Electric buses launch in Bath

Start of new, permanent bus service on no. 20 route creates green link between city’s busiest locations for residents and visitors. 

A new permanent electric bus service has begun operations in the historic city of Bath. Run by community-interest company The Big Lemon with subsidy from the Transport Bus Levy provided by Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) Council, the no. 20 route links the city centre, University of Bath and Royal United Hospital (RUH). The service runs every hour Monday to Saturday (excluding Bank Holidays) between Wedgwood Road in Twerton and the Sports Training Village at University of Bath. The route has 54 stops. 

Jason Freeman, Operations Manager Bristol & The West at The Big Lemon; Colin Morris, General Manager at The Big Lemon; Georgia-Rose Gleeson, Sustainability Officer at The Royal United Hospital; Councillor Sarah Warren; Tom Druitt, CEO at The Big Lemon. Courtesy of Bath & North East Somerset Council.

The buses used are Optare Solo electric vehicles (EVs) supplied by Switch UK, and to accommodate these new vehicles, the Big Lemon’s depot in Bristol has been fitted with four electric bus chargers.  

Councillor Sarah Warren, Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Travel at B&NES, says: ‘The introduction of B&NES’s first electric bus on the no. 20 route represents a significant step forward in our efforts to promote sustainability. This service will benefit residents, students, tourists and hospital visitors by providing a greener transportation option.’ 

Georgia-Rose Gleeson, Sustainability Officer at Royal United Hospital Bath, adds: ‘We very much welcome the introduction of an electric powered bus on the important 20 bus route between the RUH, the City and the University. This new addition to the network will help progress our sustainable travel plan for the benefit of the people we care for, our staff and our community.’ 

Tom Druitt, CEO at The Big Lemon, says: ‘When The Big Lemon launched services in Bath in 2022 we made a commitment to run these services with zero-emission electric vehicles in the future and we’re excited that just 18 months in we are now launching Bath’s first dedicated zero-emissions electric bus service. It’s great that this launch is taking place at the Royal United Hospital as the hospital is one of the major destinations on our route 20; and to launch the new vehicles at a climate change event is very fitting as this is one of the main reasons The Big Lemon exists.’ 

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