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The future is electric. And for two London bus routes, the future is now...
Well, technically it's extremely soon. That's because by the end of October 2019, two bus routes will have the first fully electric double decker fleets across the network. Those routes are the 43 and the 134, both north London buses that head into central London. The 43 runs from Friern Barnet to London Bridge, while the 134 runs from North Finchley to Warren Street
According to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, London now has Europe's largest electric bus fleet, with over 200 electric buses in place currently, and many more to come. Electric buses are a key part of the Mayor's plan to tackle London's air quality crisis and to reduce carbon emissions.
The buses aren't just an improvement for the city, they're also better for passengers riding on them. Without a traditional engine, journeys are quieter, and the vehicles offer USB charging points.
There's bus-related, air quality news in west London too. Low Emission Bus Zones at Chiswick High Road and Uxbridge Road have been completed. The zones cause a 90% drop in bus-related nitrogen dioxide emissions.
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said:
London's toxic air is a shameful health crisis which is causing premature deaths and stunting the growth of children's lungs. Today, as part of our work to tackle the harmful emissions we breathe and to help tackle the climate emergency, I am proud to announce the first two routes which will exclusively use electric double deck buses.
I am also pleased to announce that we have now delivered all 12 of the Low Emission Bus Zones I promised in my manifesto, much sooner than the planned delivery date of 2020. This is part of our £300m plan to transform London's entire bus fleet, which is set to reduce bus NOx emissions London-wide by an average of 90 per cent by October 2020.
