In the meantime, bus transport in South-East Brabant will remain in the hands of transport company Hermes until at least the summer of 2029.
The province of Noord-Brabant has taken an important step in making public transport more sustainable by purchasing the bus depot on Energielaan in Uden. This acquisition is a strategic move, given the central location and the good infrastructure required for charging electric buses. With the purchase of this depot, which covers an area of 0,7 hectares, the province is securing a crucial location in the East Brabant concession area. Provincial Executive Stijn Smeulders emphasises the importance of this purchase: “A few years ago, a depot mainly required asphalt and an accessible location. It is now also essential to have a good power connection, otherwise the depot is not suitable for storing the Zero Emission bus fleet of the future.”
level playing field
The purchase, for which the province is paying 2,2 million euros and reserving an additional 2026 euros for maintenance, not only concerns the sustainability of public transport, but also responds to the increasing role of electric buses. With the takeover, the province also wants to create a level playing field for transport companies that want to compete for the new concession for East Brabant. This concession, which will start in December 12,5 and has a term of XNUMX years, offers space for transport companies to register and rent the depot from the province. This ensures that the concession is fairer, without one transport company already having advantages due to the ownership of essential infrastructure. Arriva is currently the concession holder in East Brabant and the company rents the depot in Uden.
The purchase of the depot in Uden is remarkable because it is the first time that the province has taken over an existing depot. The province previously played an active role in the construction of new depots in Breda and Roosendaal, but in Uden it concerns an existing location. Smeulders explains: “The developments in our public transport are moving fast. The strategic importance of a good bus depot has only increased. That is why we look at each case to see how we can best guarantee this. In this case by taking over a location ourselves.”
The province of Noord-Brabant has included an important condition in the Program of Requirements for the new concession: the ZE bus equipment. This means that the buses that drive in the concession area may not emit any harmful substances. The depot in Uden plays a crucial role in this, because it offers a place where the electric buses can be charged and parked. In addition to Uden, there are three other depots in the concession area, in 's-Hertogenbosch, Tilburg and Waalwijk. These locations will also play a role in the future in making public transport in the region more sustainable.
Hermes provides bus transport in South-East Brabant and Arnhem-Nijmegen. They do this in South-East Brabant under the name 'Bravo'.
In the meantime, bus transport in South-East Brabant will remain in the hands of transport company Hermes until at least the summer of 2029. This news came out via the Eindhoven Daily. Although Hermes is struggling with a driver shortage, the province of Noord-Brabant has decided to extend the contract with the company by 2,5 years. However, this decision was not made without conditions.
“There will be much higher fines if Hermes does not implement the timetable as agreed,” deputy Smeulders told the regional newspaper. According to him, a plan B was even considered, in which the contract would not be extended. “That was on the table as plan B if we had not reached an agreement together. Then we would now have continued at breakneck speed with the new tender,” Smeulders said in the ED.
The developments in public transport in North Brabant show that the province is actively committed to a future in which sustainability and a well-functioning network are central. The takeover of the depot in Uden is an important step towards a cleaner and more efficient public transport system. By focusing on electric buses and a level playing field for transport companies, the province ensures that the region is prepared for the challenges of the future.
Photo: Stijn Smeulders – photographer Marc Bolsius
