All double-deckers in capital expected to be hybrids from 2020
More than 300 buses with Euro 6 engines will be operating on London’s roads by the end of this year, Transport for London (TfL) has announced.
Over two thirds of these vehicles (215) will be hybrid diesel-electric double-decker buses. Under the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) proposal, all buses driving in central London from 2020 will need to meet the Euro 6 standard for NOx emissions.
The effectiveness of Euro 6 engines in reducing harmful emissions has been substantiated in testing by TfL that re-creates real world driving conditions in London. During this testing, an ADL Enviro400 and a Volvo B5LH with Euro 6 engines were found to have 95% lower NOx emissions than a bus with a Euro 5 engine (down from 10 g/km to 0.5 g/km). This test result correlates with testing conducted by manufacturers.
Buses with Euro 6 engines first entered service in the TfL fleet in April this year and from January 2015 all new buses entering service in the capital will be Euro 6. On average, around 700 new buses enter London’s fleet each year.
The Euro 6 programme complements the work the Mayor and TfL are doing to accelerate the roll out of hybrid buses, with nearly 1,000 currently in service on London’s roads and 1,700 due to be in operation by 2016 – equivalent to around 20% of the total bus fleet.
In addition, as part of the capital’s ULEZ proposals, TfL will progressively increase the number of these buses to the point that – from 2020 – all double-decker buses operating in central London will be hybrid. In addition, under the ULEZ proposals, all single deck buses in central London will be zero emission (at point of use). This will require substantial investment by TfL and will deliver benefits outside central London – with nearly all double deck buses operating in inner London being hybrid and many in outer London too.
Mike Weston, TfL’s Director of Buses, said: “London has one of the cleanest bus fleets in Europe and, despite the growth of the network due to passenger demand, our overall emissions are continuing to reduce as we trial electricity and hydrogen and increase the use of bio-diesel to power the capital’s fleet. We are also retrofitting older vehicles and continuing the expansion of our hybrid fleet with nearly a thousand of these buses now in service on London’s roads. Taking action to accelerate the introduction of new Euro VI buses is the latest measure we are taking to reduce harmful emissions from the capital’s fleet.”
