£48 million available for UK operators in ultra-low emission bus scheme

Transport Minister, Nusrat Ghani, has announced a new ultra-low emission bus scheme aimed at cutting emissions, ensuring cleaner and greener journeys.

Local authorities and operators in England and Wales will bid for a share of the £48 million fund, which can be used to purchase hundreds of new ultra-low emission buses and the supporting infrastructure.

This is part of the government’s commitment through the Industrial Strategy to reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the transport sector.

Transport Minister, Nusrat Ghani, said: “We are doing more than ever before to reduce greenhouse gas pollution across all modes of transport and we are committed to ensuring nearly all cars and vans are emission-free at their tailpipes by 2050. In order to achieve this ambitious target, the transport sector is going to have to change dramatically over the next couple of decades – and buses are no exception.”

This new scheme follows the success of the previous low emission bus scheme which led to 13 organisations collectively receiving more than £30 million: enough to put more than 300 new low-emission buses on the road by 2019.

Claire Haigh, Chief Executive of Greener Journeys, said: “The cleanest diesel buses emit fewer emissions overall than the cleanest diesel cars, despite being able to carry 20 times more passengers. Buses are also the lifeblood of our communities, connecting families and getting people to work.”

The current funding comes as part of a wider £100 million scheme announced in November 2016 to support low-emission buses.

The ambitious Industrial Strategy commits to publishing a strategy on the pathway to zero emissions road transport which will discuss how the transport sector is going to have to change dramatically to cut down on harmful emissions. The Prime Minister announced in December 2017 that the UK would host a zero-emission vehicle Summit in Autumn 2018.