Hydrogen buses enter service in Birmingham

As teased earlier this week here on our website, Birmingham City Council’s 20 Wrightbus double-deckers are now in service on National Express West Midlands‘ route 51 to Walsall via Perry Barr. Outside London, these are the only hydrogen buses operating in England.

The new buses have been purchased as part of the Council’s Clean Air Hydrogen Bus Pilot. The project is funded through OLEV (Office for Low Emission Vehicles), GBSLEP (Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership), Birmingham City Council and JIVE project funding from the FCH JU (European Funding from the Fuel Cell Hydrogen Joint Undertaking). The FCH JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, Hydrogen Europe and Hydrogen Europe Research.

The council is collaborating with ITM, who is producing and dispensing the hydrogen fuel from the new re-fuelling hub at Tyseley Energy Park.

“So we’re working with Transport for West Midlands to get hundreds more electric and hydrogen buses on routes across Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country” – Managing Director of National Express West Midlands, David Bradford

Managing Director of National Express West Midlands, David Bradford, said: “These state-of-the-art buses are a sign of our commitment to sustainability. National Express bought our last diesel bus in 2019, and our goal is that the whole fleet will be zero-emission by 2030.

“So we’re working with Transport for West Midlands to get hundreds more electric and hydrogen buses on routes across Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country.”

• Click the picture above for a brief gallery of the hydrogen Wrighbus double-deckers.