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

  • Polis 2013 conference calls for greater coordination of EU policies
    December 10, 2013
    Mobility professionals from across Europe have called for greater coordination of European policies that affect urban and regional transport. Speaking at the 2013 Polis conference, new president Javier Rubio de Urquía said, "We need coordination between European environment, climate, research, energy and transport policies as these have a direct impact on urban and regional transport. This is required to deliver the best sustainable urban and regional transport systems in Madrid as well as anywhere else
  • EU Compass4D project begins work
    January 30, 2013
    The new EU co-funded project Compass4D recently launched by Ertico-ITS Europe is designed to prove the benefits of cooperative systems and deploy services for road users to increase road safety and energy efficiency, while reducing the level of congestion in road transport. Compass4D target users are drivers of buses, emergency vehicles, trucks, taxis, electric vehicles and private cars. They all need information to make their driving safer, less stressful and more energy efficient. As a consequence, bus dr
  • New vehicle technologies ‘could help reduce fatalities on European motorways’
    March 5, 2015
    New safety technologies could play a major role in reducing the numbers killed on European motorways, according to the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), in a new report published today. The new analysis of developments in motorway safety shows that, despite recent progress, around 1,900 were killed on motorways in the EU in 2013. The report cites figures from several countries showing that up to 60 per cent of those killed in motorway collisions were not wearing a seatbelt. It calls on the EU to req
  • Is Europe's Galileo project value for money?
    February 2, 2012
    Philippe Hamet discusses the progress of the European Union's Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System Project