Rural areas will be prioritised to receive new electric buses as part of a funding scheme that aims to introduce the zero-emission vehicles across the country.

Since the scrapping of HS2’s northern leg, the UK government has made it clear that it plans to reallocate funds to improve local transport, including the bus network.

In its most recent announcement, the government says that an additional 955 electric buses will soon take to our roads as part of a funding scheme that will see 25 councils receive funding to decarbonise their bus fleets.

This Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme has already enabled many local transport authorities to introduce zero-emission buses. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, zero-emission buses accounted for almost half of all new large buses introduced in 2023.

The ZEBRA scheme is now making a further £143m in funding available to help increase the roll-out of zero-emission buses, with the government prioritising the first...