Scottish operators to receive retrofit funding

Over £9.75 million has been awarded to 19 bus and coach operators in Scotland to retrofit 594 vehicles with exhaust emission abatement systems in 2020/21.

The accredited technology will help PCVs meet Euro VI standards, making them comply with the Low Emission Zones (LEZs) due to be introduced in the country’s four main cities. Transport Scotland and Energy Saving Trust will be monitoring emissions performance from the retrofitted vehicles to ensure they perform effectively over time.

The money was supplied through the Bus Emission Abatement Retrofit Fund (BEAR).

Stewart McLean, Managing Director of Driveline – a business based in Grangemouth and a supplier of the accredited exhaust retrofit technology, said: “This is a great opportunity for Driveline to help Scottish operators improve their emissions and demonstrate the successful Euro VI product lines that Driveline now offers to the world.”

Claire McVicar, Environmental Officer at Lothian Buses, said: “We are fully committed to improving air quality across all our operations in Edinburgh and the Lothians through our ambitious Bus2020 strategy, in line with the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Targets. We are therefore delighted to receive this substantial funding contribution from the Scottish Government to assist us in achieving our environmental goals.

“Retrofitting a large number of vehicles will help us to continue to reduce our overall emissions and ensure that we are playing our part in improving the air quality in and around Edinburgh for the benefit of residents, workers and visitors to our capital city.”