First production new bus for London vehicles 16 April 2013

The production line manufacturing Boris Johnson's new buses for London – hailed as the greenest of its type anywhere in the world – has delivered its first buses to the capital.

The first two buses have left the Wrightbus factory in Northern Ireland, and will be followed by another four next week and then a further 594 over the next three years.

Transport for London (TfL) says that when they arrive in London, the initial buses will first be used for driver training and familiarisation, before moving on to route 24, which Metroline operates between Pimlico and Hampstead Heath, starting on Saturday 22 June.

Emission testing on an early vehicle that has been in service for eight months and covered more than 15,000 miles show levels at 2.048g/km of NOx – around four times less than the fleet average for existing hybrid buses.

CO2 has been measured at 690.23g/km, which is marginally better than the fleet average for hybrids (864g/km) and almost half the fleet average for diesel buses (1,295g/km). As for diesel particulates, the figure is 0.012g/km, one quarter of the fleet average for hybrid and diesel buses together.

"I am delighted that our first gleaming new buses have driven off the production line, through the gates of Wrightbus and are now London-bound," says Johnson.

"These fabulous machines meld the very best in design, engineering and green engine technology. I believe they will be hugely popular with passengers and they will be joined by hundreds more in the coming years."

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
The Wright Group Ltd

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