Bus Ambassador

Transport for London bus operator Metroline, which is a subsidiary of global transport operator ComfortDelGro, has confirmed a significant order for 48 Volvo BZL Electric single deck buses. The order is one of the largest for the Volvo BZL Electric bus so far, and they will enter service in London in the second half of next year. Volvo Buses The Metroline vehicles will have MCV bodywork and be constructed to TfL specifications in a variety of lengths (9.7m, 10.35m, and 10.8m), with a maximum capacity of 62 to 67 passengers depending on length. The buses will be designed to Transport for London specifications and will include Volvo Connect Zone Management and CCS depot charging. ComfortDelGro (UK) Group Engineering Director Ian Foster said, “Metroline is pleased to place this order with Volvo for the latest additions to our single deck ZE fleet. We have a long-standing relationship involving all areas of our transport operations around the world, and this reflects the trust we have in V

Stagecoach passengers will benefit from a multi-million pound investment in 200 new low-emission double decker buses, which will be introduced across the country in 2023. It is the single largest order placed in the UK bus industry this year. Tom Harrison (Bus Ambassador) The new buses will be delivered to passengers in towns and cities across the UK beginning in March 2023. The 200 buses will be introduced in areas ranging from Torquay in the south to Newcastle in the north east. Alexander Dennis will manufacture the new buses in the United Kingdom. They have Euro VI engines, which are much cleaner and help to reduce carbon emissions. Stagecoach will remove older buses from its fleet as a result of this investment, which will benefit local air quality. As part of its sustainability strategy, Stagecoach is continuing to reduce carbon emissions, with the goal of having a zero-emissions UK bus fleet by 2035. Stagecoach bus services helped to avoid over 19,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions thro

The roof of a new bus shelter at Seacombe Ferry terminal has been transformed into a blanket of lush greenery to help attract bees and increase biodiversity in the area. Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Clear Channel, which manages bus shelters in the region, installed the bus stop and its living roof as part of a recent major revamp of Seacombe Ferry Terminal in collaboration with Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Wirral Council. Living roofs, also referred as 'Bee Bus Stops,' have been popping up in towns and cities across the country, from Glasgow to Brighton, but this is the first in the Liverpool City Region. The shelters' roofs are planted with native wildflowers, such as kidney vetch, thyme, selfheal, and wild marjoram, chosen to attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The green 'Bee Bus Stop' is located just outside the brand new Eureka! Science + Discovery attraction, which is set to open later this week. As part of Mayor Steve

This week, Transport for Wales unveiled the first of its brand-new Yutong E12 electric buses at Euro Bus Expo in Birmingham. Tom Harrison (Bus Ambassador) In the new year, the fleet of modern electric buses will be introduced on the TrawsCymru T1 route between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth, and a new charging hub with new facilities for drivers and buses will open in Carmarthenshire. The new buses, supplied by Pelican, have been extensively tested for the Welsh terrain and will improve the customer experience by providing comfortable seats, air conditioning, reading lights, tables, and mobile phone charging sockets. The introduction of these greener buses is another step forward in improving Wales' public transport network, encouraging people to travel more sustainably, and contributing to the Welsh Government's goal of zero emissions and combating climate change. The Deputy Minister for Climate Change with responsibility for Transport, Lee Waters said: “This is great news. The in

Equipmake, the electrification specialist, has unveiled its latest pure-electric bus technology in the form of a zero-emission version of the New Routemaster double-decker bus at this year's Euro Bus Expo in Birmingham. Equipmake The clean, green New Routemaster was unveiled on Equipmake's stand at the Euro Bus Expo, which was held at the NEC in Birmingham from the 1st to the 3rd of November. This process replaces its hybrid drivetrain entirely with Equipmake's cutting-edge Zero Emission Drivetrain (ZED), which contains 95% British-made components. The electric version of the New Routemaster will be evaluated over the next six months, with pre-service trials already underway in London with Metroline. The programme will provide useful test data as Transport for London (TfL) continues to evaluate a variety of clean technologies, including cutting-edge repower systems like Equipmake's ZED.  Zenobē, the EV fleet and battery storage specialist, is providing charging infrastr

One of the greenest tours in the world will soon be offered by City Sightseeing Glasgow, which has announced it will introduce a full fleet of brand-new electric Wrightbus Electroliner open-top buses. Wrightbus The city's major attractions, including Glasgow Cathedral, Glasgow Green, Clydeside Distillery, Riverside Museum, Glasgow University, The Hunterian, and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, are served by the open-top tour, which utilises famous red buses. The Glasgow tour operator is a subsidiary of City Sightseeing Worldwide, a global company that offers open-top tours in just under 100 cities worldwide, including Edinburgh, London, Dublin, Berlin, New York, Dubai, and Johannesburg. Investment in the vehicles totals £4,500,000, including funding from the Scottish Zero Emission Bus (ScotZEB) Challenge Fund. Sharon Morrison, Communications Director at City Sightseeing Glasgow, said: “We are excited to be introducing a full electric fleet to our open top tour in Glasgow. It’s g

Alexander Dennis has unveiled its Enviro400FCEV hydrogen-fuel cell double decker at Euro Bus Expo 2022 in Birmingham as part of its next generation of zero-emission buses. The vehicle at the show is the first for the type’s launch customer, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. Tom Harrison (Bus Ambassador) Building on its extensive experience as the UK market leader for clean buses and taking advantage of lessons learned across the NFI Group, Alexander Dennis has developed a cutting-edge new zero-emission technology platform as the foundation for a new generation of battery-electric and hydrogen-fuel cell buses. The Enviro400FCEV hydrogen-fuel cell double decker is the first of a new series of zero-emission buses that Alexander Dennis fully developed, produced, and supported with AD24 whole-vehicle aftermarket support. Initial vehicles, which were first revealed last year, have now been finished, and deliveries to Liverpool City Region, the launch customer, are anticipated to

Alexander Dennis has shared an exclusive preview of its next generation of battery-electric buses at Euro Bus Expo 2022 in Birmingham, providing new information on their design, specification and capabilities. Alexander Dennis Alexander Dennis has developed a new zero-emission technology platform as the foundation for a new generation of battery-electric and hydrogen-fuel cell buses. It's based on the comprehensive expertise gained as the UK market leader for low, ultra-low, and zero-emission buses and learnings from across the NFI Group. Furthermore, the company will continue to offer the hugely successful BYD ADL partnership's electric buses, providing cities, transportation authorities, and bus operators with even more options to meet their operational needs.

Translink has welcomed the Department for Infrastructure's announcement of £88 million funding for 100 new zero-emission buses and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, saying the investment will be transformative in delivering a zero-emission transport future for Northern Ireland. Department for Infastructure The new battery electric buses, which will be a mix of single-deck and double-deck vehicles, will be supplied by local manufacturer Wrightbus. The supplied single deck bus will be a new Wrightbus battery electric model, with an extended journey range on a single charge. All of the new buses are planned to enter service by summer 2024, following the successful rollout of 100 Zero Emission buses on Belfast Metro services earlier this year, as well as the planned conversion of Foyle Metro services in Derry — Londonderry to be completely Zero Emissions by summer 2023. Chris Conway, Translink Group Chief Executive, says zero emission transport is critical in tackling climate c

On the 18th of October 2022, the Qatari Minister of Transport, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, President of the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), CEO of Mowasalat (Qatari public transport operator), officials of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), and the director of Yutong Qatar attended the inauguration ceremony of the world's largest e-bus depot in Lusail, Qatar. Yutong The Lusail e-bus depot is made up of 24 multi-functional buildings that cover an area of more than 400,000 square metres. It holds the Guinness World Record for the world's largest electric bus depot, with a capacity of 478 e-buses capable of supporting public transportation during the Qatar World Cup and providing visitors and the general public with a one-of-a-kind green travel experience.

Irizar e-mobility and Go-Ahead London have confirmed that 20 ie tram single-deck battery-electric buses, as well as associated charging infrastructure, will be delivered soon to convert Transport for London (TfL) route 358 to zero-emission. Irizar They will go into service in 2023 and will be charged by two 450kW inverted pantograph-based charging stations located at the Crystal Palace and Orpington termini. 100kW depot chargers capable of simultaneously charging two buses at 50kW each are also on order, all of which will be supplied by Irizar Group subsidiary Jema Energy, with the inverted pantograph units installed by EO Charging. Go-Ahead has chosen the 12-metre Irizar ie Tram, the first in the range to be manufactured with right-hand drive and the first to be launched in the United Kingdom. The buses will be powered by Irizar Group's state-of-the-art batteries and charged between trips using two fast charging inverted pantograph systems that will be installed at Crystal Palace

This is the latest chapter in Transport for London's zero-emission bus fleet transformation, which has included a commitment to deliver a fully zero-emission bus fleet in London by 2034, as outlined in its Bus Action Plan. Transport for London TfL has already pledged to make all new vehicles entering service zero-emission, and with additional funding, the target could be pushed forward from 2034 to 2030.  TfL is collaborating with bus manufacturers to create a vibrant and competitive zero-emission market, as well as working with stakeholders to ensure the necessary infrastructure is in place to facilitate the transition. More broadly, the plan supports the Mayor's goal of decarbonizing the capital with clean, renewable energy and achieving net zero emissions by 2030. There are now over 850 zero-emission buses in London, the majority of which can only be charged overnight in garages. With the varying lengths and needs of London's bus routes, the implementation of this new te

Nottingham's historic Trent Bridge Bus Garage, once home to horse drawn trams, now has a new Zero Carbon future as Nottingham City Transport orders its first electric single deck buses and Zenobē Energy is appointed as the delivery partner for the electrification of 78 buses. Nottingham City Transport Zenobē, who are a leading EV fleet and battery storage specialist, will supply the charging infrastructure to Trent Bridge Bus Garage, which housed horse-drawn and electric trams when it first opened in 1901. It will draw on its extensive experience working with 90% of the major bus companies in the UK to provide the charging infrastructure for the site, as well as manage the construction, delivery, and implementation of its charging software, in order to optimise the fleet and provide an efficient service to the operator. The infrastructure will enable NCT to expand its electric fleet in the future, in line with the operator's net-zero goals. Pelican Bus & Coach will supply t

Batteries from VDL Bus & Coach electric buses are to be given a second life thanks to 'project Anubis'. This RWE and VDL Bus & Coach initiative revolves around the sustainable and circular use of raw materials, in this case bus batteries, in a central storage system in Moerdijk, Netherlands. Bus Ambassador (Tom Harrison) In the coming years, the transportation sector will shift rapidly from a reliance on fossil fuels to a reliance on electricity. Assuming that all buses in the Netherlands, as well as an increasing number of cars and lorries, will be powered by electricity after 2030, more than 150,000 tonnes of batteries will be available for recycling each year. These are currently classified as waste and are mostly sent to recycling plants in other countries. Paul van Vuuren, CEO of VDL Bus & Coach commented, “In project Anubis, we are initially using batteries taken from 43 electric VDL buses operated by Transdev in Eindhoven since 2016, these vehicles are curren

Pelican Bus and Coach will exhibit its current Yutong coaches and buses at the forthcoming Euro Bus Expo, with Managing Director Richard Crump of the Castleford dealership describing the event as "a celebration" of the industry. Pelican Bus & Coach A battery-electric TCe12 coach for Coatham Coaches, a mid-sized, rear-engined TC9 in PSVAR ready format for Mainline Coaches of South Wales, a GT12 tourer for a customer to be confirmed, and an E12 battery-electric bus will be on display within the indoor space. Watch our overview of the Yutong GT12 at Euro Bus Expo 2018 . The latter vehicle will be formally handed over to Carmarthenshire County Council during Euro Bus Expo, where it will be used on the TrawsCymru network in Wales. It is one of eight such buses, each are equipped with dual CCS2 DC charging sockets for quick battery replenishment, Lazzerini coach-style seats, and the Journeo Edge intelligent gateway for cloud-connected services. Ian Downie, Head of Yutong Sales,

The new model Volvo 9700 coach will be on display at this year's Euro Bus Expo, alongside a battery-electric Volvo BZL single-decker bus as part of a celebration of dealership Volvo Bus UK and Ireland’s 50th anniversary. Volvo Bus UK The two-axle Volvo 9700, bound for Halpenny Travel of Blackrock, Co Louth, will be powered by the 13-litre D13K engine, producing no less than 500bhp, it is paired to the I-Shift automated manual transmission. Volvo says that the engine and driveline used in the 9700 have “several fuel-saving technologies” to reduce consumption by “up to 9%,” in addition to the aerodynamic qualities of a coach that “radiates attitude, elegance and safety.” Meanwhile, the BZL battery-electric is a demonstrator vehicle with Volvo’s own driveline. The manufacturer says that the BZL range – which also includes a double-decker – comes with “flexible charging options to ensure seamless operation” and that through a partnership approach, it can work with customers on the tra

Switch Mobility will show its heavyweight e1 battery-electric single-deck bus at Euro Bus Expo as it evaluates whether the model will suit the UK market. It will be one of three zero-emission buses on the manufacturer’s stand at this year's Euro Bus Expo. Switch Mobility The e1 first appeared in left-hand drive form in 2022. Such an example will be presented at the NEC. Switch did not intend to build the e1 for the UK at first, but Chief Marketing and Sustainability Officer Peter Freedman says that in the meantime, interest from potential customers has been received. “This will be a good opportunity to show the UK bus industry what the future of our vehicles looks like, he explains. We have already seen a lot of interest in the e1.” Mr Freedman adds that building the e1 in right-hand drive format is reliant on a suitable enabling order from an operator partner. Transitioning the vehicle from its current layout to one that would suit domestic users is reasonably easy, he notes. Alon

Electric drivetrain solutions provider Equipmake will repower 12 First York Optare Versa EVs by removing their original battery-electric driveline and installing its own Zero Emission Drivetrain (ZED). First York The first of these buses is currently being overhauled, and it is anticipated to reenter service in November. The upgraded Optare Versa EVs, according to Equipmake, will have a "guaranteed range of 150 miles in all UK weather conditions", due to increased energy capacity and a patented heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system. The supplier also claims that its ZED retrofit is suitable for both single and double deckers. It made its debut in a previously diesel-electric hybrid Volvo B5LH earlier in 2022. According to Equipmake, the repowering work costs less than half the price of a new battery-electric bus and is tailored to the required requirements. After the first repowered Versa has successfully completed a trial, work on the remaining 11 will begin. The

A host of show highlights have been announced for Euro Bus Expo, the flagship trade show for the bus and coach industry, which returns to the NEC Birmingham on 1-3 November. The event will bring thousands of operators and local authorities together with over 200 exhibitors representing the entire supply chain. Bus Ambassador (Tom Harrison) The highly anticipated line-up will feature more than 80 vehicles from leading manufacturers, the latest innovations and a free seminar programme covering the industry’s hottest topics. Event director Helen Conway says: “With just over two weeks to go, we are excited to reveal more details about the inspiring public transport leaders and world-class innovations at the show. “With ample opportunities to network, and to learn how to enhance the passengers’ experience and business efficiency, the show is the place to connect with suppliers, industry professionals and fellow operators.” Watch the highlights from Euro Bus Expo 2018 on the Bus Ambassador Y

Leicester has launched a new electric bus service to connect residential areas on the city's outer ring road with shopping centres, hospitals, employment areas, and additional transport links. Leicester City Council It is the latest addition to the city’s Greenlines electric network, and is the fifth new service to be launched using the new council-owned electric buses. The partnership project, with operators Centrebus, also includes a brand-new electric bus charging depot at the firm’s Thurmaston depot. The Youtong E12 electric buses and charging depot have been partially funded (£1.21m) by the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme and combine to make the first ZEBRA funded project to be delivered in the country. The Orbital, as the name implies, orbits the city's bus network and is intended to connect and integrate with other services within the Leicester Buses Partnership, making public transportation more accessible and convenient for re