emerald gets an early electric present

The people of Whitley and Whitley Wood have cause for celebration as we introduced three electric double deck buses earlier than originally planned!

We unveiled three electric buses to local Councillors, resplendent in ‘emerald’ route branding that is dedicated to the South Reading bus routes in advance of them going on the road. We are sure most emerald customers will have seen, or used, the buses by now.  

more coming for 2027

The three buses are in advance of a fleet of new electric buses that are coming to convert the whole of the emerald 5 and 6 routes to zero emission electric in 2027. 

The high-spec, quiet, zero-emission buses are part of our existing 32 strong EV fleet which is reducing the CO2e by over 1000 tonnes each year versus the diesel buses they have replaced. 

The buses are built for comfort of both drivers and customers and are fitted with best-in-class features designed to help make journeys even more comfortable, including:

• high back seats with plenty of legroom
• USB-A and C charging
• seat-back phone holders with wireless charging
• a glazed staircase and a skylight on the upper deck to help let light in
• mood lighting fitted throughout
• two wheelchair bays
• tables to help you work and socialise
• audio and visual automated next stop announcements

The buses include an electric heat-pump that not only provides heating in the winter but also provides air conditioning on the top deck in the summer – so remember that to get the best benefit, windows should be kept closed to allow the bus to cool down properly. 

The drivers benefit from camera mirrors for improved visibility, reversing sensors, and a curved windscreen to reduce risk of injury in the event of an incident. A full CCTV system is also in place including audio recording in the entrance area.

The three buses will run on both emerald 5 to Northumberland Avenue and emerald 6 to Whitley Wood which run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Both routes combine between town and Whitley Street to provide an ultra-frequent service – with a special £2 short hop fare between Whitley Street and town.

The rest of the buses should arrive around Spring next year which will then mean the whole of the emerald routes will be electric, bringing a more comfortable experience to all and further improvements in air quality.