Boris Johnson unveils all new electric doubledecker for London
The first fully electric London doubledecker is set to enter service in October. Until now the battery technology has rendered electric double deckers too heavy and expensive.
But TfL(Transport for London) believes the latest development will rapidly improve emissions and air quality.as transport authorities try to reduce the capital’s air pollution levels.
Built in China, the new all electric double decker will run on route 16, which operates between Cricklewood, north-west London, and Victoria station. In addition, the 312 route from Norwood to South Croydon, will become the city’s first purely electric route later this year.
“The iconic red double-decker bus is about to become greener than ever,” mayor Boris Johnson told the Clean Bus Summit earlier.
London Assembly Transport spokesperson Valerie Shawcross said it was “fantastic” news. “With London’s bus fleet contributing to the capital’s ever growing air pollution crisis, we need a plan to make environmentally friendly vehicles the rule not the exception,” the Labour member continued.
On Monday the capital joined dozens of cities around the world in committing to green vehicles, to give bus manufacturers confidence to develop and mass-produce the technology to make electric buses affordable. At the Clean Bus Summit, 24 cities pledged to roll out 40,000 low-emission buses by the end of the decade.
TfL promises that all new buses in London will comply with the ultra-low emission zone that comes into effect from 2020 – a tacit admission that the first hybrid Routemasters commissioned by the mayor, Boris Johnson, will breach the zone’s limits, and are more polluting than the vehicles that have now become available.
