Scotland adds 30 Yutong electric buses after £14 million investment

A new fleet of 30 zero-emission electric single-decker buses has been unveiled by Midland Bluebird, marking a significant leap forward in sustainable public transport across the Forth Valley.

The 14 million pounds investment by McGill’s Group, owned by Sandy and James Easdale, highlights their ongoing commitment to innovation and decarbonisation within the public transport sector. 

The new Yutong E12 vehicles, each capable of carrying up to 70 passengers, set a new standard in passenger comfort, featuring air conditioning, USB charging sockets, and a whisper-quiet ride.

Equipped with 422kWh capacity batteries, the fleet is supported by significant upgrades to Midland Bluebird’s Larbert depot to facilitate efficient charging and maintenance.

Midland Bluebird’s 38 Falkirk to Stirling service will be fully transformed to operate with electric vehicles – with the daytime frequency of the service increasing to every 15 minutes, Monday to Saturday, from September 15. 

Electric vehicles will also start operating on several other routes in the Forth Valley.

This latest purchase brings the total number of electric buses in the McGill’s Group fleet to 151, reinforcing its position as one of the leading operators of zero-emission public transport in the United Kingdom (UK).

Investment by McGill’s in electric vehicle technology since 2021 now stands at 95 million pounds.

The investment has been supported by the Scottish Government through the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB) – designed to accelerate the transition to a zero-emission bus fleet, further supporting Scotland’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions.

Charging infrastructure at McGill’s Group is provided by Zenobē.

The Zenobē-led ScotZEB 2 consortium is deploying over 250 zero-emission vehicles and creating a network of shared charging infrastructure across Scotland.

Zenobē’s financing approach provides efficient and effective delivery as demonstrated by today’s launch of 30 fully electric buses just one year on from the launch of the ScotZEB 2 programme.

Tony Williamson, Chief Executive of McGill’s Group, says: “With this investment, McGill’s continues to operate one of the UK’s largest electric bus fleets, reinforcing our leadership in the shift to zero-emission public transport across Scotland.

“This rollout reflects the vision of our owners, Sandy and James Easdale, whose ongoing commitment to sustainable travel is helping us deliver a greener network and a better experience for the communities we serve,” he adds.

Ian Downie, Head of Yutong UK, comments: “McGills were the very first Scottish operator to order our electric vehicles – this order will bring their total Yutong fleet to 125 single decks in operation. We have been delighted to maintain and grow our partnership over the past few years.”

He continues: “The new Midland Bluebird vehicles have a superb internal and external styling that clearly demonstrates the continued investment that McGill’s Group places into the community. The whisper quiet vehicles will soon be gliding around the Midland Bluebird network and providing clean, zero emission travel for the local residents.”

Julia Meek, Business Development Director at Zenobē, states: “Zenobē is proud to support Midland Bluebird with the launch of 30 zero-emission single-decker buses across the Forth Valley, continuing our work with McGill’s group to bring a fleet of more than 150 electric buses to Scotland.”

“As leader of the ScotZEB 2 consortium and fleet electrification provider for the Larbert depot, we remain committed to delivering electrification on time and within budget, connecting communities across Scotland with cleaner, smoother journeys.”

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