is seen as a key step toward Stagecoach’s national target of operating a fully zero-emission fleet across the UK by 2035. 

The first of the new vehicles are expected to go into service on North Devon routes by early 2026.