Friendly, affordable bus and coach services in Brighton & Hove, using zero-emissions electric buses, powered by renewable energy and owned by the local community
Happy New Year from The Big Lemon! Here’s 2017 in pictures…
We’d like to wish all our passengers, customers and friends a very happy New Year! Thank you for being part of our story in 2017 – what a year it’s been!
Let’s have a look at some of the highlights…
January: We launched our 2030 Vision for sustainable transport in the UK: By 2030 every community in the UK has access to affordable, sustainable transport, using zero-emissions vehicles powered by renewable energy and owned by the local communityFebruary: We started work on our solar roof, which now provides power for our two solar buses, our electric minibus, the workshop and the offices. Huge thanks to M&S Energy, our partners Viper IT Solutions, Infinity Foods and Buddies Cafe, and our sponsors and crowdfunding supporters for their generous support.March: We recruited a new Managing Director, Norman Baker. Norman was previously the MP for Lewes and the Buses Minister in the Coalition Government of 2010-15.April: We launched the UK’s first solar-powered electric bus with a big ceremony at our depot where we were joined by the mayor of Brighton & Hove, Cllr Pete West, Caroline Lucas MP and Cllr Gill Mitchell, Chair of the city’s council’s Environment, Transport & Committee and a number of our supporters and the local and national press. Massive thanks to our shareholders and bondholders whose support made this possible.May: The Big Lemon became a train – at the weekends! The ‘rail replacement bus’ is every rail passenger’s worst nightmare, but we are going to change all that… Happiness is a commute on The Big Lemon 🙂June: Batteries and drive pack being prepared for installation into our second Solar Bus by Magtec in their Sheffield factory. The bus, named “Lyndsay Morris” by our Solar Roof partners Infinity Foods, entered service a month later.July: We were informed that we were to be awarded contracts for five new bus services in Brighton & Hove, giving us a for the first time a network covering the whole of Brighton & Hove. After various delays due to a legal challenge by the outgoing operator the contracts were confirmed on 7 September and services launched 10 days later.August: In preparation for the launch of our new bus services we welcomed 14 new members of staff – doubling the size of our team! And as always, we recruited the nicest people we could find to give our passengers the best possible experience on the buses.September: As well as launching five new bus services and doubling the size of our team, we celebrated our tenth birthday! Brewed specially for the occasion by our friends at the Zero Impact Brewing Project was The Big Lemon’s 10th Anniversary Pale Ale.October: We took delivery of the first of six Enviro 200 buses we bought for the new services (in the first few weeks we used loaned vehicles while we trialled a permanent solution). Currently powered by dirty diesel, our goal is to convert all of these buses to electric in 2018. Can you help? Email anna@thebiglemon.com for an investment brochure.
November: We won our second Sussex Business Award – this time for the ‘Most Sustainable Business’. The judges mentioned in particular our relationship with the community. Our first Sussex Business Award was in 2013 when we won the award for Social Enterprise.December: We look back on another momentous year for The Big Lemon and say a massive thanks to those who have made it possible – our staff team who work their socks off every day to provide the best possible experience on our buses and coaches, the customers and passengers who support our services, and our shareholders, bondholders and supporters who make it all possible. Thank you all – here’s to 2018!
