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Green light for environmental buses: 04 January 2010; Liverpool city centre is set to benefit from a new fleet of low carbon buses from spring 2010.

A total of £1.2million, made available through the Department for Transport’s (DfT) £30million Green Bus Fund, will support a fleet of 13 new eco-friendly buses for the region.

Operators Cumfybus Ltd worked with Merseytravel on the cash bid and will operate 11 low carbon emission buses across Liverpool city centre’s ‘City Link’ routes – the C1, C2, C3, C4 and C5 services.

Two more buses will be operated by Cumfybus in Ormskirk.

Councillor Mark Dowd, Chair of Merseytravel, said: “We are always looking to find ways to support more sustainable transport and we are delighted that the region has been successful in its bid. The new buses will be more fuel efficient and help to reduce bus C02 emissions in the city centre.

“It’s a good way to celebrate the end of Year of the Environment and welcome 2010, Liverpool’s Year of Health and Wellbeing.”

Alan Stilwell, Merseytravel’s Director of Integrated Transport said “Greener transport is key to a healthier environment and projects such as these help us deliver a low carbon future for Merseyside. We’ve innovated in this area for years and will keep looking to support ideas that will lead to cleaner air and a better environment.”

Marshall Vickers, Managing Director of Cumfybus, added: “We are pleased to have been successfully selected as one of only 20 operators in the country to benefit from this grant and we look forward to running the new buses throughout the city centre.”

Low carbon buses are defined as using at least 30 per cent less fuel and emitting nearly a third less CO2 than an equivalent conventional bus.

Funded buses will be required to meet stringent air quality standards.

The DfT says that the fund will support the purchase of 349 vehicles which will operate in most of England`s main cities and some rural areas by March 2012.

The fund enables bus operators and councils in every region across England to fund the up-front cost of buying low carbon buses. As more low carbon buses are produced and sold, costs are expected to fall.

This aim is to encourage the introduction of new bus technology and stimulate the market for low carbon buses, an industry in which the UK is a world leader.

Picture caption: left to right - Marshall Vickers, Cumfybus Managing Director and Allan Stilwell, Merseytravel’s Director of Integrated Transport.; Back to Media Centre