BRIGHTON is to get three electric buses after the government awarded a £500,000 grant.

The Department for Transport issued the cash to The Big Lemon company to buy and run the three buses.

It is part of £11 million handed out by the government to fund low emission buses in towns and cities across England.

Transport Minister Paul Maynard said: “The Big Lemon’s plans will make a real difference in cleaning up emissions from buses in the local area.

“New greener buses will be more comfortable for passengers, they are cost efficient and are good for the environment.

“I am pleased that our funding will deliver three new electric buses for Brighton.”

Among the other areas set to receive cash include Bristol, York, Surrey, Denbighshire and Wiltshire .

The £11 million will go towards 153 cleaner buses.

Tom Druitt, chief executive of Big Lemon, said: “It’s fantastic news. We only found out on Friday so it was a great way to end the week.”

He said the company put in a bid for funding when the government launched its Low Emission Bus Scheme in 2015.

On that occasion the Big Lemon was not successful but it was invited to apply again for the second wave of funding - of which the recipients have been named today.

Mr Druitt said: The money will go towards three brand new electrical buses which we hope to run on the Brighton and Hove City Council support routes.

“We have to put investment in as well, the money should pay for roughly half the cost of the new buses.”

Mr Druitt said the buses are the most environmentally friendly in the world.

He added: “They are fantastic. They run off the solar panels on our roof so they are zero in terms of carbon footprint and zero in terms of emissions.

“They build them to order so there is about a six month wait from putting in the order.

“We hope to get that all together before Christmas and then hopefully we will be seeing the buses on the roads in the first half of next year.”

The government’s support for low emission buses is one part of a £600 million package of measures from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles by 2020.

Last year the government also promised £270 million to support the roll out of low emission cars, taxis and buses.

The Big Lemon already has three electric buses in Brighton.

Two were launched in April and other earlier this month.

The existing coach fleet runs entirely on used cooking oil, making the fleet the greenest in Britain.

All the buses come fully equipped with wi-fi and USB charging points.

Norman Baker, former Lewes MP and now Big Lemon managing director, told The Argus back at the April launch that electric is the future.

He said: “This shows both that we continue to lead the way in terms of sustainable transport and that we are expanding our fleet, and going from strength to strength.”

He joined the company after losing his seat in 2015. Visit thebiglemon.com.

The successful bidders are:

• Denbighshire County Council, Wales - £500,000 for 4 electric buses to be used on services in mid-Denbighshire;

• City of York Council - £3.3 million for 24 electric buses to be used on park & ride services in York;

• South Gloucestershire Council - £4.8m for 110 gas buses for services around Bristol;

• Surrey County Council, Guildford – £1.5 million for 9 electric buses to be used on park & ride services in Guildford;

• The Big Lemon, £500,000 for 3 electric buses to be used in the Brighton area;

• Go South Coast/Wiltshire County Council – £500,000 for 3 electric buses to be used on park & ride services around Salisbury.