A new Ultra Low Emissions bus scheme has been announced by the government, with £48million of funding available for local authorities and operators.
The announcement by Transport Minister Nusrat Ghani follows the success of a previous scheme that distributed £30million. The fund is designed to enable local authorities and operators in England and Wales to purchase low emission buses and the supportive infrastructure, as a part of the overall government programme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector.
Transport Minister Nusrat Ghani said: “We are doing more than ever before to reduce greenhouse gas pollution across all modes of transport and we are committed to ensuring nearly all cars and vans are emissions-free at their tailpipes by 2050. In order to achieve this ambitious target, the transport sector is going to have to change dramatically over the next couple of decades – and buses are no exception. We are confident this scheme will encourage councils and operators to invest in these ultra-low emission vehicles – speeding up the full transition to a low emission bus fleet in England and Wales.”
Claire Haigh, Chief Executive of Greener Journeys, said, “Today’s announcement is a fantastic step in the UK’s fight against air pollution and we’re delighted that the government has recognised the important and vital role that buses play in helping reducing harmful emissions.”
