London Bus Tender Awards: Routes 152, 276 & D3 Awarded With New Single Deck Electric Buses! – Mayor Announces ULEZ Expansion to Greater London by 29 August 2023

This is a brief news update as Transport for London (TfL) has recently announced new London Bus tender awards.

LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:

Consultation to Expand ULEZ to Greater London

TfL have announced a consultation on their proposal to expand ULEZ to most of Greater London to help reduce emissions and improve air quality.

From TfL press release

 

Proposals to improve air quality across the capital and significantly reduce the number of vehicles not meeting pollution standards

 

A consultation on plans to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to cover almost the whole of the capital from 29 August 2023 has been launched. 

 

The Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) have delivered a range of schemes to tackle the capital's toxic air crisis, the climate emergency and traffic congestion, but further bold action across the city is required. Around 4,000 premature deaths in 2019 were attributed to filthy air, with the greatest number in outer London. Bromley, Barnet, Havering and Croydon were the boroughs with the highest number of early deaths, showing that poor air quality is not just a central London problem. More extreme weather events are predicted if the world fails to act to reduce carbon emissions, with London already seeing these in the form of flash floods in 2021.

Nearly £71 Million Awarded To Five Local Transport Authorities From ZEBRA Scheme And New Electric Buses For London Bus Routes 226 and 295

The UK Government have announced that five Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) have been awarded almost £71 million to support up to 335 new zero-emission buses as part of the Zero Emission Buses Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme initiative for 2021-22.

 

From Department for Transport

 

Fast track

On 27 October 2021, it was announced that funding worth almost £71 million was awarded to the first 5 LTAs selected under the fast-track process. This funding will support up to 335 zero emission buses in:

• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority

• Kent County Council

• Leicester City Council

• Milton Keynes Borough Council

• Warrington Borough Council 

Upcoming London Bus Routes to Convert to Electric Buses Throughout 2021 and Early 2022 – and the Latest London Bus Tender Awards

First of all, the long awaited London Bus tender awards have finally been announced with another route converting to electric buses.

Yes I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted on my website, but now I’ve found something interesting to write up.

LBSL intends to enter into a new contract for the following route with the operator listed below:

Alexander Dennis Reveals Double-Deck Hydrogen Bus Project, and New Shorter Enviro400EV Variant - Wrightbus Teams up with Voith for Electrical Drive System

This week has been a busy week for bus manufacturing in the UK, so here’s a brief roundup of articles from UK bus manufacturers.

From Alexander Dennis

Larbert, Scotland, UK – 25th February 2021: (TSX: NFI) Alexander Dennis Limited (“ADL”), a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. (“NFI”), one of the world’s leading independent global bus manufacturers, today announced that its next generation double deck hydrogen bus will deliver a zero-emission range of up to 300 miles. It will be powered by a Ballard fuel cell power module through the efficient Voith Electrical Drive System (VEDS).

Entire London Bus Fleet Now Meets ULEZ Emission Standards. Also, List of TfL Bus Routes Converting to Zero Emission Buses

Transport for London has announced in a press release that their bus network now runs using Euro VI or zero-emission buses, which meets the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) standards.

From TfL press release

The main bus network now exclusively uses Euro VI or cleaner buses, the same emissions standard as the Mayor of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone.

All buses in TfL's 9,000-strong bus fleet* now meet or exceed the cleanest Euro VI emissions standards. This is a major milestone in tackling toxic air pollution in the capital.

Electric buses rollout continues with announcement of mid-November London Bus tender awards

TfL has announced the latest London Bus tender awards for November 2020 with more routes converting to double deck electric buses. This is a followup to my previous article.

LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:

TfL to push forward their zero-emission bus fleet plan to 2030

I’ve been looking through the board papers on the TfL website, and at the recent papers which were published for the July 29 meeting. I discovered that there are plans to accelerate the zero-emission bus fleet plan, also known as MTS (Mayor Transport Strategy) to 2030 in order to achieve the ambition of making London Transport carbon neutral.

The extracts from the board papers:

Transport news roundup for February 2020 – Electric buses for Los Angeles & stylish biogas buses for Bristol

This is a selection of various transport news which occured during the month of February 2020.

First of all, my prediction turned out to be correct in a article I wrote back in November 2019 when Tower Transit won routes 23 and C3; I expected them to use Optare Metrodecker EVs for their new route contracts.

Comparing the two double-deck EV’s for London: BYD/ADL Enviro400EV and Optare Metrodecker EV

Enviro400EV City

There are two double-deck electric buses currently operating on routes 43 and 134 operated by Metroline for London Buses.

TfL’s update with the double-deck hydrogen rollout

We have all heard the news of Jo Bamford purchasing Wrightbus, and now a Freedom of Information release has revealed the current situation with the double-deck hydrogen rollout for London bus services.

The FOI release from TfL has revealed details the contract for 20 double deck hydrogen buses hosted on the GOV.UK contract finder website.

Upcoming new London electric bus routes for 2020

It has been revealed that London will be getting more electric buses during 2020.

Taking a look at a recent Freedom of information (FOI) request submitted to Tfl; they have released some interesting information regarding the electric bus project for London. TfL stated under a Freedom of Information request:

We are currently converting routes 43 and 134 to double deck electric buses – and all buses will be in service by the end of the year. These double decks are made by two manufacturers – Optare and a partnership with BYD/ADL.

Three new Low Emission Bus Zones for London

TfL and the London Mayor have announced new Low Emission Bus Zones for three areas of London.

Extracts from TFL press release

Just two weeks after the launch of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in central London, the Mayor and TfL have taken further measures to reduce toxic air in the capital's most polluted areas by introducing three new Low Emission Bus Zones (LEBZ).

Optare Metrodecker buses for Green Line 702

At last, Optare has finally placed an order for five new double-deck Metrodecker buses from Reading Buses for the Green Line Route 702.

From Optare

Optare have confirmed their first ever order for their Metrodecker Euro 6 double decker bus. The order from Reading Buses for five vehicles to operate on the Green Line 702 route between London and Windsor is due for delivery in June 2019 ahead of the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) coming into operation. ULEZ will require all vehicles operating into Central London to meet the stringent Euro 6 engine emission standards.

New Enviro400 Hybrids for Go-Ahead London

Go Ahead-London are now using the new ultra-low emission Enviro400 MMC Hybrids using the ultra-capacitor energy storage to reduce life cycle costs.

From Alexander Dennis

Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) and BAE Systems have delivered the first 39 Enviro400H double-deck buses with Series-E hybrid technology to launch customer Go-Ahead London. Using ultra-capacitor energy storage to further reduce life cycle costs, this next generation hybrid bus has achieved Ultra Low Emission Bus certification with 37% lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional diesel buses.

UK Government announces £48 million for ultra-low emission buses and Electric Bus trial for Kent

The UK government announces £48 million to increase the number of ultra-low emission buses for Britain.

From Department for Transport

Passengers across the country will benefit from a multi-million pound government investment which will help councils and bus companies put more environmentally-friendly buses on the roads.

Transport Minister Nusrat Ghani has today (28 March 2018) announced a new Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme aimed at cutting emissions and ensuring cleaner and greener journeys.

Route 153 converts to zero emission electric buses

Alexander Dennis and BYD have announced the conversion of London Buses route 153 to zero-emission single deck buses - which happened on Saturday 3^rd February 2018.

From Alexander Dennis

Well before dawn on Saturday 3 February another fleet of BYD ADL pure electric buses took over operation of a fourth London bus route.

Eminox upgrades over 400 London buses to Euro VI standards - also London Bus tender awards

Eminox has announced over 400 London buses will be upgraded to Euro VI standards in preparation for the new Low Emission Bus Zones.

From Eminox

Lincolnshire based emissions reduction specialists Eminox has been key to upgrading over 400 buses ready for the introduction of the new Low Emission Bus Zones (LBEZ) across London for Arriva, Go Ahead Group and Tower Transit.

TfL and the Mayor announces consultation to expand the Ultra-Low Emission Zone

Here is a quick news update:

TfL and the Mayor have announced a consultation on 30^th November 2017 to expand the Ultra-Low Emission Zone to the North and South Circular in order to help reduce emissions in London.

From TfL press release

· Mayor proposes ULEZ standards would also apply Londonwide to buses, coaches and lorries from 26 October 2020
· Mayor wants public's views on these actions to lower toxic polluting emissions

The Mayor of London today launched a new public consultation on the next phase of his hard-hitting plans to tackle London's toxic air, reduce filthy emissions and protect the public from harmful pollution by expanding the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

BYD D9UR Enviro200 MMC Electric Bus

Back in August 2015, I published an article about Go Ahead purchasing BYD eBuses with the Enviro200 MMC bodywork. I also wrote another one back in September 2016 when they were officially launched on the Red Arrow routes – they entered service though back in late August 2016.

The long wait is finally over, and I finally get to ride that lovely new electric bus with its very futuristic style Enviro200 MMC bodywork.