The Gas Bus Alliance (GBA) is seeing a ‘sea change’ in attitudes in favour of gas propulsion.
GBA’s Tony Griffiths told CBW that the Alliance has been approached by a number of OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) in recent months. “We’re seeing a groundswell of interest,” he said.
GBA has been involved in the installation of five gas refuelling stations since November 2013. In the context of the bus and coach industry Arriva’s refuelling stations at Darlington and Runcorn were GBA projects, as were Go-Ahead’s (Anglian Bus) at Beccles and Reading Buses.
The development by Scania and Alexander Dennis (ADL) of a gas-fuelled double-decker is likely to attract considerable interest because the technology is so simple, argued Tony. He highlighted a presentation at Euro Bus Expo where Reading Buses Chief Engineer John Bickerton said that, compared to diesel and diesel-electric hybrids, his gas-fuelled ADL Scania single-deckers were the most reliable in the fleet.
“Gas is delivering everything we said it would,” said Tony. “Getting utilities in to a concrete base has been hard, but infrastructure is not an issue.” GBA has partnered with SGN (previously Scotia Gas Networks). Tony added that there has been considerable interest in the Crouchland Farm, West Sussex anaerobic digestion plant in which GBA is a partner.
