London Trams depot in Croydon becomes greener

Credit: Transport for London

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that the London Trams depot on Therapia Lane in Croydon is set to become cleaner, greener and cheaper to run after it has secured funding from the UK government to help decarbonise this part of the operational tramway.

The funding has been awarded as part of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which aims to provide grants for public sector bodies in England to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures.

The grant of £592,000 will be delivered by Salix Finance and will help part-fund several improvements at the London Trams depot which, when complete, will be the first of a number of low carbon depots on the TfL network. The remaining funding is being covered by TfL’s own decarbonisation investment, which is part of the current Business Plan.

The project will see the heating systems upgraded with a mixture of efficient heat pumps and infrared panel heaters that will replace ageing and inefficient gas boilers. The additional electricity consumption from the new heating system is planned to be offset by using 1,800m² of south-facing roof space for solar panels, as well as other energy efficiency measures such as improved insulation and LED lighting.

UK government’s Transport Data Strategy to improve public transport access and innovation

Mark Davis, TfL’s General Manager for London Trams, said: “The planned improvements at the Therapia Lane depot are key to demonstrate that removal of fossils fuels from large, hard-to-decarbonise depots is feasible. Once this work is complete, the depot will not only be cleaner and greener it will be better shielded from more costly fossil fuels to help provide significant cost savings.”

The upgrade of the Therapia Lane depot is part of TfL’s wider work to further decarbonise London’s transport network and adapt its systems to reduce the impacts of climate change. As one of the largest consumers of electricity in the UK, TfL has recently begun tendering for a Power Purchase Agreement that will be the first step towards ensuring it continues its journey towards the Mayor of London’s goal of a net zero London by 2030. 

Furthermore, TfL is also working to further reduce its environmental impact across its wider network by upgrading lights to use LEDs to reduce electricity consumption, as well as actively seeking new locations for planting trees and installing other forms of green infrastructure. It is also maintaining and developing urban greening features, especially in outer London where there is more greenery, which can support better drainage and reduce flooding.

Planning is now underway with work on the improvements at the depot expected to be complete by 2025.