Abellio launches fully electric bus fleet in West London

Credit: Abellio London

Abellio has announced the launch of its fully electric bus fleet on Route 111 in West London. This growth in electric vehicles (EVs) sees the company’s 111th electric bus going into operation, on Route 111. This continued growth in the EV fleet is a milestone in Abellio’s commitment to sustainable transport.

The new fleet of electric buses operating on Route 111, consisting of state-of-the-art Wrightbus Electroliners, will be based at Abellio’s Twickenham depot. The new buses will provide customers with more comfortable, no-emission journeys through West London.

The buses are designed with customer comfort in mind and offer a high-spec interior full of innovative features, similar to Abellio’s Route 63. The buses have high back seats throughout, making longer journeys more comfortable. USB chargers and mobile phone holders are featured in the seats, allowing customers to stay connected whilst traveling.

Seating has been carefully designed to be comfortable and accessible, with priority seats highlighted and a larger wheelchair and buggy area. Digital signage on-board the buses shares a range of real-time information, including the time to the next stop, disruptions, space on the next bus and service updates for London Underground (Tube), London Overground and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) services. There is dedicated signage for the wheelchair area, making it easier for customers in this space to access the information that they need.

The launch of the fully electric bus fleet on Route 111 is part of Abellio’s commitment to the Mayor of London’s vision to reduce carbon emissions in London and create cleaner, greener streets. The growth of Abellio’s electric fleet highlights Abellio as a leader in EVs in London and is supported by continued investment in electric charging infrastructure across their London depots.  

The electrification of the Twickenham depot has been completed sensitively, noting that the building itself is a piece of London’s transport history, having opened in 1902 and originally housing trams and trolleybuses. UK Power Networks fast-tracked the delivery of 3.8 megawatts of electricity capacity to the depot through its Green Recovery scheme, working with Abellio Bus London and Transport for London (TfL).

Jon Eardley, Managing Director of Abellio London, said: ‘We are delighted that our 111th EV bus has started service in London on Route 111. Abellio is leading the way in providing cleaner and more comfortable electric transport for our customers. We are incredibly proud of this milestone moment for our business.’