Family fun event to welcome Harrogate’s new electric buses

Music, food, dancing and prizes lined up to celebrate the future of bus travel

It’ll be a fantastic family fun party – and you’re invited!

Harrogate’s leading bus operator, The Harrogate Bus Company, is planning an action-packed free event to welcome the first of the town’s brand new electric buses.

The fun starts at 3.30pm on Tuesday, 18 June in front of The Yorkshire Hotel on Prospect Place in the town centre – and the bus firm is promising a party to remember ahead of Harrogate’s multi-million pound switch to new electric buses.

20 new Mercedes-Benz E-Citaro all-electric single deck buses will run on The Harrogate Bus Company’s busy urban route 1 between Harrogate and Knaresborough, route 7 linking Harrogate, Wetherby and Leeds, and rural route 24 between Harrogate and Pateley Bridge, with the new vehicles due to enter service in July.

Meanwhile, a further 19 new Alexander Dennis Enviro 400EV fully electric double deck buses will relaunch the company’s flagship interurban route, The 36, linking Ripon, Harrogate and Leeds, when they hit the road later this summer.

The Harrogate Bus Company’s General Manager, Kel Pizzuti, said: “Our family fun party will be the first opportunity for everyone to come along and see the first of our sparkling new electric buses, which will revolutionise travel in and around our beautiful spa town.

“We’re still adding to the programme for our free event, but already we’ve lined up music and live dance displays by local schools plus entertainment for all the family, including face painting, balloon modelling and an amazing magician.

“There’ll also be a chance to enjoy a drink and something to eat, plus exciting prize giveaways with the chance to win free days out – by bus, of course!

“Everyone is invited to join us, including families, local schools and nursery groups, as we celebrate the future of bus travel here in Harrogate.”

The Harrogate Bus Company, a subsidiary of Transdev, has placed orders worth £21 million for 39 new electric buses and to re-equip its Starbeck depot to convert its entire Harrogate fleet to fully electric power.

The new buses are supported by £7.8 million of funding from the Government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme, following a successful bid by Transdev’s partner, North Yorkshire Council.

Harrogate’s new buses will join the company’s existing eight Harrogate Electrics-branded Volvo 7900E electric vehicles, the first of their kind in Britain when they were successfully launched into service in summer 2018 on routes 2, 3 and 6 serving Bilton, Jennyfield, Pannal Ash and Beckwith Knowle.

The existing Harrogate Electrics buses will continue to serve the town alongside the new zero emission buses. Each of the current fleet is named after a Harrogate primary school, including Bilton Grange, St Joseph’s, Richard Taylor, Saltergate, Rossett Acre, New Park and Western.

More information on the family attractions being lined up to celebrate the new buses will be released closer to the event date – updates will also be available online at https://www.transdevbus.co.uk/the-harrogate-bus-company and by following The Harrogate Bus Company on Facebook and ‘@harrogatebus’ on X, formerly Twitter.