The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), part of the DfT, has announced a £30m Low Emission Bus Scheme (LEBS).
It will run between April 2016 and March 2019 and is open to all
operators and local authorities in England and Wales. They can bid for
funding for low-emission buses and – in a break from the Green Bus Fund –
their related infrastructure, such as charging systems and gas or
hydrogen refuelling stations.
To qualify, buses must satisfy Euro 6 legislation and also produce
15% less greenhouse gas emissions than the average conventional Euro 5
equivalent diesel.
Bids will be given a score between 0-4 in four weighted areas: air
quality (25%), ambition (30%), deliverability (10%) and value for money
(35%).
The basic funding model for the grant will use a sliding fixed
efficiency scale which is based on value per gram of well-to-wheel (WTW)
CO2 equivalent per kilometre. It will be limited to 75% of the
differential between the cost of the low-emission bus and its standard
diesel equivalent, but a top-up amount will also be available towards
purchases of buses capable of operation in zero-emission mode.
The total funding available for bids of this nature will be capped at
90% of the same differential. DfT expects to publish a grant funding
calculator in April; the deadline for funding bids is 31 October.
Winners will be announced in January 2016.
Guidance for participants stresses that LEBS aims to “support the
most ambitious initiatives that aim to increase fleet numbers of low and
ultra-low emission buses, and tackle poor air quality over the life of
the grant and beyond it,” and that bidders who plan to continue to buy
low-emission buses after the grant period “will be looked upon
favourably.”
OLEV adds that one of LEBS’ underlying aims is to promote more
widespread roll-out of the measures it will support, and that it hopes
the scheme will function as an ‘incubator’ of long-term,
commercially-viable low carbon and zero-emission buses.
It also explains that bidders using sustainable fuel sources – such
as biomethane or renewable electricity sources – will be able to secure
higher levels of grant based on their superior WTW factors.
At the same time, DfT has also announced a further £3m from the Clean
Vehicle Technology (CVTF) fund for retro-fitment of pollution-reducing
technology. Seven areas and 147 existing buses will benefit from
flywheels, exhaust gas treatment or full-electric drive systems, taking
to almost 1,800 the number of buses which have been upgraded thanks to
the CVTF.
It has also announced the 12-strong shortlist of cities bidding for a
share of a £35m fund to become centres of excellence for low emission
vehicles, with the winners to be named in the autumn.
NOW SEE THE LATEST ON THE NEW FOCUS FLICKR SITE:
It is back to Leicester for another album of images. This time the First Group and a small number of other operators are featured and can now be viewed by clicking here
NOW SEE THE LATEST ON THE NEW FOCUS FLICKR SITE:
It is back to Leicester for another album of images. This time the First Group and a small number of other operators are featured and can now be viewed by clicking here