London's red buses turn to green

02 November 2006

Hybrid bus

The world's first hybrid double-decker bus was unveiled on Tuesday, the day after the publication of a damming report on climate change.

The report by economist Nicholas Stern talks of grave consequences for the economy on a par with a World War if nothing is done to reduce greenhouse gasses.

Mayor Ken Livingstone said: "I think the Stern report has gone for the least alarming scenario."

Still painted in bright red, the bus will travel along the 141 route which goes through parts of Hoxton and Shoreditch on its route from London Bridge to Wood Green.

Using a mix of electricity and diesel fuel, the double decker will reduce carbon emissions by more than two thirds.

Mayor Livingstone said: "We are doubling our effort to reduce carbon emissions, London should take a strong lead in trying to achieve this."

The prototype costs £285,000 to make - £115,000 more than a standard double decker.

The director of environmental charity Friends of the Earth, Tony Juniper, said: "The cost of inaction is far greater."

The Mayor also pledged to give the contract for manufacturing all new busses to the first company that can make the environmentally-friendly vehicles

"That should be a pretty good incentive," he said.

"Creating a low-carbon bus fleet is an important part of our work to cut emissions which are causing climate change."

The unveiling follows a campaign launched last month led by the Advertiser and Conservative councillor Peter Golds to bring back trolley busses, which were powered using only electricity.