According to bus operators, a plan to convert the whole Welsh bus fleet to zero-emission cars by 2035 will require a nationwide finance package. Wales, unlike England and Scotland, lacks a government-run fund to assist operators with the costs of green cars and infrastructure. Although Newport and Cardiff have taken significant moves toward implementing electric buses, they remain anomalies for the time being. According to the Welsh government, work on a funding plan will begin this year. In January, Cardiff Bus debuted 36 new electric buses, bringing the total number of zero-emission (ZE) vehicles in its fleet to nearly a quarter, four years after the city’s first eight-week trial of an electric bus. In 2019, Newport became the first city in Wales to have a permanent electric service bus.

Newport Transport launched the country’s first electric bus fleet in 2020, bringing its total to 16, with another 16 on the way in March. This year, it intends to convert half of its 100-strong fleet to electric. However, these are Wales’ only two substantial ZE fleets. Even Swansea, Wales’ second-largest city, lacks such a provision, and the city council is unaware of any proposals by private operators to modify it. According to a spokeswoman for the Welsh government: “Over the next year, we will work with the public sector to create a funding scheme to support the transition to electric buses. In the meantime, we have provided grants to local authorities for projects that will see zero-emission buses replace diesel buses on major Welsh routes.”