City Sightseeing Oxford launch new electric open top buses

City Sightseeing Oxford has launched an all-electric fleet of open top buses to deliver zero emission tours for visitors.

Unveiled to mark English Tourism Week the eye-catching new fleet of electric vehicles forms the next stage in Oxford Bus Company’s journey to delivering a decarbonized public transport system.

City Sightseeing Oxford has added eight electric buses to its fleet, which together with its existing three retro-fitted electric buses provides a full zero-emission fleet of open top tour vehicles. It represents a £4M investment into Oxfordshire’s visitor economy, as the sector continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

The City Sightseeing Oxford team were joined by Stuart Crook, Chair of Experience Oxfordshire, Hayley Beer-Gamage, CEO of Experience Oxfordshire; Enrique Ybarra, CEO of City Sightseeing Worldwide; and Lady Victoria Borwick, Chair of the VisitEngland Advisory Board to celebrate the launch.

The new fleet contains additional features for passengers including glazed staircases and roof lights to improve customers’ views of the dreaming spires. The on-board commentary systems cover 14 languages along with the popular interactive kids’ commentary ‘Mia Cloo’s Oxford Quest’. It also includes several new safety features, including digital camera mirror systems.

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director said: “This is a landmark moment in our journey towards transforming our fleet of vehicles to zero-emission in Oxford. The new City Sightseeing Oxford vehicles are powered by 100% renewable electricity and will help improve air quality and make Oxford an even more attractive place to visit.

“This represents a significant investment in Oxford’s visitor economy and environment and we are proud to play such an important role in the city’s tourism sector.”

Enrique Ybarra, CEO of City Sightseeing Worldwide said: ““We are proud that City Sightseeing Oxford is leading the transformation of the travel industry towards a 100% sustainable future by becoming the first-ever hop-on hop-off bus company with a fleet of fully electric buses. Environmental friendliness is one of the sector’s common goals, and we at City Sightseeing, as a global brand, are committed to this. This initiative not only paves the way for our entire network of over 100 destinations in more than 35 countries, but for the industry as a whole.”

Hayley Beer-Gamage, CEO of Experience Oxfordshire said: “We are delighted to see this investment in Oxfordshire’s visitor economy from our Ambassador Partner, the Oxford Bus Company. The new fleet is a fantastic example of the confidence and commitment Oxfordshire operators have in the future of our sector and it is great to see City Sightseeing Oxford leading the way on sustainable transport initiatives. I was delighted to be involved in the launch and experience the new service and this is a great way to launch 2024’s English Tourism Week.”
Oxford Bus Company and City Sightseeing play an integral role in Oxford’s visitor economy. City Sightseeing runs the popular open-top bus tours of the city and the Visitor Information Point in High Street whilst Oxford Bus Company also operates the Travel Shop in Gloucester Green. The visitor information point provides ideas and information on things to see and do in the city and wider county. It provides travel timetables, maps and books. Plus, discounted tickets for attractions, gifts and souvenirs. City Sightseeing Oxford also delivers guided walking tours of Oxford.

The City Sightseeing Oxford tour lasts approximately an hour and takes in the city’s famous sights, including the Oxford Castle, Christ Church College, Magdalen Bridge, Sheldonian Theatre, and Ashmolean Museum. On-board digital screens announce attractions at each stop, to encourage visitors to step off the bus to explore partner attractions and make the most of their trip to Oxford. Each bus has two wheelchair spaces and induction hearing loops for improved accessibility.
Earlier this year Oxford Bus Company launched what will be one of the biggest UK fleets of electric buses outside London, via its city services. Overall, the £82.5M project will deliver 159 new battery buses onto the streets of Oxford. It has also funded two associated electric charging hubs at the city’s bus depots. Oxford Bus Company has installed 104 charging points at its Cowley House depot.

The project has been funded via a collaboration between Oxfordshire County Council and bus operators Oxford Bus Company, owned by The Go-Ahead Group and Stagecoach. The Council was awarded £32.8M from the government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme and contributed £6M directly, while bus operators invested £43.7M.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

More photos are available.

English Tourism week runs from 15th to 24th March.

The new buses are Wrightbus Electroliner open tops, built in Northern Ireland and with 340kw battery packs. The audio commentary systems were supplied by v6e and the on-board display and announcement systems by Hanover.

Photo: L to R:

Hayley Beer-Gamage, CEO at Experience Oxfordshire
Lady Victoria Borwick, Chair of the VisitEngland Advisory Board
Stuart Crook, Chair of Experience Oxfordshire
Luke Marion, MD of Oxford Bus Company