Burges Salmon has been advising First Bus in connection with its intention to offer third parties commercial use of the extensive and state-of-the-art EV charging infrastructure at its Caledonia depot – an aim which was first announced by First Bus at last year’s COP26 conference in the city. Burges Salmon advised on the contracts to implement the project, initially on a pilot basis.
DPD has become the first company to officially sign up to the EV charging pilot. The agreement means that the firm’s delivery drivers will now have access to the site to charge their vehicles while in Glasgow.
First Bus is one of the UK’s largest bus operators. From as far north as Aberdeen to as far south as Cornwall, the company is working proactively with local authority partners, making a positive impact on air quality, tackling congestion and improving customer experience. First Bus is also focused on becoming a leader in the transition to a low-carbon future and committed to operating a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035; it has pledged not to purchase any new diesel buses after December 2022.
The Burges Salmon team advising on the deal was led by Brian Wong, a Partner in the Transport team, alongside Charlotte Robinson, an senior associate in the Projects department.
Brian comments: “We are pleased to have supported First Bus in taking this innovative step towards its aim of allowing other parties in the local area to make commercial use of its EV charging facilities, to push forward the Net Zero agenda. The Caledonia depot is a fantastic facility and this is a really smart initiative to make the best use of that infrastructure by two brands that are investing in a greener future for Scotland.”