Green tech for 439 buses

DfT has announced the winners of funding for the fitment of technology to cut harmful emissions on 439 buses in England. The £7m of the Clean Bus Technology Fund 2015 has been distributed to 18 local authorities to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions in pollution hotspots.

The money has been awarded to: Birmingham (Centro) (27 buses, £486,000), Leeds City Council (32 buses, £498,500) TfL (50 buses, £500,000), Leicester City Council (five buses, £105,000), Merseytravel (31 buses, £497,000), Sheffield City Region Combined Authority (SCRCA) (25 buses, £500,000), WYCA (26 buses, £422,000), Bristol City Council (35 buses, £483,410), Brighton & Hove City Council (35 buses, £498,750), Gateshead Council (20 buses, £400,000), Sunderland City Council (14 buses, £280,000), Transport for Greater Manchester (7 buses, £161,617), Lancashire County Council (17 buses, £288,150), Norfolk County Council (24 buses, £416,060), City of York Council (28 buses, £308,000), Harrogate Borough Council (ten buses, £237,000), Broxbourne Borough Council (15 buses, £249,780) and Rossendale Borough Council (38 buses, £485,600).

To receive awards, local authorities had to show evidence that the technology would reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by at least 50%. The buses will be fitted with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) exhaust systems. As part of the award, councils must continue to monitor the schemes and provide evidence of their effectiveness.

Transport Minister, Andrew Jones, said, ‘Greener buses mean cleaner town and city centres and a healthier environment for everyone. The upgraded buses that will soon hit the roads in England continue our commitment to better air quality by investing in greener transport. By targeting pollution hotspots and backing the low-emission technology of the future, we are making the right long-term decisions to improve people’s lives.’

TfL will use the funding to upgrade earlier hybrid vehicles. Mike Weston, TfL’s Director of Buses, said, ‘We’re delighted the Department for Transport has decided to award us this extra funding to allow us to continue making our vehicles even greener than they are now. The money will be used to fit fifty hybrid double deck buses with the absolutely latest technology to cut emissions, especially oxides of nitrogen.’

The funding allocated to Centro will be used to upgrade existing Euro3 National Express double deckers operating into Birmingham city centre.

The funding allocated to TfL will be used to upgrade earlier Euro5 hybrids from ADL and Volvo. The exact vehicles and operators have yet to be determined.

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