Greener buses

£7m of funding announced to retrofit buses in England's pollution hotspots

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Published: January 8, 2016
This Article was written by: Katie Hill - My Green Pod
cities, politics

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Nearly 450 buses in England will be fitted with green technology that will cut harmful emissions by up to 90%, after the successful bids for around £7 million of Department for Transport funding were announced at the weekend.

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Slashing NOx by 50%

The Clean Bus Technology Fund 2015 is being awarded to 18 local authorities across England to retrofit 439 buses with technology to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions in pollution hotspots. The buses upgraded will complete more than a million journeys a year.

To win bids, local authorities had to show evidence that the technology would reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by at least 50%. The buses will be fitted with exhaust gas treatment systems called selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and will be back on the roads after their upgrade.

Improving air quality

Due to their high mileage and long operational life, the switch to greener buses can help improve air quality in town and city centres.

‘Greener buses mean cleaner town and city centres and a healthier environment for everyone. The upgraded buses that will soon hit the roads in England continue our commitment to better air quality by investing in greener transport.

‘By targeting pollution hotspots and backing the low-emission technology of the future, we are making the right long-term decisions to improve people’s lives.’

Andrew Jones, Transport Minister

Successful applications

Transport for London: £500,000 awarded to convert 50 buses
Sheffield City Region Combined Authority (SCRCA): £500,000 to convert 25 buses
Brighton & Hove City Council: £498,750 to convert 35 buses
Leeds City Council: £498,500 awarded to convert 32 buses
Merseytravel: £497,000 awarded to convert 31 buses
Birmingham (Centro): £486,000 awarded to convert 27 buses
Rossendale Borough Council: £485,600 to convert 38 buses
Bristol City Council: £483,410 to convert 35 buses
WYCA: £422,000 to convert 26 buses
Norfolk County Council: £416,060 to convert 24 buses
Gateshead Council: £400,000 to convert 20 buses
City of York Council: £308,000 to convert 28 buses
Lancashire County Council: £288,150 to convert 17 buses
Sunderland City Council: £280,000 to convert 14 buses
Broxbourne Borough Council: £249,780 to convert 15 buses
Harrogate Borough Council: £237,000 to convert 10 buses
Transport for Greater Manchester: £161,617 to convert 7 buses
Leicester City Council: £105,000 awarded to convert 5 buses

Zero emission by 2050

This new fund is in addition to significant match funding by local authorities and support from bus operators to improve air quality. This has ensured over 2,000 buses have already been upgraded across England to cut emissions since 2011.

These upgrades to existing transport are separate from the government’s £600 million investment in low-emission technology over the next five years, which will help make almost every car and van zero emission by 2050.

Click here to find out more about the Clean Bus Technology Fund 2015.