NINE new electric buses are coming to York, after the city secured £824,000 of funding.

The “green” vehicles will be used on the city’s Park&Ride network and to serve the University of York and the Derwenthorpe housing development. Bus operators and City of York Council say they will cut York’s CO2 emissions by more than 4,500 tonnes. Funding, from the Government’s Green Bus Fund, has been confirmed today.

The single-decker buses’ batteries will be capable of storing enough charge to allow them to operate all day, and the council says more than 80 per cent of bus traffic through York could ultimately be operated by electricity.

Two electric services will cater for Derwenthorpe through a bid submitted by the council and supported by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, while First York’s application has secured six buses for Park&Ride routes.

Another electric bus will be used on the university’s Unibus service, following a bid by Transdev. All the vehicles will be built by Sherburn-in-Elmet manufacturer Optare.

Coun Dave Merrett, cabinet member for transport, said: “This is absolutely excellent news, as we’ve been determined to improve air quality and the city’s carbon footprint and have been working with bus operators to achieve this. These nine new electric buses will be a tremendous step forward and are a first step to demonstrating how we can transform York’s bus fleet and environment for the future.”

Simon Pearson, First’s commercial director for the north of England, said the company planned to introduce its electric Park&Ride buses early next year. He said: “Electric buses are an exciting step forward in terms of innovation and attracting new customers, and it demonstrates out commitment to improving services.”

Transdev’s marketing director Nigel Eggleton said: “The many students using the internal route within the University of York will benefit from this investment, which brings the highest environmental standards, improved air quality and an excellent carbon footprint.”

The council adopted a “low emission strategy” last year to improve York’s air quality. Statistics last year showed between 94 and 163 people die prematurely in York each year because of poor air quality.