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Hydrogen-powered bus fleet arrives in London

In a bid to improve the air quality in the UK's capital, London Mayor Boris Johnson has unveiled a fleet of eight hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses.
Designed specifically for Transport for London, the fleet uses technology from Wrightbus, ISE and Ballard, which supplied the fuel cell stack. All eight buses are expected to be phased into operation during 2011, making the bus fleet the largest of its kind in Europe, and the only one in the UK. The buses will run from a specially designed maintenance facility housed in First's Lea Interchange bus depot at Stratford, East London – which will house the UK's largest permanent hydrogen refuelling station, maintained by Air Products. "These buses are a marvel of hydrogen technology, emitting only water rather than belching out harmful pollutants," comments Johnson. "The will run through the most polluted part of the city, through two air pollution hotspots, helping to improve London's air quality," he adds. "Our city is harnessing pioneering low emission public transport to improve quality of life, whether the New Bus for London, electric vehicles or the public bike hire scheme." The hydrogen fuel cell buses have been jointly funded by TfL, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the European Union, via the Clean Hydrogen in Cities (CHIC) project. The London Hydrogen Partnership (LHP) launched an action plan earlier this year setting out ambitions to create a 'Hydrogen network' by 2012, to help accelerate the wider use of this zero-polluting, zero-carbon energy. It is currently working with London boroughs and private landowners on plans to deliver six refuelling sites to run hydrogen-powered vehicles in the capital over the next two years.

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