Merseytravel has announced a project that a project to bring 20 hydrogen-powered double-decker buses to the streets of the Liverpool City Region will take an important step forward on 19 March, with the project’s business case and funding set to be approved at a Combined Authority (CA) meeting.
The zero-emission vehicles will be directly funded by the Combined Authority.
The project – which is set to secure a funding boost of up to £12.5m from the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) – is seen as a key part of the Metro Mayor’s ‘Vision for Bus,’ which commits to using the powers available through devolution to build a better, more reliable and affordable bus network for the Liverpool City Region.
Plans for the hydrogen bus project also include the building of refuelling facilities, which Merseytravel says will be the first of their kind in the North West. Construction on the new hydrogen refuelling facilities is planned to begin later in the year.
With the Metro Mayor having set a target for the Liverpool City Region to become net zero carbon by 2040, hydrogen buses will join the existing fleet in the city region which is already more than 70% low emissions, via the use of cleaner engines, hybrid and electric power and biomethane gas.
It is anticipated that the buses will initially serve the 10A route between St Helens and Liverpool city centre, the City Region’s busiest bus route, operated jointly by Arriva and Stagecoach.
“The new state-of-the-art vehicles will help our city region tackle poor air quality and achieve our ambition of being net zero carbon by 2040. And, like the new trains for Merseyrail network, they’ll be owned by the people of the Liverpool City Region and can be built to serve their needs.
“It’s another example of how we’re using the power of devolution to make things greener and cleaner and improve our transport system to make it more reliable, attractive and affordable for everyone who lives and works here.”
