£3m boost for clean buses in the Liverpool City Region

A successful bid by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has secured £3m to reduce emissions on nearly 150 buses.

The £3m from central government’s Clean Bus Technology Fund will be used on buses operated by Arriva, Stagecoach, Cumfybus and Halton Transport, across the city region.

Retrofitting the emissions-reducing equipment will reduce tailpipe emissions of nitrogen dioxide and bring 149 buses up to Euro 6 specifications, the most rigorous European standard for emissions.

Speaking about the funding, Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, said:

“I am very pleased that we have been able to work together with bus operators to secure this funding, which will help to improve air quality across our city region.

“Fitting this emission-reducing technology to such a large number of buses will help us to deliver a safer, healthier environment for the people of the city region, building on our strong track record in this area.

“We already work with and support bus operators to reduce carbon emissions, noise and air pollution from buses, and benefit from sustainable biodiesel buses, and full electric and hybrid buses running on the commercial and subsidised network.  

“As part of our aim to become a zero-carbon city region by 2040 we are leading the way in developing sustainable green energy in order to make that a reality.  As we work towards that goal we need to use all available tools to make sure our existing technologies are as clean and green as possible.”

Cllr Liam Robinson, Chair of the Transport Committee that oversees the work of Merseytravel, said:

“One of our priorities is to get more people on the bus and this helps to reduce car miles and carbon footprints. We are investing in bus fleets to improve the offer and benefits to customers and it’s crucial that we maximise the opportunities and new technologies available to make our buses as green and environmentally friendly as possible.”