Theo wrote:
Trolleybus wrote:
There are more than I thought, but few that would be suitable for this
proposal. I'm surprised so many councils were allowed to get away with
the arms-length policy.

I don't see why you need a municipal bus company for this proposal.
Simply offer to the Stagecoach/Arriva/First incumbent the use of new buses
for free, no fuel to pay, for the duration of the project/trial/whatever.
I expect they'll bite your hand off.

Obviously this won't cover all the long distance coaches or the once-a-week
charabanc from the villages, but that's not really the point of electrifying
the regular city buses.


In London, the BBs are, I think owned by TfL, but operated on its behalf by
the usual private operators. I think Boris set the precedent of of TfL
ordering them directly.

I'm unclear about who owns London's substantial fleet of electric buses.
From this report, you get the impression that both TfL and Metroline have
'invested' in them:

https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/london-has-europes-largest-electric-bus-fleet


Perhaps Metroline has bought them, but on the basis that TfL guarantees to
use them?