The UK government’s Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) has announced £20m funding to support the upgrade of buses operating in Sheffield.
The funding is designed to replace diesel buses with new electric buses and reduce harmful pollution in the city.
The funding is in addition to the £11m Zero Emissions Bus fund that Sheffield City Council has already put forward for bus upgrade.
This will also cover the installation of correct electric infrastructure, like electric charging points, is in place to support the change.
Since the launch of the Clean Air Zone in February 2023, the level of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) in Sheffield’s inner city and ring road area has reduced by an average of 16%, with an average drop of 21% observed across the wider Sheffield Clean Air Plan area.
READ MORE: Sheffield proposes £11m bus electrification scheme
Five locations now remain with more than the annual average legal limit due to emissions. Sheffield stated that this is due to local bus routes – which the new fleet should help ameliorate.
Leader of Sheffield City Council, Tom Hunt, said: “We are making good progress to improve air quality in the city, however, more zero-emission buses are essential to further reduce pollution and improve the air we breathe.
“The new £20m funding from the government is very welcome and goes alongside £11m that Sheffield City Council is investing for new electric buses.
“We will work closely with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and bus operators to get new electric buses running in Sheffield as soon as possible, to make bus travel cleaner and greener.”
Achievements and innovations in clean air initiatives will be recognised and celebrated at the fourth annual CiTTi Awards on 25 November 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector!
