London to get more electric buses

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that two further bus routes will operate entirely with electric buses from autumn next year, lowering carbon emissions and helping to improve London’s air quality. The five-year contract to operate the routes has been awarded to Go Ahead following a competitive tender process, and will mean that 51 electric buses will operate across the two routes that will become the second and third pure electric bus routes in the Capital. Go Ahead will confirm which manufactu
July 16, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
1466 Transport for London (TfL) has announced that two further bus routes will operate entirely with electric buses from autumn next year, lowering carbon emissions and helping to improve London’s air quality.

The five-year contract to operate the routes has been awarded to Go Ahead following a competitive tender process, and will mean that 51 electric buses will operate across the two routes that will become the second and third pure electric bus routes in the Capital.  Go Ahead will confirm which manufacturer will supply the buses in due course.  By 2020 all 300 single deck buses operating in central London will be zero emission (either electric or hydrogen) and all 3,000 double deck buses will be hybrid.  
 
When fully converted, the electric buses on routes 507 and 521 will deliver a reduction of 408 tonnes of CO2 and 10 tonnes of NOx per year, when compared to single deck diesel buses.  They are emission-free at tailpipe, and will provide passengers with an improved experience with lower noise and vibrations.
 
The announcement follows the introduction of the first of two new electric buses, manufactured by Spanish company Irizar, into passenger service earlier this week.  At a Global Clean Bus Summit hosted by City Hall in June, Mayor of London Boris Johnson also announced a world-first trial of a purpose built pure electric double deck bus that will begin in October.
 
The two Irizar single-deck buses will operate on routes 507 and 521, which link Waterloo station to Victoria and London Bridge stations respectively.  The new buses will join two existing electric buses, manufactured by Chinese company BYD, on the Go Ahead-operated commuter routes in central London.  Including the first Irizar bus now in service, there are currently nine single-deck electric vehicles in the fleet will grow to 17 in September.  Once the double-deck trial begins in October, there will be 22 total pure electric buses on London streets.
Location Based Systems

Related Content

  • February 2, 2016
    London’s mayor launches bus safety programme
    The Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) have launched a world-leading programme to drive major improvements in safety across London's bus network, creating a six-point programme to reduce collisions and improve safety. The programme will bring together the newest technology, training, incentives, support, reporting and transparency right across the network, contributing to TfL's work towards meeting the mayor's target of halving the number of people killed or seriously injured on the capital's
    Read More
  • February 12, 2016
    New LowCVP report: The Journey of the Green Bus
    A new report by the LowCVP for Greener Journeys describes The Journey of the Green Bus; how innovation and supportive policy over the last decade and more has transformed the bus sector from being a part of the problem to being an important part of the solution to poor urban air quality as well as contributing to tackling climate change.
    Read More
  • September 15, 2015
    EIB backing for London transport
    The European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to provide US$1.5 billion for investment in the London transport network. The 35 year loan from Europe’s long-term lending institution will support major projects, including significant upgrades by Transport for London (TfL) at Victoria and Bank Tube stations, which will transform passenger access at two of the busiest stations in the capital. The new support was announced by Jonathan Taylor, vice president of the European Investment Bank and Steve Allen, ma
    Read More
  • September 30, 2015
    Mayor unveils expanded traffic-busting plans to keep London moving
    The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has unveiled the new measures Transport for London (TfL) is introducing to ease traffic in the capital and minimise disruption on the roads as major work to improve the network continues as part of the Mayor’s US$6 billion Road Modernisation Plan. The innovations include: Trials of new technology - for the first time on the TfL road network a new generation of digital road signs will provide people with real-time information on journeys using major routes into London.
    Read More

Highlighted Content