At last! We are seeing TfL and the Mayor announcing the rollout of the double-deck electric buses for two London Bus routes.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced the creation of the largest double-decker electric bus fleet in Europe today, as he brought together city leaders from across England and Wales for a national air quality summit.
The capital’s zero-emission public transport network is to get even larger as the Mayor declared that 68 new electric double-deckers will join the bus fleet in London.
Sadiq revealed that the number of electric double-deck buses in London will increase more than tenfold, and that two routes run by Metroline from Barnet to central London will be exclusively operated by electric double-decker buses.
Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed that the 68 new buses will be added to London’s growing green bus fleet next summer.
The announcement was made as cross-party leaders, representing around 20m people from towns and cities in England and Wales, join together at a historic summit in London to urge the government to tackle the nation’s growing air quality health crisis. The summit, organised by the Mayor of London, UK100 and IPPR, will see city leaders, Members of Parliament and the Environment Secretary Michael Gove discuss plans to improve the country’s air quality.
Poor air quality is estimated to contribute to more than 40,000 premature deaths across the country each year, with emissions from cars and vans estimated to cost £6bn annually to the NHS and society.
At the summit, the city leaders - covering Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Greater Manchester, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Oxford, Sheffield, Southampton and the West Midlands - will underline their commitment to reduce emissions and tackle pollution as they set out a list of joint priorities for the government and vow to work together as a new air quality network of cities.
The call to government includes a modern Clean Air Act with tighter pollution limits and new powers, a targeted national vehicle renewal scheme, an enhanced Clean Air Fund to support local action, and support for UK businesses to enable Britain to be a global leader in manufacturing low-emission vehicles.
Many cities, including London, are also calling on the Government to adopt 2030 as the date by when sales of new pure diesel and petrol cars and vans would be phased out. This is 10 years ahead of the current Government commitment of 2040.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Today’s summit is a historic moment for the country. Leaders from across England and Wales have never met in such numbers to tackle our nation’s toxic air quality. It shows how serious our problem is and how committed we are to tackling it.
“In London we’re helping to lead the way with my Ultra Low Emission Zone, and I’m delighted to be able to announce a Europe-leading new fleet of electric double-decker buses too. We’re doing all we can to improve our air quality and we need the government to match our ambition to solve this national health crisis.”
Next year, TfL aims to have 240 electric buses running on the network and for all new double-deck buses to be zero-emissions or hybrid, with every single-deck bus in central London to be zero-emission by the following year. Ultimately, by 2037 all buses in London will be zero-emission.
Claire Mann, TfL’s Director of Bus Operations, said: “We’re committed to reducing emissions from London’s buses and making routes 43 and 134 exclusively electric is an important step to a zero-emission fleet. Buses are crucial to reduce Londoners’ reliance on cars, and with this landmark order it means the largest pure electric double-deck bus fleet in Europe will help reduce emissions across the capital. Electric buses are good for air quality and improve the customer experience, with less noise and fewer vibrations, all creating a more comfortable journey.”
Under Sadiq, London is leading the way in cleaning up its air quality. Earlier this month, Sadiq confirmed that the capital’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone will be expanded up to the North and South Circular boundary in 2021.
Strict emission standards will also apply to buses, coaches and lorries across the whole of London from 26 October 2020. Both schemes will lead to emission reductions across London and more than 100,000 residents no longer living in areas exceeding legal air quality limits in 2021.
TfL successfully trialled five electric double-deck buses on route 98 from Willesden to Holborn in 2016, which are still in operation today. In addition to eliminating toxic nitrous oxide, the new all-electric double-deck buses will give passengers smoother journeys new features such as USB charging ports.
The brand new buses are being manufactured by both a Chinese/British partnership between BYD/Alexander Dennis Limited and British company Optare.
*Route 43 runs from Friern Barnet to London Bridge Station
*Route 134 runs North Finchley bus station to Tottenham Court Road
Alexander Dennis has issued a press release on the new double-deck electric bus:
From Alexander Dennis
The winning team of BYD and Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) has scooped the largest part of London’s first order for fully electric double deckers. Thirty seven BYD ADL Enviro400EV buses will enter service with Transport for London (TfL) operator Metroline in the second quarter of 2019.
Using the proven combination of BYD electric technology and batteries and stylish bodywork and passenger-centric interior by ADL, the UK’s double deck market leader, the BYD ADL Enviro400EV is a brand new concept, designed at ADL’s facility in Scotland and BYD’s R&D Centre in Shenzhen, China. The finished buses will be assembled in Britain by ADL as are all BYD ADL joint products.
The 10.9m long electric double deckers will feature ADL’s eye-catching City style bodywork with a glazed staircase and will be built to TfL’s comprehensive specification. They will use BYD’s Iron-Phosphate battery technology which enables the buses to run all day on a single charge using cost effective off-peak electricity.
The buses, based at Metroline’s Holloway Garage in north London, will serve the intensive Route 43 running through the heart of the City of London from London Bridge in the south to Friern Barnet in the north.
Holloway garage was opened in 1907 as a tram depot, later switching over to trolleybuses and later still to diesel buses. The chargers, managed by BYD’s smart charging battery management system, will not only service the new double deckers but also Metroline’s fleet of 23 10.8m single deck BYD ADL Enviro200EV buses when they enter service in the middle of this year.
In October 2015 BYD supplied Metroline with five Chinese-built double deckers – the first in the world. These pilot vehicles have performed well on TfL’s Route 98 which spans the length of Oxford Street. They are estimated to have clocked up over 100,000 miles of trouble free service, saving 140 tonnes of harmful emissions.
Metroline’s Chief Executive Officer, Jaspal Singh said: "Operating zero-emission all electric buses on route 43 confirms Metroline’s continued commitment to London, our customers and Transport for London. The 37 new BYD ADL Enviro400EV’s have very impressive environmental credentials and will deliver significant benefits for Londoners. Metroline’s latest investment underscores our resolve to lead the industry and continually deliver the very best service for London."
"Our joint team has made tremendous progress in winning tenders for TfL routes across the capital with our 10.8m and 12m single deckers. But with 6,800 double deckers on London streets, their full electrification is the key to making maximum beneficial impact on air quality for Londoners. We are delighted, in the face of intensifying competition, to win the largest first order for electric double deck buses in London and to retain our position at the top of the electric bus sales league," said Isbrand Ho, Managing Director, BYD Europe.
"So far the Enviro200EV single decks have delivered in excess of 1.5 million miles of zero emission transport in the UK. This new contract for double decks takes the BYD ADL collaboration to a whole new level in every sense. We look forward to continuing our journey of improving air quality, while responding to the operational demands of our customers and the requirements of their passengers with this brand new vehicle," said Colin Robertson, ADL Chief Executive.
At last! I’ve been waiting a long time for the Enviro400 City bodywork to have the BYD battery-electric drive system. However, it will be a long time until they roll out on route 43.
Back in late 2015 I wrote about Alexander Dennis unveiling the Enviro400H City, a two-door, one-staircase bus which features design cues based from the hybrid New Routemaster bus - such as glazed staircase and curved window at the rear. The lower front design is also based on their Enviro200 MMC single deck product. Thomas Heatherwick praised the Enviro400H City as ‘back to front’ compliment back in 2015.
Currently, there are 91 of the Alexander Dennis Enviro400H City buses and they operate on routes 26, 78, 133, 333 and 388. Also on Night routes N26 and N133.
As for the SRM (the two-door, one-staircase version of the New Routemaster) manufactured by Wrightbus, we are still waiting to see the trial of the SRM Volvo B5LHC to commence on route 37. You can view the recent update in my previous article here. I really hope to see the SRM with the battery-electric drive system.
Here are the London Bus tender awards from LOTS:
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
| Route | Current Operator | New Operator | PVR | Vehicles |
| 43* | Metroline | Metroline | 32 | New Electric Double Deck |
| 122 | Stagecoach | Stagecoach | 17 | 2014 Euro VI hybrid double deck |
| 134* | Metroline | Metroline | 27 | New Electric Double Deck |
| 228 | Metroline | Tower Transit | 9 | New Euro VI diesel single deck** |
| 262 | Stagecoach | Tower Transit | 11 | Double deck (details TBC) |
| 372 | Stagecoach | Stagecoach | 7 | 2014 Euro VI hybrid double deck |
| 396 | Stagecoach | Go-Ahead Blue Triangle | 4 | 2011 Euro V diesel single deck |
| 472* | Stagecoach | Stagecoach | 16 | 2014 Euro VI hybrid double deck |
| 473 | Stagecoach | Tower Transit | 9 | Double deck (details TBC) |
| 486 | Go-Ahead London Central | Go-Ahead London Central | 14 | 2011 Euro V diesel double deck |
| 601 | Stagecoach | Stagecoach | 7 | 2012 Euro V diesel double deck |
| 602 | Stagecoach | Stagecoach | 2 | 2012 Euro V diesel double deck |
* 24 hour route.
** 3 vehicles built 2017.
All Euro V vehicles will be upgraded to Euro VI emissions standards.
The above contracts will commence on the following dates:
19th January 2019: Route 228.
26th January 2019: Routes 472, 601 & 602.
2nd February 2019: Routes 43 & 134.
9th February 2019: Route 122.
23rd February 2019: Route 486.
30th March 2019: Routes 262, 372, 396 & 473.
The electric double-decks are BYD/ADL-EV for route 43 and Optare MetroDecker-EV for route 134.
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