Thirty-three refurbished vehicles, upgraded to meet Euro VI emissions standards, are being rolled out across West Yorkshire. Councillor Kim Groves, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee, joined passengers to welcome back the first AccessBus to undergo emission-reducing retro-engineering and receive a fresh new livery.
As a result of a successful bid to the government’s Clean Bus Technology Fund, the Combined Authority’s fleet of 33 AccessBus vehicles have had their exhaust systems upgraded to meet Euro VI standards. AccessBus is a dial-a-ride bus service providing door-to-door local journeys for people who have difficulty using standard bus services, seven days a week between 0900 and 1700hrs.
Drivers provide passengers with door-to-door assistance, including boarding and alighting and the buses are fully accessible, fitted with seatbelts and wheelchair restraints.
The Combined Authority has provided match-funding for the £422,000 Clean Bus Technology Fund grant, which is being used to fit the most up-to-date wheelchair restraints, on board CCTV systems and digital destination information. At the same time the vehicles are receiving a refresh inside and out, which includes a new livery to reflect the greener status of AccessBus services.
Councillor Groves said: “AccessBus provides a vital service enabling users to go shopping but also for journeys for social purposes such as to local community centres, places of worship and visits to family and friends. I am delighted that we have the first of these environmentally cleaner and much brighter looking buses back in service and look forward to seeing the remaining 32 on West Yorkshire’s roads. This work is part of our wider drive to reduce emissions for buses, which has already seen 300 vehicles in the West Yorkshire fleet retro-fitted to bring them up to Euro VI standards.”
