Electric switch for Shepherd’s Bush bus garage

A fleet of 36 fully-electric buses will run on routes throughout west and central London, following the installation of new charging infrastructure at RATP Dev’s Shepherd’s Bush bus garage.

The new charging points were unveiled by the public transport company last week and see buses charged overnight using smart charging technology which avoids using energy during peak hours.

RATP Dev’s upgraded Shepherds Bush bus depot houses a fleet of 36 electric buses serving the C1 and 70 bus routes, which will be all-electric

As part of the project, RATP Dev worked with the Chinese bus manufacturing company BYD, in conjunction with Alexander Dennis Ltd for the supply of the buses and charging equipment.

RATP Dev London operates 70 bus routes across the London network, with a total fleet of some 1,200 buses.

Fleet

The Shepherd’s Bush depot houses the 36 buses for Transport for London routes C1 and 70, which will become fully-electric.

The facility was officially opened by Catherine Guillouard, Chairwoman of RATP Group, Laurence Batlle, chief executive of RATP Dev and TFL Commissioner Mike Brown on Thursday (15 November).

Catherine Guillouard, 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% 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.”

Mike Brown MVO, London’s Transport Commissioner, added: “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 next year, will help to reduce toxic emissions and vehicles in the transport industry must also lead the way.”

SSE Enterprise was selected as preferred supplier by RATP Dev to provide electrical infrastructure – from the 11,000 volt distribution network to the low voltage bus chargers — to enable buses to be charged overnight

Neil Kirkby, managing director of SSE Enterprise, said: “We’re delighted to play our part in the opening of RATP Dev’s electric bus depot at Shepherd’s Bush. Full marks to our team who worked tirelessly to make sure the project was on time and on budget; and used their expertise to deliver a cost effective and innovative charging solution.

“There is no doubt that everyone wants cleaner air for London and to make the capital greener, and we’re keen to play our part in that.”