Zero-Emission bus routes (2)

Officers are preparing an answer.

The default position – where the bus operators and lease companies invest in buses meeting London’s requirements – has been demonstrated to be a particularly cost-effective and efficient way to continually upgrade the fleet. This model has enabled the introduction of nearly 600 zero-emission buses comprising many makes and models, with more in the pipeline. There is currently no need for Transport for London (TfL) to make direct purchases and, if there was, this would entail significant capital expenditure which TfL does not have available through its temporary funding deal with Government.

TfL’s previous direct purchases were limited to vehicles designed exclusively for London use such as the New Routemaster (NRM). The bespoke nature of these buses made them highly unlikely to find extended service lives outside of the capital and therefore buying them directly was more economic.

Direct purchase was deemed appropriate in the case of the 20 double-deck hydrogen fuel cell buses being deployed on routes 7 and 245 through the JIVE (Joint Initiative for Hydrogen Vehicles across Europe) project because this involved a much smaller number of vehicles, a unique grant funding arrangement with the European Union and the Office for Low-Emission Vehicles, a technology very much in its infancy where operators were unable to justify taking on the risk of purchase and lease companies unable to offer competitive terms.

Demand for electric buses now extends well beyond London with a significant UK and worldwide market for many makes and models. This means that electric buses are readily available for purchasing or leasing at competitive prices and their use is not limited to London. TfL’s funding position is also now markedly less healthy, making large capital purchases unaffordable for the foreseeable future without external support.