Teesside misses out on funding to convert buses to hydrogen

The Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) had asked for around £60m to go towards joint efforts with Stagecoach and Arriva to convert 150 buses to run on the fuel in the region. But Teesside was not included in the government’s first round of “Zebra” funding unveiled late last month.

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A total of £25m has been set aside for the conversion of buses in the region from the TVCA’s £310m “sustainable transport settlement” unveiled in October last year. The aim is for Arriva and Stagecoach to pump in cash alongside money from the Zebra (Zero Emissions Bus Region Areas) scheme to convert around 150 of the region’s 320 buses to run on hydrogen.

A total of 12 local authorities for 943 zero emissions buses got a share of £198m last month – including North Yorkshire County Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the West Midlands Combined Authority. But the Tees Valley wasn’t one them.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the region’s bid had asked for the most money and for more buses than anyone else. But the mayor also confirmed there would be another round of bidding at the back end of this year – with TVCA officials seeking feedback from the Department for Transport on why it’s been unsuccessful this time around.

The funding snub has drawn disappointment and some criticism from Teesside Labour MPs. Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald said the region was ideally placed to lead on “cleaner, greener and renewable technologies”.

The former shadow transport secretary added: “It’s disappointing that Tees Valley isn’t even mentioned in this modest zero-emission bus announcement. Decarbonised and affordable integrated public transport is critical to our local economy and to our planet.

“The case for re-regulating local buses to deliver reliable, cleaner services that people can afford, is overwhelming. City regions such as Manchester, Liverpool, South Yorkshire and Nottingham are amongst a number of authorities forging ahead with zero emission plans within better integrated and affordable public transport services.

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“That’s the sort of ambition we should be pursuing in the Tees Valley – but sadly there is no desire to remove the burden and inefficiencies of a privatised deregulated model that only delivers for the bus operators and not for the people.” The region’s 41-page bus service improvement plan aims to see it become one of the first in the UK to have an entirely zero emission fleet.

It also aims to work alongside operators to have simpler fare prices, better infrastructure and continued support for the Tees Flex on-demand bus services. However, Tees Valley leaders have stopped short of franchising the network in the region – where the TVCA would call the shots on routes and fares – instead opting for an “enhanced partnership” with bus companies.

Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham questioned how serious Mr Houchen was about improving bus services earlier this month. And he claimed there were communities who needed regular services who were simply “being ignored”.

The Labour MP added: “Not only is this a blow to the combined authority’s green aspirations but means that Teesside’s public transport network will continue to be left behind while other areas see significant investment. It’s all the more insulting when Teesside produces a huge proportion of the country’s hydrogen and more capacity is planned.”

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