UK environmental groups calls on next Mayor of London to promote green buses

A group of environmental groups in the UK are calling on the next Mayor of London to commit to making the capital's buses run on clean fuel.

The NGOs, including Greenpeace, WWF, RSPB and the National Trust, have drawn together 20 policy suggestions to improve London's environment and will publish them today to mark the start of Greener London Week. Suggestions include the introduction of policies to phase out all diesel black cabs and private taxis by 2020.

In a statement, the green groups said: "Every bus in central London should be zero emission capable by 2018 spreading to all London buses by 2025.

"This would follow the Paris example of 100 per cent clean fuel buses by 2025.To be able to achieve this, and accommodate differences in the progress of bus technology, by 2018 all new single decker buses should be electric and all new double decker buses should be zero emission capable."

'Dirty diesel'

Stephen Joseph, CEO, Campaign for Better Transport, said: "Under current plans, children born today will have started school before they have air fit to breathe. By expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone and bringing forward the end date for dirty diesel in London's bus and taxi fleets, paid for by abandoning unnecessary new road schemes, the next mayor can make a real difference to the health and life chances of Londoners."

According to Transport for London (TfL), almost a third of London's bus fleet will soon be running on a greener blend of diesel, resulting in a huge reduction in CO2 emissions of 21,000 tonnes each year which comes on top of the 48,000 tonne CO2 reduction from 2013 levels as a result of the introduction of lower emitting buses such as hybrids.

Two bus operators, Stagecoach and Metroline, have signed deals with Argent Energy to supply them with B20 green diesel. The cleaner burning fuel is made from blending diesel with renewable biodiesel from waste products, including cooking oil and tallow from the meat processing trade.

By March 2016, almost 3,000 of the capital's 8,900 buses will be powered by the B20 fuel blend. Six hundred and forty-two buses operating out of four Stagecoach depots have already been using B20 for two months on a trial basis.

The 2016 London mayoral election will be held on 5 May, 2016. The Labour Party's candidate is Sadiq Khan and the Conservative Party candidate is Zac Goldsmith.