Ruddington’s main bus provider is set to further reduce its carbon footprint thanks to £2.7m of funding from DEFRA’s Clean Vehicle Technology Fund. Our single decker Navy 3 buses are among the 185 vehicles of Nottingham City Transport’s 330-strong fleet which are set to be retro-fitted to clean up their exhaust fumes.
The cash follows a successful joint bid from the bus operator and Nottingham City Council. NCT’s younger diesel buses are capable of being upgraded to the latest more stringent Euro VI standards, resulting in tailpipe emissions which are claimed to be 90 per cent cleaner than their current Euro V standard – and would be compliant with a future Clean Air Zone.
Councillor Sally Longford, the council’s Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services and Local Transport, said: “This is fantastic news that will benefit many of our key routes into the city. It builds on the already impressive strides made in the city, by ourselves and our public transport operators, to improve our air quality.”
NCT Engineering Director, Gary Mason explained: “Our Euro V buses, which are only between 2 and 7 years old, will have enhanced exhaust treatment systems retrofitted to bring them to Euro VI equivalent, this will result in Nottingham City Transport having one of the youngest and cleanest fleets in the country.”
Already, in July last year, a brand new fleet of five dedicated biogas buses went into service on Ruddington’s Green 10 route (which serve the City via Loughborough Road, Greythorne Drive and Trent Bridge) to replace the older and less eco-friendly, diesel double deckers.
Mr Mason continued: “By Spring, we’ll have a fleet of 53 Euro VI biogas powered double deck buses – the largest double deck gas bus fleet in the world! The success of these buses combined with their ultra-low carbon footprint (using bio methane as a fuel) has encouraged NCT to adopt this fuel technology for future new bus orders and it is intended that all existing Euro III and Euro IV buses will be replaced in this way.”
Retrofitting diesel vehicles, like our Navy 3 Optare fleet, involves fitting a new tank and making alterations to the exhaust. It’s said the process will reduce Nitrogen Dioxide emissions across NCT’s services by around 63,411kg a year – and emission of Particulate Matter by 488kg over the same period. Other bus routes that will benefit include Mansfield Road, Clifton, Carlton, Bestwood, St Ann’s, Basford Ilkeston Road, Alfreton Road and Derby Road.
