Excited youngsters have been among the first to ride on Harrogate's new electric buses as they paid a visit to Santa Claus.
Children received an early Christmas surprise, delivered by The Harrogate Bus Company, as they visited Harrogate’s very own Elf Village on all-new electric double deckers.
The buses from the Starbeck-based bus firm’s fleet of 19 brand-new electric double deckers are destined for its premium route, The 36 between Harrogate, Leeds and Ripon.
And they made their maiden journey yesterday (Wednesday) making the children the first to experience the brand-new vehicles ahead of their entry into service.
Wide-eyed youngsters from Oatlands Infant School travelled in style on board the first two new route 36 zero emission buses to the spa town’s own Elf Village, created at Harrogate’s Cedar Court Hotel by the imaginative team at Enchantica’s – where they came face to face with Father Christmas as the star of a festive family show filled with surprise treats.
A fleet of 19 new Alexander Dennis Enviro 400EV fully electric double deck buses will now begin to enter service on The 36 route linking Harrogate with Leeds and Ripon in early January – completing a £21 million investment programme by delivering its new fleet of 39 new electric buses and a fully re-equipped depot to the town.
Parent firm Transdev Blazefield’s Managing Director Henri Rohard said:
“Providing our first two new electric double deck buses for this magical trip to Harrogate’s Elf Village is our way of presenting a very special early gift to the children as Christmas approaches.
“The 36 is one of our most intensive services, running up to every 10 minutes between Harrogate and Leeds.
"Most of our existing buses on this route cover over 100,000 kilometres, or 62,100 miles, a year, with two million customer journeys per annum, and so we are carrying out thorough testing and refinement of the new vehicles ahead of their entry into service."
Henri added:
“We’re looking forward to welcoming our customers to our new zero emission double deck buses, each built in Britain to a unique and unrivalled specification, and custom engineered at every stage of their development to deliver a positive step change in performance.
“This superb new generation of buses, alongside our newly introduced single deck eCitaro electric buses in and around Harrogate, has been over three years in the making with a successful application for £7.8 million through ZEBRA, the Government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas fund, by our exceptional partner North Yorkshire Council, supporting our own investment to make this exciting project a reality.”
Externally, the new Enviro 400EV buses for The 36 are packed with safety features, including digital electronic rear view cameras in place of the traditional mirrors, giving drivers a clearer view of potential hazards – while on the inside, a unique specification developed using Transdev’s extensive experience offers customers a level of luxury unlike anything else seen on Britain’s bus routes.
A glazed staircase leads to the upper deck featuring a two-plus-one seating layout, glazed roof panels to let in natural light and wireless mobile device charging, while on the lower deck, two dedicated wheelchair spaces and high-visibility flooring and lighting makes travel easier and safer for all.
Enchantica’s founder Suzanne Vaughan – aka Tinsel the Elf – joined Santa’s helpers to greet the children as they arrived at the Elf Village yesterday.
She said:
“We’re delighted to team up with The Harrogate Bus Company to welcome children from Oatlands Infant School to our magical Elf Village with the first ever journey on Harrogate’s smart new red and black electric double-decker buses – they really are stunning.
“As a local educational theatre producer, we are passionate about using theatre to bring learning to life. Through stories brought alive by Father Christmas and Tinsel, we captivate audiences while supporting education, well-being and environmental awareness.
“By collaborating with other businesses, we prove that magic truly happens when we work together.”
Enchantica’s Green Elf Project Show is an educational theatre experience, produced especially for local schools, promoting sustainability at Christmas and beyond, alongside its regular shows.
The attraction is supported by Enchantica’s Christmas Community Fund, plus contributions from local businesses and individuals.
Oatlands Infant School Teacher Angela Curran said:
“Being the first to travel on Harrogate’s sparkling new electric buses for The 36 was the icing on the Christmas cake for our children – every single one of them had a wonderful time, and we’re so grateful to The Harrogate Bus Company and Enchantica’s for making this happen.
“This magical journey will be the talk of our school for many days to come – and as well as the fun of today’s experience, this is an ideal way to get their young minds thinking about getting around in a way that protects the environment for their future.”
Timetables and ticket deals for The Harrogate Bus Company’s The 36 and its full network across Harrogate, Knaresborough and beyond, including services across the festive season, are available online at: transdevbus.co.uk/the-harrogate-bus-company.
Harrogate’s Elf Village is open every day until Christmas Eve at the Cedar Court Hotel on Park Parade in Harrogate. More information and bookings can be found online at enchanticas.co.uk/christmas.
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