The Department for Transport is to fund the retrofit of green technologies on nearly 450 buses in the UK to reduce emissions by as much as 90%.
The Clean Bus Technology Fund 2015, valued at around £7 million, has been awarded to 18 local authorities and will fit a total of 439 buses with technologies aimed at reducing nitrogen oxide emissions.
Authorities had to provide evidence that the technologies would reduce emissions by at least 50% to be eligible for the award. All buses will be fitted with selective catalytic reduction systems which treat the gas usually emitted from exhausts.
The fund has been targeted at buses operating in pollution hotspots and DfT expects the selected vehicles to complete more than one million journeys in 2016.
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.”
The fund builds on Transport for London’s award of a contract to Argent Energy last month which will see around one third of TfL’s 8,900-strong fleet of buses in the capital run on B20 biodiesel from March 2016.
The body is also experimenting with rapid wireless charging technologies for its electric and hybrid buses which would enable the vehicles to be charged wirelessly while waiting at stations and bus stops.
