Island of Hoy Development Trust secures funding for new electric buses

The Island of Hoy Development Trust, supported by Orkney Islands Council, has secured more than £130,000 from the Carbon Neutral Islands Capital Fund (CNICF) to accelerate the transition of its transport fleet to fully electric vehicles.

The investment will enable the Trust to purchase three new electric buses and install an electric charging point at the YM Hall in Longhope.

This new charger will complement the Trust’s existing electric vehicles, with installation work and vehicle delivery scheduled for completion before 31 March.

Throughout the winter, the Trust has been trialling a demand‑responsive transport model with residents in the north of the island. Their feedback, along with information gathered from an island wide survey in March of 2025, has played a key role in shaping how the bus service will be implemented across Hoy & Walls going forward.

The new service will operate on a door‑to‑door basis, allowing residents to be collected from their homes and taken to any destination within Hoy and Walls. Bookings can be made up to two weeks in advance, or as little as two hours before travel.

This shift from a fixed‑timetable bus service to a mainly demand‑responsive model, will enable it to be available seven days a week between the hours of 06:15 and 19:30, and is planned to launch on 1 April.

The Trust’s work builds on its long‑standing partnership with Orkney Islands Council, which currently contracts them to deliver public bus services across the island. This collaboration has been strengthened further through additional support from the Community Transport Grant Scheme, alongside match funding from the Sustainable and Green Transport Fund. Together, these funding streams have helped develop community transport on Hoy and Walls, ensuring quality accessible service for its residents.

Chris Heugh,Director of the Island of Hoy Development Trust said:

“The entire Trust board fully supports this initiative and is excited to introduce a demand-responsive transport service along with a new electric fleet. This will greatly improve community transportation, alleviating isolation and social exclusion by making it accessible to all residents, not just those on fixed routes.

“We sincerely appreciate CNICF funding, which enables this initiative and supports the pursuit of Carbon Neutral status in Hoy and Walls. We also extend our gratitude to OIC for their assistance during the application process.

“The community provided generous feedback during the consultation last March, and we kindly ask for their patience when we launch in April and further develop the service throughout 2026 to benefit everyone.”

The funding was announced as part of a wider package by the Deputy First Minister at the Convention of the Highlands and Islands in November 2025. 

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said:

“Our island communities are bursting with ambition, innovation and potential, and the Scottish Government is committed to supporting local priorities and long-term sustainability. Indeed it is the underpinning objective of the Convention of the Highlands and Islands to take a collective, strategic approach to unlocking economic opportunities and tackling issues.

“I am pleased we have been able to provide substantial funding towards projects across island areas. They are all fine examples of how we can work together with communities and local authorities to boost island economies in ways that are sustainable and generate revenue that can be reinvested locally.”

Switching from diesel to electric vehicles is expected to reduce carbon emissions by around 23 tonnes of CO₂ each year.

With the buses and charging infrastructure due to be in place by the end of March, it is hoped residents will see an immediate improvement in reliability, flexibility, and environmental impact. The service will continue to evolve as further community feedback is gathered.

Details on fares, memberships and limited timetables will be shared by the Trust in the coming weeks.