Nottingham’s new bio-gas buses take to the streets

Nottingham City Transport (NCT) introduced the first of its sixty-seven new bio-gas double-decker buses yesterday (April 15).

The buses are powered using gas produced by anaerobic digestion of food waste and sewage, and their introduction means NCT can withdraw just under 60 of its oldest diesel buses as well as freeing up some of the younger diesel buses that have been fitted with the exhaust treatment system for re-deployment on to four other routes.

The £20m investment in 67 new bio-gas buses is supported by £1.12m of funding from the Office of Low Emission Vehicles, which is being used to expand the bio-methane refuelling station at NCT’s main bus depot.

The first buses entered service on Brown Line 17 between Bulwell, City Hospital, Hucknall Road and the City Centre and will be followed by Lilac 27, Purple 89 and Pink 28 by the early summer.

Later in the year, five further routes will the bio-gas double-decker buses, increasing the total to 120 operating in the city by Christmas.

The engines and chassis of the Enviro400CBG City Bio-Gas buses have been developed by Swedish firm Scania and are bodied in Britain by the country’s largest bus manufacturer, Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL).

Richard Wellings, Principal Public Transport Officer at Nottingham City Council said, ‘It’s great to see the ever expanding fleet of gas buses on Nottingham’s streets servicing more neighbourhoods. Not only will more city residents benefit from more pleasant journeys on new buses, but the cleaner engines are helping to improve Nottingham’s air quality.’

By the end of the year, the oldest bus in the fleet will be 2010 registered, with NCT’s average age one of the youngest in the UK, at less than 5 years old.