FirstGroup invests in new ‘low carbon’ buses

UK and US transport operator FirstGroup has placed an order worth US$102 million (£70 million) for 305 new vehicles, 87 per cent of which will be Department for Transport approved ‘low carbon certified’. First Bus estimates this will save 4 million kg of CO2 per year. The 2016/17 investment will bring the company’s fleet of low carbon certified vehicles to around 1,000, believed to be one of the largest in the UK, saving in total an estimated 14.5 million kg of CO2 annually.
May 4, 2016 Read time: 2 mins

UK and US transport operator FirstGroup has placed an order worth US$102 million (£70 million) for 305 new vehicles, 87 per cent of which will be Department for Transport approved ‘low carbon certified’. First Bus estimates this will save 4 million kg of CO2 per year. The 2016/17 investment will bring the company’s fleet of low carbon certified vehicles to around 1,000, believed to be one of the largest in the UK, saving in total an estimated 14.5 million kg of CO2 annually.

All 305 new buses will be fitted with the latest Euro VI engines, which are claimed to produce 95 per cent fewer oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions compared to buses with Euro V engines and as a result will help improve air quality in the towns and cities in which First Bus operates.  

With 98 per cent of the order to be manufactured in the UK, the fleet investment by First Bus provides a big boost to British manufacturing helping to support hundreds of UK jobs.  Scottish firm ADL will manufacture 204 vehicles, while Northern Ireland’s Wrightbus has secured an order for 91 buses, and Volvo has won a contract to build 10 coach chassis in Sweden, with the bodies manufactured by ADL.

Related Content

  • UK to lead the way in testing driverless cars
    July 20, 2015
    The UK government has launched a US$30 million competitive fund for collaborative research and development into driverless vehicles, along with a code of practice for testing. The measures, announced by Business Secretary Sajid Javid and Transport Minister Andrew Jones, will put the UK at the forefront of the intelligent mobility market, expected to be worth US£1.4 trillion by 2025. The government wants bidders to put forward proposals in areas such as safety, reliability, how vehicles can communicat
    Read More
  • Greater Manchester signs significant new service contract with Siemens
    April 19, 2012
    Greater Manchester Combined Authority with Transport for Greater Manchester have awarded to Siemens one of the most significant service contracts of its kind for the long-term maintenance of traffic signalling equipment across all ten districts of Greater Manchester. Under Transport for Greater Manchester’s guidance, the service contract is designed to secure substantial energy savings and reduce carbon emissions.
    Read More
  • Fleet performance technology ‘could cut van accidents’
    January 22, 2016
    According to GreenRoad Technologies, fleet performance solutions could help to reduce the alarming number of road accidents involving vans, which have risen by 11 per cent in the last year. The organisation says new data has revealed that the number of crashes involving vans across the UK rose by 11 per cent in a year to 14,043 during 2014. And across Europe, the cost of accidents is reckoned to be US$157 billion per year. David Rodriguez of GreenRoad Technologies said: “This latest data shows that accident
    Read More
  • National Cycle Network plan for freewheeling Ireland
    January 18, 2024
    Routes will link to transport hubs to ensure more comprehensive mobility for people
    Read More

Highlighted Content