London reaches milestone of 3,000 zero-emission buses
The bus forms part of a wider order for more than 120 zero-emission buses from the Northern Ireland manufacturer. Once deployed, the vehicles will enable six additional routes operating from Rainham depot to switch to zero-emission operation. To support the fleet expansion, the depot is being upgraded with overhead charging infrastructure mounted on steel gantries.
London’s zero-emission fleet has grown rapidly from just 30 electric buses in 2016. TfL expects the number of zero-emission buses to double again within the next five years as it continues to replace diesel-powered vehicles. According to the transport authority, operating around 3,000 electric buses for one year can save more than 100,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions compared with conventional diesel vehicles.
“We have the largest zero-emission bus fleet in Western Europe and now more than 3,000 of London’s buses are zero-emission, up from just 30 in 2016, demonstrating the pace of progress as we strive to transition the whole of the fleet,” emphasised Lorna Murphy, Director of Buses at TfL.
The vast majority of the fleet consists of battery-electric buses, although TfL also operates a small number of hydrogen fuel cell buses. Since 2021, all newly procured buses for London have been required to be zero-emission at the tailpipe.
TfL says all zero-emission buses in the capital are equipped with USB charging points, camera-monitoring systems that replace conventional mirrors, speed-limiting technology and audible pedestrian warning systems. These features form part of the organisation’s Bus Safety Standard programme and support London’s Vision Zero strategy to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on the city’s roads.
“I’m proud that London is leading the charge in sustainable transport with 3,000 of our iconic red buses now going green – which is a hundred times more than when I took office in 2016, and one of the largest zero-emission bus fleets in Europe,” said Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. “Over the last decade as Mayor, I’ve worked with TfL to take our bus network from strength to strength – creating new services such as the game-changing Superloop, and boosting our zero- and low-emission buses to help clean up our air and support our climate goals.”
“We are delighted to have provided London’s 3,000th zero-emission bus in what is also a landmark year for us, as we celebrate our 80th anniversary,” added Christian Reynolds, Managing Director of Wrightbus. “Each vehicle represents not only a step forward in decarbonising transport, providing cleaner air for the people of London, but also a commitment to accessibility, innovation and passenger experience.”
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