A bus company has questioned Brighton & Hove City Council after it dropped its electric buses in favour of a diesel fleet for its support services over the next four years.
The council confirmed it is awarding the contract to a rival company, Compass Travel Ltd, a decision that has angered The Big Lemon, which has held the contract since 2017, operating on routes 16, 47, and 52.
The company expressed concerns about the bidding process and felt the council’s net-zero ambitions needed to be highlighted.
Tom Druitt, CEO of The Big Lemon, stated: “In this tender, the council has awarded the highest score to a vehicle solution that does not appear to meet the requirements outlined in the published tender documents.”
The council defended the process as “thorough and fair” and added that it remains committed to its net-zero emissions goal.
Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet Member for Transport, Parking and Public Space, said: “We have conducted a thorough and fair procurement process to find the operator best suited to meet these requirements, and we have identified Compass Travel Ltd as the successful bidder.”
The selected operator will deploy new buses equipped with Euro 6 technology, designed to save fuel and significantly reduce emissions.
“This will provide the confidence and consistency our city needs for cleaner air quality and lower carbon emissions within a reliable service.”
On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that the council is also continuing to support the transition to zero-emission vehicles, allocating nearly three million pounds from the government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) 2 grant fund, alongside 550,000 pounds from its own resources, to the transition to zero-emission fleets in Brighton and Hove.
Source: BBC
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