The new electric bus depot in Hayes is powered by Enel X, and will serve Transport for London routes operated by Abellio
On 11 July, Abellio London opened the doors of its brand new depot for West London in Hayes. The new depot at Dawley Road replaces the operator’s North Hyde Gardens site.
The new facility is Abellio’s first fully owned bus depot in London, and is a purpose-built operating centre capable of housing up to 56 buses. West London routes 278, 350, 482, U5, U7 and U9 will operate from the new depot, which was built with construction partner Boshers Master Builders. It is located on a completely new site and was constructed during lockdown, with planning permission granted back in March 2021 and ground being broken in August.
Hayes depot has been designed as a dedicated operating centre, and the building features a living roof and nesting boxes alongside an energy efficiency rating of B. It also features a wall of historic significance that dates back to the Tudor period, which has been rebuilt using handmade Tudor bricks and a unique brick bond. Maintenance, driver training and driver theory testing will take place at an additional new facility in Waterway Park, located half a mile away.
Abellio said the opening of its new Hayes garage with full EV capacity highlights its continued investment into world-leading electric technology and infrastructure. In the last year the operator has introduced 41 electric buses across its London fleet, adding to the 34 already in service. By the end of 2022 it expects to have 125 electric buses in service.
Hayes will also be the home of new electric buses for route U5. The buses, manufactured by Alexander Dennis, have a range of what the operator described as ‘innovative and modern features’ including a more open feel, USB chargers and mobile phone holders in the seats, a contrasting colour scheme for priority seats, larger wheelchair and buggy area, and new digital information displays to improve accessibility.
The electrification of the depot was provided by Enel X, which provided the installation and ongoing maintenance and servicing of six 300kW high-powered Enel X Way charging stations. The manufacturer descibes its charging infrastructure as ‘both fast and smart,’ leveraging technology to maximise efficiency, such as by charging at off-peak times. Connection to the National Grid was supported by ESP Utilities Group, via an 11kV substation providing a 2,000kVA capacity for the depot.
The mobilisation of the depot and ongoing operational delivery has been led by Lorna Murphy, Operations Director at Abellio London Bus, and Marta Leszczynska, Operations Manager at Hayes depot, who were charged with leading the route transfers to the new site from a temporary facility and the introduction of the new U5 electric bus fleet into operation.
Louise Cheeseman, Director of Bus at TfL, visited the depot to mark its official opening, joining Lorna, Marta and colleagues Kimberly Littlefield, Communications Manager at Enel X and Lauren Diederich from ESP Utilities, to celebrate the opening of the new transport hub.
Louise commented: “The opening of Abellio’s new Hayes depot is another exciting step in London’s journey towards a zero-emission bus fleet, with the depot’s EV charging infrastructure modernising the industry, bringing fresh skills and a new generation of engineers and drivers. This will see us add to the more than 850 zero-emission buses already on our city’s roads. These cleaner, greener buses, including the state-of-the-art models now operating on route U5, are part of the Mayor’s drive to clean up our air, reduce the effects of climate change by bringing down carbon emissions and cut congestion on our roads.”
Lorna added: “The opening of our Hayes depot marks a leap forward for Abellio London Bus. This depot allows us to provide more accessible and comfortable electric journeys for our customers in West London, whilst working with TfL to decarbonise and support climate resilience as we lead the way toward a zero-emission fleet.”
Tony Whittle, Head of Enel X UK & Ireland commented: “We congratulate Abellio on the opening of its new Hayes depot, which is a symbol of our collective net zero future. It is an honour and a pleasure to partner with Abellio on this innovative electrification project in a long-term capacity, and we look forward to the opportunity to further their sustainability initiatives in a way that delivers value for all of West London.”
ESP Utilities Group CEO Kevin O’Connor said: “It is wonderful to celebrate the launch of Abellio’s new Hayes depot and recognise the important step this takes on the journey towards a zero-emission fleet. Depots that have a full EV capacity play a huge part towards realising the Mayor’s zero-emission ambition for London by 2030. As part of our partnership with Abellio, we supported the connection to the grid through the provision of technical support, value engineering, procurement support and accelerated land rights.”
In the last year, Abellio London’s buses have clocked up over 2 million electric miles.
