Saturday 30 July 2016

Low Emission Bus Scheme - Results

In March 2015 the Low Emission Bus Scheme was announced, with £30m being made available for local authorities and operators in England and Wales through a competitive bidding process.

This new scheme was intended to build on the success of the Green Bus Fund, which ran from 2009-2013 and delivered around 1,250 low emission buses onto England’s roads. 

The Low Emission Bus Scheme has the following three primary objectives:

• Increase the uptake of low and ultra-low emission buses, speeding

up the full transition to an ultra-low emission bus fleet in England

and Wales, and reducing the need for subsidy support;

• Support the improvement of local air quality. Buses are a significant

contributor to the UK's air quality problems on some of its most

polluted roads; and

• Support OLEV’s (The Office for Low Emission Vehicles)  commitment of attracting investment to the UK.



The Department has assessed bids against the following criteria: ambition,

deliverability, air quality and value for money.


List of the winning funding bids for buses and infrastructure  




https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/low-emission-bus-scheme-2016-to-2017-successful-bidders

 42 hydrogen powered buses are scheduled for London and Birmingham.
London have been running vehicles of this type for some years now

 Gas powered buses are proving popular in the UK, Reading have been awarded
 funding towards 16 bio-methane vehicles
 As battery technology improves electric buses are becoming ever more popular

 Hybrids have been around for some years and now manufacturers are improving the
product by installing new features such as stop-start and the ability to run through
low emission zones on 'battery only' mode
.