Stagecoach backs greener future at Torbay Business Awards

Stagecoach South West is sponsoring the Torbay Business Awards Green Futures category for the second year.  

The company's managing director Peter Knight says: “Last year the calibre of applications was really impressive and I’m looking forward to seeing what other individuals and businesses are doing to create a positive sustainable impact for our future. 

“As a sustainable travel option in the Bay and surrounding area, it is important for us to be part of initiatives like this, working with partners whose sustainable values match our own.”

Mr Knight explained how Stagecoach South West would be helping drive a more sustainable future for Torbay this year.

“We are making progress to roll out our new electric buses to the Bay this winter in a move that will see our Torbay depot operating a fully all electric fleet.

“The phased delivery of 55 vehicles will see the depot become the first fully electric depot in the South West for Stagecoach and one of the only across the UK by summer 2026. This is a landmark achievement for the Bay but also Stagecoach in our drive to become a carbon-neutral business by 2050.

“Working with Torbay Council we secured £7.1 million funding for the new fleet in March 2024 from the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas 2 (ZEBRA) scheme, with Torbay Council securing a further £361,000 earlier this year. The additional funding means there is now over £7.4 million available for the us and the council to work together to deliver the fleet to the area.”

Mr Knight added: “It's important that we acknowledge that this project wouldn’t be possible without the backing from local authority partners Torbay Council who share our ambitious plans to deliver a greener thriving bus service for the region. 

“Their support along with the government's and Stagecoach Group's gives us confidence for the future. 

“Once all of the fleet has arrived in the Bay, we will be able to remove the diesel fuel tank from our Torquay depot, marking an important milestone on the road to net zero. We look forward to welcoming the new fleet that will benefit the local community and bus users’ alike.”

Mr Knight said: “We anticipate that for each new electric bus introduced to the fleet it has the capacity to remove approximately 20 to 40 cars from the road. This reduction is equivalent to saving around 40 tonnes of CO2 per year per bus. When multiplied across the entire fleet being introduced to Torbay, this could result in a reduction of up to 33,000 tonnes of CO2 over the estimated 15-year life of these vehicles.”

He explained that the new state-of-the-art buses would improve the passenger experience, providing users with considerably quieter, smoother and more comfortable journeys. 

Mr Knight said that the new buses would also meet enhanced accessibility standards and would come with the latest passenger experience features.

He said: “Alongside the future fleet enhancements, the same is happening for our Torbay route network too, with us recently introducing two night bus services thanks to support from Devon and Cornwall Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner along with a number of other stakeholders.

“In joint efforts with Devon and Cornwall Police we aim is to reduce drink and drug related incidents, anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls, helping to make the night-time economy safer for everyone.

“The new overnight journeys for Service 12 (Newton Abbot – Brixham via Torquay and Paignton) and Service 22 (St Marychurch – South Devon College via Paignton) will operate every Saturday night from midnight until as late as 4am, offering customers a safe and affordable way to travel until Saturday 20 December 2025.”

Stagecoach have been the sponsors of the awards' Greener Futures category since it was launched. Managing director Peter Knight was at the Riviera International Centre in Torquay last year to present winners QLM with their award.

Their new type of quantum-technology-based laser-radar, or lidar, acts like a ‘security camera’ for methane leaks. Their lidar can sensitively detect methane gas, make a 3D picture of a gas plume to locate the source of a leak and measure its size to tell just how big a leak is.  And all of this happens fully autonomously.

Chris Wardle, chief manufacturing officer at QLM, received the prize and said: “Stopping methane is one of the most important things we can do to protect the planet and reduce global warming.  We’re well placed to tackle methane as we have technology that can do something that no one else in the world can do.”

So the stage is now set for the glittering awards finals night at the Riviera International Conference Centre in Torquay on Wednesday, June 11. Tickets and tables are available by going  online to the awards website at: torbaybusinessawards.co.uk