NICOLA Sturgeon joined First Glasgow to introduce two all-electric buses to the city of Glasgow, making it the first operator to introduce fully-electric vehicles onto a commercial bus route since the 1960s.

The new buses are a statement of intent for the city’s transport, as they look to join the electric revolution to help meet their bold target of net-zero emissions by 2030. The launch of these vehicles means the city has now come full circle back to fully electric transport on commercial routes for the first time since the electric trolley buses were decommissioned by the Glasgow Corporation in May 1967.

The First Minister highlighted the importance of revisiting all-electric transport to help cities achieve net-zero emissions.

Sturgeon, said: “It is a real pleasure to see First launch their fully electric buses in Glasgow, following funding from SP Energy Networks.

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Scotland was one of the first countries to acknowledge that we are facing a global climate emergency and we have legislated for the most ambitious carbon reduction target of any country in the world.

“A key part of our plans is encouraging greater use of public transport as well as phasing out petrol and diesel vehicles. It’s so great to see First and SP Energy Networks playing their part in helping us to achieve our goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2045.”

The new vehicles will be going on the M3 route, which connects communities in Milton and Springburn with Stobhill Hospital and the city centre.

They are being fully funded as part of SP Energy Networks’s £20 million Green Economy Fund, which supports Glasgow’s mission to become the UK’s first net-zero emissions city by 2030. It also contributes to the Scottish Government’s ambitious plans to meet climate change targets, boost local economic growth, improve air quality across the country and deliver a better future, quicker for our communities.

The new single decker buses were revealedat George Square before going on a tour of the city.

The new M3 electric buses, built by Alexander Dennis at their Falkirk factory, have the latest mirrorless smartvision technology, which removes the need for wing mirrors, helps reduce blind spots for drivers and even helps to reduce the effects of bad weather on their vision via the state-of-the-art CCTV system. The new vehicles will also have USB charging points, on-board audio-visual next stop announcements and free Wi-Fi to provide a better customer experience.

As part of the SP Energy Networks funding deal, First Glasgow will also introduce 22 electric vehicle charging points in its Glasgow Caledonia Depot, which will allow more electric buses to be introduced into Glasgow’s transport network in the future.