439 buses to be fitted with green technology to cut emissions

Following the news of successful bids for an estimated £7 million of Department for Transport (DfT) funding, 439 buses in England will be fitted with green technology to cut harmful emissions by up to 90 per cent.

The Clean Bus Technology Fund 2015 will be awarded to 18 local authorities across England, enabling 439 buses with technology to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions in pollution hotspots.

The move is expected to significantly improve air quality in town and city centres with the upgraded buses  set to complete more than one million greener journeys annually.

Andrew Jones, Transport Minister, 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.”

In order to win awards, local authorities were instructed to show evidence that the new technology would reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by at least 50 per cent. The new systems are called selective catalytic reduction (SCR), a form of exhaust gas treatment. Once the buses are upgraded, councils will continue to monitor the schemes and provide evidence of their effectiveness.

The funding adds to the £20 million already invested in retrofit schemes and the significant match funding of local authorities. As a result of other schemes, 2,000 buses have been upgraded across England to cut emissions.

The Clean Bus Technology Fund is a core part of the government’s commitment to green transport which has seen £2 billion worth of measures introduced since 2011. The move will also add to the government’s £600 million investment in low-emission technology over the next five years, which aims to make almost every car and van zero emissions by 2050.

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