Nearly 450 buses in England as set to be fitted with green technology after the successful bids for around £7m of Department for Transport (DfT) funding were announced on Sunday, January 3.
The Clean Bus Technology Fund 2015 is being awarded to 18 local authorities across England to retrofit 439 buses with technology to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions in pollution hotspots. The buses upgraded from this fund are expected to complete more than a million journeys per year.
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.”
To win awards, local authorities had to show evidence that the technology would reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by at least 50%. The buses will be fitted with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) filters and will be back on the roads after their upgrade.
As part of the award, councils must continue to monitor the schemes and provide evidence of their effectiveness.
The successful local authorities are:
- Birmingham (Centro) – £486,000 grant towards 27 bus conversions, with an additional 123 conversions to be funded locally;
- Leeds City Council – £498,500 grant towards 32 bus conversions, a number which could vary between 30 and 37 subject to tender results;
- £0.5m for 50 conversions for Transport for London;
- Sheffield City Region Combined Authority – £0.5m for 25 conversions;
- Merseytravel – £497,000 towards 31 conversions;
- Brighton & Hove City Council – £498,750 for 35 conversions;
- Rossendale Borough Council – £485,600 for 38 conversions;
- Bristol City Council – £483,410 towards 35 conversions;
- West Yorkshire Combined Authority – £422,000 for 26 conversions;
- Norfolk County Council – £416,060 towards 24 conversions;
- Gateshead Council – £400,000 towards 20 conversions;
- City of York Council – £308,000 towards 28 conversions;
- Lancashire County Council – £288,150 for 17 conversions;
- Sunderland City Council – £280,000 towards 14 conversions;
- Broxbourne Borough Council – £249,780 for 15 conversions;
- Harrogate Borough Council – £237,000 for 10 conversions;
- Transport for Greater Manchester – £161,617 for seven conversions; and
- Leicester City Council – £105,000 towards five conversions.
In total, £6,816,867 of funding is to be issued, with the Yorkshire and Humberside area receiving the most funding at £1,965,500 for 121 conversions (which could increase to 126).
