Dorchester residents will be able to travel around in an eco-friendly manner after the town received funding for a groundbreaking project involving two electronic buses.

The town has been granted a £166,000 grant from the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Green Bus Fund which has enabled Dorset County Council, West Dorset District Council and the Duchy of Cornwall to buy two electric-powered buses to serve a brand-new route between Dorchester town centre and Poundbury.

Now, Dorset County Council intends to bid again and extend the electric bus services across Dorchester.

The two British-made Optare Solo vehicles will be the first fully electric public buses operating in southern England when they come into service this autumn.

It will offer combined estimated fuel savings of £25,000 over five years compared to standard diesel engines. They will help improve air quality in the county town, reducing carbon emissions by around 39 tonnes a year.

David Dawkins, Dorset Passenger Transport manager at the county council, said: “Public transport has a major environmental improvement role to play in reducing both car dependency and emissions. “Buses cover very high mileages in their lifetimes, so we are very pleased that we have finally been able to make this technology viable in the Dorchester area and directly improve the local environment. “Stage two will be to convert all of Dorchester’s local bus services to electric.”

The Green Bus Fund was set up by the DfT to help bus companies and local authorities in England meet the cost of buying new, low-carbon buses.

The fund encourages bidders to raise some of the cost themselves and offers grants of up to 90 per cent of the difference between the cost of the low carbon bus and its standard diesel equivalent.

Dorset County Council has contributed £126,000 and West Dorset District Council £100,000 towards the cost of the buses.

Kevin Crabbe, site manager, Duchy of Cornwall Poundbury, said: “The Duchy of Cornwall is pleased to be part of such a groundbreaking project, improving the sustainable transportation links for residents and businesses between Poundbury and Dorchester town centre. “The Green Bus service is a major step forward in reinforcing the sustainability credentials of the urban extension, Dorchester and Dorset.

“The service will provide a regular bus through Poundbury and around Dorchester improving access for all prior to the opening of Queen Mother Square in 2012”.