The UK's first zero-emission self-driving bus service has started a trial on public roads to serve Milton Park, a business, science and technology park located in Oxfordshire.

The buses will be operated by First Bus, as part of a project to explore “the art of the possible”. The pilot project will analyse how passengers, drivers, other road users and pedestrians respond to autonomous buses, the company said.  

The project involves two all-electric fully autonomous vehicles on public roads. The self-driving minibus is already in operation, with a full-size single-decker to be added later this year for journeys between the park and Didcot Parkway railway station. 

The £4.3m project received a £3m grant from the government alongside commercial and private sector funding.

Autonomous bus driving aroud Milton/ PA Media

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