Guidance: Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme

Information for local transport authorities in England, outside London, on the ZEBRA scheme.

Published: 03 August 2021
By Chris Haycock

Zero emission bus regional areas scheme 2021 to 2022 (Phase 2): business case development guidance PDF, 411KB, 21 pages

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Request an accessible format. If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need aversion of this document in a more accessible format, please email webmasterdft@dft.gov.uk.Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use. Details We are no longer accepting applications for the ZEBRA scheme

If you have successfully completed Phase 1 selection, you will need to write a business case as part of Phase 2.

The ZEBRA scheme will provide up to £120 million for local transport authorities (LTAs), outside London, to support the introduction of zero-emission buses and the infrastructure needed to support them. This funding will support the introduction of the 4,000 zero-emission buses announced by the Prime Minister in February 2020.

LTAs had the opportunity to apply through the:

fast track process (deadline 21 May 2021)
standard process (deadline 2 July 2021)

The LTAs selected under the fast track process to progress to Phase 2 of the competition were announced on 6 July 2021. They are:

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority
Kent County Council
Leicester City Council
Milton Keynes Borough Council
Warrington Borough Council?and
West Midlands Combined Authority

The 6 shortlisted authorities will now develop business cases for investment, with the government awarding the first tranche of funding from the ZEBRA scheme to LTAs that produce the strongest business cases.

On 27 July 2021, 17 further LTAs were selected under the fast track process to progress to Phase 2 of the competition. They are:

Blackpool Council
City of York Council
Hertfordshire County Council
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
Norfolk County Council
North Yorkshire County Council
Nottingham City Council
Oxfordshire County Council
Portsmouth City Council & Hampshire County Council
Sheffield City Region Combined Authority
Southampton City Council
Swindon Borough Council
Tees Valley Combined Authority
Transport for Greater Manchester
Transport North East
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Worcestershire County Council

These additional 17 LTAs will each create a business case for investment.

Published 30 March 2021 Last updated 3 August 2021 + show all updates 3 August 2021 A further 17 local transport authorities will progress to phase 2 of the ZEBRA scheme.

6 July 2021 Applications for the ZEBRA scheme are no longer being accepted. Six shortlisted local authorities have been selected under the fast track process to progress to Phase 2 of the competition.

21 June 2021 The application deadline has been extended until 2 July 2021 and phase 2 business case guidance released.

19 May 2021 Error correction: proforma updated to clarify the consideration of VAT.

30 March 2021 First published.