Guidance

Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme

Information for local transport authorities in England, outside London, on the ZEBRA scheme.

• From: Department for Transport
• Published: 30 March 2021
• Last updated: 26 March 2022 — See all updates

This publication was withdrawn on 2 March 2023

The ZEBRA scheme is not open for funding applications. See a list of funding allocated under the ZEBRA scheme.

Applies to England

Documents

Zero emission bus regional areas scheme 2021 to 2022 (Phase 2): business case development guidance

PDF, 502 KB, 21 pages

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Details

The October 2021 Spending Review announced that a further £150 million would be available to support the ZEBRA scheme, taking the total funding available for the scheme to £270 million in the financial year 2021 to 2022, from the initial allocated £120 million.

This funding is to help local transport authorities (LTAs), outside London, to introduce zero-emission buses and the infrastructure needed to support them.

Fast track

On 27 October 2021, it was announced that funding worth almost £71 million was awarded to the first 5 LTAs selected under the fast-track process. This funding will support up to 335 zero emission buses in:

• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority
• Kent County Council
• Leicester City Council
• Milton Keynes Borough Council
• Warrington Borough Council 

Standard track

On 26 March 2022, it was announced that funding worth £198 million to support up to 943 zero emission buses was awarded to 12 LTAs selected under the standard process. They are:

• Blackpool Council
• City of York Council
• Hertfordshire County Council
• Norfolk County Council
• North Yorkshire County Council
• Nottingham City Council
• Oxfordshire County Council
• Portsmouth City Council & Hampshire County Council
• South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
• Greater Manchester Combined Authority
• West Midlands Combined Authority
• West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Published 30 March 2021
Last updated 26 March 2022 + show all updates

1. 26 March 2022

   Funding worth £198 million will be awarded to the 12 areas that have successfully completed the ZEBRA standard track process.

2. 28 October 2021

   Funding worth £71 million to be awarded to the first 5 areas that have successfully completed the ZEBRA fast track process.

3. 3 August 2021

   A further 17 local transport authorities will progress to phase 2 of the ZEBRA scheme.

4. 6 July 2021

   Applications for the ZEBRA scheme are no longer being accepted. Six shortlisted local authorities have been selected under the fast track process to progress to Phase 2 of the competition.

5. 21 June 2021

   The application deadline has been extended until 2 July 2021 and phase 2 business case guidance released.

6. 19 May 2021

   Error correction: proforma updated to clarify the consideration of VAT.

7. 30 March 2021

   First published.