Food fuelled biogas bus ready to set-off in Bristol

A biomethane fuelled double-decker bus is set to hit Bristol’s roads from 21 August.

The renewable, sustainable biomethane gas will be created from a feedstock of household food waste.

Local bus operator First West of England will use the new biogas double-decker as a ‘pathfinder’ to assess how well the new bus copes with the demands of city-wide operations in Bristol and how it impacts, for example, refuelling and maintenance operations. The bus itself is apparently rated as the best low-emission double-decker currently on the market, according to First West.

The bus’s greenhouse gas emissions are 84% cleaner than a Euro 5 Diesel on a well-to-wheel basis, while its tailpipe emissions are lower than many modern Euro 6 diesel passenger cars, despite its bigger size and capacity.

“We are immensely proud to bring this premium double decker to Bristol so soon after the manufacturers offered it to the market,” said James Freeman, managing director of First West of England.

“Its low emissions and bio-gas credentials are just what is needed in a city that is faced with air quality challenges and increased congestion. This bio-gas bus helps to improve local air quality as it produces fewer emissions than traditional diesel engines.”

Cllr Mhairi Threlfall, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “I’m delighted to support the launch of the first double-decker bus using biogas here in Bristol. It’s a testament to our good partnership with First that we were chosen to be the first place in the UK to test this particular type of innovative bus technology.