The Leicester Orbital - a new electric bus service taking passengers on an orbital route connecting key sites around Leicester has launched, and it's hoped it will help pull the city together making all corners easily accessible to everyone
The Orbital service, which is the UK’s longest electric circular bus route, will connect estates and suburbs on the city’s outer ring road and beyond (that were traditionally seen as a little more isolated) with locations such as shopping centres, hospitals, employment areas and other key transport infrastructure.
Helping to further improve the 'connectivity' of the city, with potential benefits for landlords being that properties have a chance to achieve a higher yield and be available to a larger catchment of prospective tenants. While more amenities and the other areas and hubs of the city are closer as well. Not to mention while also offering zero-emissions transport.
Orbital is the latest addition to the city’s Greenlines electric network, and is the fifth new service to be launched using the new council-owned electric buses. The partnership project, with operators Centrebus, also includes a brand-new electric bus charging depot at the firm’s Thurmaston depot.
The electric buses and charging depot have been partially funded (£1.21m) by the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme and combine to make the first ZEBRA-funded project to be delivered in the country.
Watch the Leicester City Council YouTube video on the new Orbital electric bus route here.
As the name indicates, the Orbital orbits the city’s bus network and is designed to help connect and integrate with other services within the Leicester Buses Partnership, making public transport more accessible and convenient for residents and visitors.
The 30-mile route will operate from Leicester General Hospital, and will run in clockwise and anti-clockwise direction serving Evington, Oadby, Wigston, Eyres Monsell, Aylestone, Fosse Park, Meridian, Thorpe Astley, Braunstone Frith, Glenfield, Glenfield Hospital, Beaumont Leys, Mowmacre Hill, Belgrave, Rushey Mead, Hamilton, Netherhall, Thurnby Lodge and Goodwood, before returning to Leicester General Hospital.
Leicester deputy city mayor for transport, clean air and climate emergency, Cllr Adam Clarke, said: “The Orbital route is a very well-used service, and switching over to the latest electric vehicles means another significant part of the city’s public transport system will now benefit from cleaner, more modern buses.
“Launching the Leicester Buses Partnership back in April has meant we’ve been able to work very closely with the city’s bus operators to bring forward projects like this to make top-notch public transport accessible to more people while being committed to tackle emissions and the climate emergency.
“The Orbital joins the Park and Ride and Hospital Hopper as part of the Leicester City Council owned Greenlines electric buses fleet, helping to fill gaps and connect the commercial network for the public benefit whilst also helping to meet our net zero ambition.
You can find out more about Leicester's new electric bus service, and how it will serve any of your properties across the city here.
