Skip to main content

UK organisations participate in EU green urban transport project

The UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), along with partners Transport and Travel Research (TTR) and several other leading UK organisations, are taking part in a 42-month innovative demonstration project which is investigating zero emission urban bus systems. The project, known as ZeEUS, is being co-ordinated by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and is co-funded by the DG Mobility and Transport of the European Commission with a budget of US$31 million (US$18.6 million EU fun
April 1, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
The UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (491 TRL), along with partners Transport and Travel Research (TTR) and several other leading UK organisations, are taking part in a 42-month innovative demonstration project which is investigating zero emission urban bus systems.  

The project, known as ZeEUS, is being co-ordinated by the 3833 International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and is co-funded by the DG Mobility and Transport of the 1690 European Commission with a budget of US$31 million (US$18.6 million EU funded).

The project aims to facilitate the widespread introduction of electrified bus systems in Europe by demonstrating a number of different technological solutions for electric buses. These will operate as part of regular bus services in eight European cities, including Glasgow and London.  Subsequent analysis of the results will lead to the development of guidelines and tools to assist with the implementation of such systems.  Leading manufacturers in bus electrification are participating and will be providing plug-in hybrids or full electric buses. These will use different charging infrastructure and strategies for ensuring the buses are able to cope with the demands of the operational routes.

TRL is leading the evaluation for both of the UK demonstration sites. In London this is being established and led by 1466 Transport for London and in Glasgow by 2050 Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. However, TRL has a wider role to play across the project as a whole, helping to define the demonstration key performance indicators and in developing the trial methodologies for data collection and evaluation.

The electric buses being deployed in the UK will have a particularly unique element as they will be the only demonstrators in ZeEUS that will use wireless charging. Buses will be charged opportunistically during the day, which will allow them to complete routes that would otherwise be too demanding for regular electric buses.

In all, TRL and TTR are working on nine tasks associated with this project:  other areas include the assessment of regulatory and funding instruments for the procurement of electric buses; the grid effects on electrified bus systems; business cases related to bus depot operation; smart control of electric bus fleets and process evaluation.

Related Content

  • November 11, 2015
    TRL develops eCall test proposals ahead of mandatory roll-out in 2018
    TRL, the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory, has developed proposals for technical requirements and test procedures for the European type-approval of eCall in-vehicle systems. The draft proposals, which were developed for the European Commission, provide recommendations on the safety requirements for eCall systems in preparation of the mandatory European roll-out in 2018. Following the publication of eCall Regulation (EU) 2015/758 in May 2015, TRL was commissioned by the European Commission to develop dr
  • January 9, 2015
    Bristol to test new green bus technology
    The city of Bristol in the UK is to pilot the latest green technology for buses thanks to a US$1.5 million grant from the Government to coincide with the city’s year as European Green Capital. Baroness Kramer, minister of State for Transport, announced today that Bristol will receive funding to purchase a number of new hybrid buses which can switch from diesel to electric automatically in low emission zones. The grant from the green bus fund will be used to purchase a number of hybrid buses with geo-f
  • February 24, 2015
    EU funding for Danish EV charging project
    Fast charging of electric vehicles (EVs) in Denmark is about to become easier thanks to over US$1.1 million of funding from the EU's TEN-T Programme, which is funding a pilot project upgrading the existing charging stations in Denmark to common European standards. This will allow different types of electric vehicles from all over Europe to travel freely in Denmark and will serve as best practice to other European countries. The pilot project will transform 40 of Denmark’s 46 existing charging stations into
  • February 2, 2012
    Transport and traffic management for major sporting events
    Maurizio Tomassini, Isis, and Monica Giannini, Pluservice, detail the STADIUM project, which is intended to provide those responsible for planning major international events with a blueprint for success