DfT announces next tranche of funding for 'green' buses
27 May 2013
Bus passengers in England are set to benefit from cleaner, greener bus journeys thanks to the fourth round of the Green Bus Fund announced by the department for Transport.
It is hoped that the latest tranche of funding - some £12m for 213 new low carbon buses - will deliver better services for passengers while also cutting carbon emissions and delivering economic growth.
The Green Bus Fund aims to cut greenhouse gas emission levels and encourage bus operators and local councils to make the switch to more environmentally-friendly buses. In total four rounds of the fund, worth £87m, will have delivered more than 1,200 new low carbon buses in England, saving around 28,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
The government is paying up to half the cost difference between low carbon diesel-hybrid and biomethane gas buses and their standard diesel equivalent.
Five bus manufacturers will benefit from orders for their eco-friendly hybrid, electric and gas buses, with many of the buses being assembled in the UK. The manufacturers that stand to benefit are Alexander Dennis, BYD, Optare, Scania and Volvo.
The winners, who will add 83 single-decker and 130 double-decker buses to their fleets, are spread across England and include Stagecoach and First Group. The local councils involved in the initiative include the City of York, Greater Manchester, Nottingham City and Transport for London.