The DoI will need to move its depot to introduce electric buses, a Tynwald committee has heard.
Plans to introduce electric buses has hit the significant obstacle, with the current bus depot in Douglas unsuitable for the necessary charging infrastructure.
Jeff Robinson, Deputy Chief Officer at the Department of Infrastructure, told the committee that the bus depot was “not particularly suitable to move over to electrical vehicles”.
“Getting the electrical infrastructure at that location is not easy and expensive, and also the size of the site isn’t big enough,” he said. “Having to set up to charge vehicles every night will increase the size of the site.”
Options
The department is now actively looking at alternative locations for a future electric bus fleet.
“We are looking at where we might be able to do that in an alternative location that would be suitable,” Mr Robinson said.
Minister Tim Crookall suggested that the Bank Circus site could be redeveloped to help fund a new facility. “It is right in the middle of town, and that’s a prime site for development later on,” he said.
“There’s some money to come back there, if you like, to invest into the new sites going forward,” Mr Crookall added. He cautioned that any move was “years away, probably”.
The department has adopted an “electric first” approach for new vehicles but is also trialling organic or vegetable-derived fuels as a transition option.
Mr Robinson said: “We’re trialling at the moment, or about to trial, that in some of our buses.”
He added: “There is a price premium to bring in that product onto island. However, thinking strategically across the whole island, if we can become the base user, then it might encourage the importers to bring in bulk.”