Government figures confirm Stagecoach as greenest hybrid bus firm 07 April 2011

Government figures published yesterday (Wednesday 6 April) confirmed that Stagecoach Group is leading the way on investing in new greener buses, using hybrid electric technology.

Transport Minister Norman Baker is to visit Stagecoach's operation in Oxford as the Department for Transport confirms that a total of 542 vehicles has been bought through the government's Green Bus Fund in England.

More than 20% of them have been purchased by Stagecoach – the biggest investment in low carbon buses outside London.

The figures were revealed as Stagecoach announced that it is to spend a further £3.8million introducing an additional 20 Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 electric hybrid vehicles in Manchester, with a support package of £1.8 million from the Green Bus Fund.

This latest order means that, in the past year, the Perth-based company has ordered 142 hybrid vehicles, at a cost of £26.9million. The buses will to go into service across the country, delivering a 30% cut in carbon emissions compared to standard vehicles.

Stagecoach UK Bus managing director Les Warneford says the firm has committed to invest £23.5million in 123 of the new buses for England, with a further £11million of funding coming from the Green Bus Fund.

26 hybrid buses are now in operation in Oxford with a further 30 already working in Manchester. In addition, in October last year, Stagecoach announced an order for an additional 47 vehicles, of which 26 will go into service in Newcastle and 21 Sheffield by March next year.

Meanwhile, in Scotland Stagecoach has ordered 19 hybrid vehicles, at a cost of £3.4million, to go into service in Perth and Aberdeen, following an award of around £1.8 million in support funding from the Scottish government's Green Bus Fund. The new Enviro 350 hybrid vehicles will also be manufactured by ADL and are expected to go into service in the summer of 2012.

Author
Brian Tinham

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