Key information
Petition presented by: Jenny Jones Assembly Member
Date petition submitted: Wednesday 11 March 2015
Petition presented at: London Assembly Plenary
Summary of petition
"Hey, TfL, clean up our buses!
We, the undersigned, call on TfL to bring forward plans to roll out Euro VI, hybrid or electric buses on routes travelling through Crystal Palace to tackle air pollution."
Response information
Name of person responding: The Mayor
Response date: Tuesday 28 April 2015
Thank you for the petition which you presented to the London Assembly on 11 March.
I fully appreciate that improving air quality is an important issue for Londoners. That is why I have committed to halving emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in Central London by 2020 to improve Londoners' health and set an example to other agencies in the capital, which can also contribute to reducing emissions. This builds on measures I have already implemented including tighter low emission standards, retiring the oldest most polluting taxis and creating a new £20m air quality fund to tackle local hotspots. These measures have already reduced NOx emissions by 20 per cent and PM10 emissions by 15 per cent as well as halving the number of Londoners living in areas exceeding EU legal limits for Nitrogen dioxide (N02).
Transport for London (TfL) is looking to reduce the environmental impact of its bus fleet by increasing the number of hybrid buses in its fleet from 1,250 to 1,700- around 20 per cent of the 8,700-strong fleet- by 2016, which will lower NOx as well as C02. Among the 1,700 hybrids will be 800 New Bus for London vehicles, which are the cleanest Euro V double deck vehicles in the fleet. The New Bus for London emits 80 per cent less NOx than the average hybrid Euro V vehicle.
In order to reduce the bus fleets NOx emission across London further, TfL will be retrofitting 1,800 Euro Ill buses with selective catalytic reduction equipment by the end of 2015. This equipment reduces nitrogen oxide exhaust emissions by up to 88 per cent. More than 1,250 buses have already been retrofitted and, as a result, NOx emissions have already fallen 15 per cent from 5,985 tonnes in 2012/13 to 5,080 tonnes in 2013/14.
Between now and the end of 201 5, a further 550 buses will be retrofitted and remaining un retrofitted Euro Ill buses will be replaced with new Euro VI buses. The new ultra low emission Euro VI engine has an advanced exhaust after-treatment system that cuts NOx emissions by 90 per cent compared to an un-retrofitted Euro Ill vehicle.
I have noted your petition's request that routes serving Crystal Palace be given priority. A roll out of this scale will bring benefits to London as a whole including in Crystal Palace.
I also recently announced the introduction of an Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London in 2020. When the scheme comes into operation, all TfL buses operating in central London will be either hybrid double deckers or zero emission at point of use (for example pure electric or hydrogen) single decker . Since the majority of routes operating in central London start and end outside of inner London, the.benefits of these buses will affect a wider area then just central London. On average, 700 buses of London's bus fleet are replaced every year. TfL will progressively increase this number, starting next year.
Thank you again for writing to me.