A new £30 million fund aims to help bus operators and councils go green by helping them purchase low-carbon buses.

“CO2 emissions from buses have increased significantly over the last 10 years,” said Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis. “For the sake of our environment and the air quality in our towns and cities it’s important to encourage the industry to move towards low carbon models.”

As more low-carbon buses are produced and sold, costs will reduce, officials say. This will encourage bus technology and will stimulate the market for low-carbon buses.

“I’m delighted that this is an industry where UK manufacturers are leading the field,” Adonis said. “Therefore these companies and their employees are well placed to benefit from this initiative.

“Over the next two years we expect this fund to support the purchase of several hundred low-carbon buses and, just as importantly, help to stimulate the development of a new green technology industry and help to safeguard up to 900 jobs in bus manufacturing.”

Low-carbon buses use at least 30 per cent less fuel and emit nearly a third less carbon than an equivalent conventional bus. That gives them the potential to significantly reduce the impact of road transport on climate change. They will also meet the most stringent air quality emission standards to help improve air quality.

At present, low-carbon buses make up just 0.2 per cent of buses on the road today. The new Department for Transport fund is intended to put low-carbon buses within the reach of as many operators and local authorities as possible throughout England.

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