RATP Dev opens electric bus depot in west London

RATP Dev, the international arm of RATP Group, has announced an upgrade of its Shepherd’s Bush depot in London – to run electric vehicles contributing to zero-emission travel within the city. 

The depot, located in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, will house a fleet of 36 electric buses. RATP Dev already operates four all-electric buses out of Hounslow and operates 246 hybrid buses within London. The depot will house the buses for TfL routes C1 and 70, which will be all-electric.

Catherine Guillouard, Chairwoman and CEO of RATP Group, said: “We have been looking forward to the upgrade of this depot, which very tangibly demonstrates our commitment to clean and sustainable travel. RATP Group’s aim to switch to 100 per cent clean buses reflects our ambition to be an innovative and trusted partner of the city of London in its journey towards being a smarter and more sustainable city.”

RATP Dev partnered with BYD in conjunction with Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL), who were chosen as the preferred suppliers for the buses and charger equipment. The depot employs BYD’s smart-charging technologies to enable all of its buses to be charged overnight, avoiding peak hours of electricity use and easing overall grid capacity. SSE Enterprise and UK Power Networks also joined forces with the company to provide power capabilities to the depot.

Laurence Batlle, CEO of RATP Dev, said: “The electric buses housed at Shepherd’s Bush depot are a major step to realising a public transit system that helps improve our environment, that is demand responsive and that maximises efficiency with new technology. We are proud to work hand in hand with TfL to support the Mayor’s ultra-low emissions vision for the city and to provide London residents and visitors with innovative, sustainable and inclusive mobility solutions and services.”

Construction on the depot began in June 2018 and the project was efficiently completed without compromising day-to-day operations in the garage. RATP Dev plans to examine all opportunities to further contribute to London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone.

Mike Brown MVO, London’s Transport Commissioner, said: “London’s air quality is a public health crisis and we’re committed to tackling it. The Ultra-Low Emission Zone, the world’s toughest emission standard which we’re introducing in central London in 2019, will help to reduce toxic emissions and vehicles in the transport industry must also lead the way. That is why we are creating one of the biggest electric bus fleets in Europe and we are delighted that RATP is introducing these new cleaner electric buses into the London bus network. Buses are a crucial and affordable way to reduce Londoners’ reliance on cars and this investment helps to reduce emissions across in London as part of supporting the Mayor’s vision of a zero-carbon city by 2050.”