A further £2.4m will be made available to help fund 55 more low carbon buses
Transport Minister Norman Baker confirmed additional money through the Green Bus Fund and Clean Bus Technology Fund becoming available to bring 55 more low carbon buses into service and to retro-fit dozens more to clean up exhaust fumes.
Norman Baker said: “This money will improve air quality in towns and cities across England and cut carbon, which is good for all of us wherever we live.
“Schemes like these are a cost-effective way of landing real benefits for the public and the environment. Cleaner, more efficient bus services are good for the economy and for the environment – it’s a win-win.
“The new funding will see £2.4m ploughed into further funding for low carbon buses allowing bus companies and local authorities in Manchester, Oxfordshire, York and Sunderland to buy electric, hybrid and biomethane gas-powered buses.”
The Clean Bus Technology Fund will allocate additional grants to local authorities totalling over £1m pounds to modify local buses to reduce emissions of harmful pollutants and improve air quality on congested roads in parts of Kent, South Yorkshire, the West Midlands, Buckinghamshire and York.
The following towns, cities, districts and counties will benefit from the new funding:
- Manchester – 23 new green buses;
- Sunderland – 23 new green buses;
- York – seven new green buses and a pilot scheme to convert a diesel bus to electric propulsion;
- Oxfordshire – two new buses; l Sheffield – conversion of five buses to run on natural gas;
- West Midlands – 29 buses with exhaust gas treatment;
- Chiltern District – five buses with exhaust gas treatment; and
- Swale Borough – five buses with exhaust gas treatment.
In May the department announced £12m for the fourth round of the Green Bus Fund and in June a further £5m was allocated to the Clean Bus Technology Fund.
