Over 50% of buses on new Milton Keynes service are carbon free

Fully electric vehicles will now be added to Milton Keynes' roster of buses.
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Most bus journeys using Milton Keynes' new service will now be carbon free, after it was armed with a fleet of fully electric vehicles.

Launched on April 1, MK Connect took over many of the major bus routes in the borough, operating an on-demand booking system via a mobile app, rather than a more conventional service. Passengers can now be collected and dropped off using virtual bus stops.

This service already lowers the amount of miles a bus would typically cover, eliminating trips to unused collection points.

Two of the new fully electric buses coming to Milton KeynesTwo of the new fully electric buses coming to Milton Keynes
Two of the new fully electric buses coming to Milton Keynes

Now some of the buses completing those collections, will be fully electric, meaning thousands of extra green public transport journeys.

This is the latest scheme in the council's mission to make the city carbon neutral by 2030.

The vehicles have been supplied by electrical car company, WeFlex, founder Nicko Williamson commented: “We’re on a mission to get as many people to switch to all-electric vehicles as possible – whether that’s ride hailing drivers or consumers looking for more climate friendly public transport options.

“Tackling emissions on the roads for every day journeys is the only way we can all make a meaningful contribution to improving the outlook for the environment and Via, who share our vision, are the perfect partners to make schemes like MK Connect a reality.”

MK ConnectMK Connect
MK Connect

Via, is the company who worked with the Milton Keynes Council to change the predominant way public transport is supplied across the city.

Chris Snyder, Europe CEO at Via added: “MK Connect is an example of the way that technology can both expand access to public transport and be a sustainable transport solution for communities across the globe.

"In addition to reducing single occupancy vehicles, we must get all-electric alternatives on the road in higher numbers to further reduce environmental impact and to encourage climate-conscious consumers to view public transport as a key element in tackling carbon emissions."

Council officer, Adele Wearing said: "Electrification and reduced carbon emissions are key council priorities and so we have been thrilled that more than 50% of vehicles on this service are electric. The service has had tremendous success to date and we are excited to watch it continue to grow and expand.”