McGill's Buses Celebrates 10 Million Zero Emission Miles

4 months ago Thu 20th Jun 2024

stuart and alex

McGill’s boasts one of largest fleets of electric buses in Scotland and this announcement supports today’s National Clean Air Day, a day dedicated to highlighting the impact of air pollution on our health and the environment.

The company, owned by Scottish businessmen Sandy and James Easdale, has introduced more than 110 zero-emission buses throughout its routes with Inverclyde and Renfrewshire leading the way with the highest proportion of electric buses in the UK.

In support of this initiative, McGill’s Bus Group has upgraded the infrastructure at four of its depots to facilitate the charging and maintenance of the electric fleet.

The company's substantial £55 million investment in both the fleet and its associated infrastructure places McGill’s Bus Group among the top UK companies leading the way in fleet decarbonisation.

In total, McGill’s electric buses has travelled the equivalent of more than 400 times around the globe on their zero-emission journey.

Reaching this milestone has significantly contributed to environmental sustainability, with the fleet preventing 11,270 tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. This reduction is equivalent to planting around 1.3 million trees across an area the size of 2784 football pitches.

Sandy Easdale, Director of McGill’s Buses, said: “Most of Greenock’s local bus network is now delivered using our zero emission buses, whilst Paisley is now top of the electric bus chart in the UK, with 80% of our fleet serving the town being electric. That compares to just 10 per cent of buses being electric in London which is a phenomenal milestone for our company.”

The electric buses also offer an enhanced passenger experience, featuring USB charging points at every seat and a quieter, smoother ride.

Stuart McMillan MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde recently visited the company’s head office and depot at Greenock where many of the electric fleet are based.

Alex Hornby, Group Managing Director of McGill’s, said: “Our dedicated teams have worked tirelessly to deploy and maintain our fleet of over 110 electric buses. Our efforts are helping Scotland on its quest towards achieving net zero, whilst also providing a quieter, more comfortable journey for our passengers and we were delighted to welcome Stuart McMillan MSP along to see how we are embarking on our zero-emission journey.”

Stuart McMillan MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, said: “I am grateful for the investment that McGill’s continue to make in their electric bus fleets and I am pleased to celebrate this milestone with them.

“Quality, zero emission public transport is great news for our region in not just reducing congestion and carbon emissions, but by giving local people access to jobs and education too.”