Home News Low carbon buses in UK receive £20 million boost and new easy-to-use toolkit
November 7, 2012 – UK Transport Minister Norman Baker announced an extra £20 million in funding for Round 4 of the Green Bus Fund, bringing the total support for this initiative to £95 million since its launch in 2009.
The additional funding was found from an underspend in the Department for Transport’s budget and those wishing to buy low carbon buses will be able to apply for Round 4 support this financial year. Details on the bidding process and eligibility will be published soon on the department’s website.
Commenting on the financial boost, Mr Baker said, “Cutting carbon emissions from transport is not a choice, it is a necessity and that is why I am prioritising green buses and giving operators and local authorities an extra £20 million to deliver on this.”
Green buses are definitely a Smart Move as each year, every low carbon bus in London saves around 26 tonnes of CO2 compared with its diesel equivalent.
A second boost for green buses was the official launch of an easy-to-use toolkit that allows local authorities and bus operators to make informed decisions on investing in carbon cutting buses. The new calculator works out how finances stack up, with or without support from the Green Bus Fund and how long it takes for a low carbon bus to pay for itself based on assumptions around capital costs and efficiency.
“Our new toolkit will be indispensible in allowing those considering investment in low carbon buses to see the advantages for themselves” highlighted Mr Baker.
While buses using low carbon technologies tend to be more expensive than conventional buses, many are eligible for government support and operating costs are usually lower so that, over time, they are actually the more economical choice.
See the press release |