Transport for London is investing £12m on 20 new hydrogen-powered double-decker buses and the infrastructure to support them.

At a cost of £500,000 each, the buses only emit water as exhaust which is far better for the environment than a diesel equivalent. Offshore wind farms will be producing the green hydrogen to be used by the 20 new buses.

Hydrogen-powered buses aren’t new to London and there have been single-decker hydrogen buses operating in the capital as well as Aberdeen and Brighton for quite some time.

The three routes that the buses will initially operate on saw over 10 million passengers last year. On these new buses, passengers can expect a quieter and smoother ride as well as having access to USB charging points.

The buses also have great flexibility over diesel and electric buses. Hydrogen providers a longer range than electric and can be refuelled in under 5 minutes. However, TFL also expects to have 68 electric double-decker buses in London by this summer.

Ultra-low emission zone

Earlier this year, London introduced the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) which costs some buses and coaches up to £100 a day.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “We all have a role to play in cleaning up London’s toxic air and I’ve always said that TfL should lead from the front. We are investing a record £85m in cleaning up our bus fleet, and I am proud that London now has the largest zero-emission bus fleet in Europe”

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