Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced the Department for Transport will provide £5m to support efforts to reduce pollution from local buses.
Local authorities can bid for grants of up to £1m from the DfT’s Clean Bus Technology Fund. This will allow them to upgrade local buses with pollution-reducing technologies such as cleaner engines or exhaust after-treatment equipment.
Norman Baker said: “Improving air quality is important for the coalition government. This £5 million scheme will help clean up emissions from older buses in some of our most polluted urban areas.
“It will lead to real improvements in air quality on some of our more polluted streets, as well as helping stimulate jobs and growth in the bus and retrofit industries. In addition it will give British companies the opportunity to market new technologies to overseas bus operators and governments.
“The scheme is in addition to the £12 million funding announced last month for 213 new low carbon buses in the latest round of the Green Bus Fund. Whilst last month’s announcement was for new buses, this is for retrofitting current buses with green technology.
“This announcement also follows upgrades which are already being made to 900 older London buses that operate on routes with some of the worst air quality.”
Stephen Joseph, Chief Executive, Campaign for Better Transport, said: “There is increasing evidence that traffic in cities is affecting health. We need more support like the Clean Bus Technology Fund to reduce emissions and make our streets healthier and more attractive for everyone who uses them.”
