Liverpool City Region has completed the electrification of the Gillmoss bus depot, enabling the charging of more than 100 battery-electric buses. The upgraded depot will serve as the main operational hub for the region’s publicly owned zero-emission buses.Image: Liverpool City RegionGillmoss depot, operated by Stagecoach, provides services across Liverpool and Knowsley and will now play a central role in supporting the city region’s growing electric bus fleet. The project also included investments in engineering and maintenance facilities, alongside training programmes to equip local engineers with the skills required to maintain battery-electric vehicles.The depot upgrades support the introduction of 108 battery-electric buses that began arriving in the Liverpool City Region earlier this year. The vehicles are supplied by British manufacturers Alexander Dennis and Wrightbus and offer a range of up to 275 miles (442 kilometres) on a single charge.The multimillion-pound project was delivered by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in partnership with Scottish Power Energy Networks, charging specialist VEV, bus operator Stagecoach and Liverpool City Council. The works included upgraded grid connections and the installation of high-power smart charging infrastructure capable of fully charging a double-decker electric bus in as little as 90 minutes.The rollout is closely linked to the city region’s plans to bring bus services back under public control through a franchising model. The transition will begin in September 2026 in St Helens and Wirral, while services in Knowsley, Liverpool and Sefton are expected to be fully franchised by the end of 2027.“We’re gearing up for the biggest change to our region’s buses in more than 40 years. Behind the scenes, we’ve been doing the work to make sure everything is ready to deliver it,” said Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region. “When we take back control of services later this year, we’ll already have the foundations in place to deliver a network shaped around passengers – with plans in motion to provide a cleaner, more accessible and more reliable fleet that is fit for the future.”liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk