More Low Emission Bus Zones for London

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced plans for ten more Low Emission Bus Zones to deploy the ‘greenest’ buses on the capital’s most polluted routes to cut emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx). The buses are part of the Mayor’s measures to tackle London’s filthy air – responsible for the premature deaths of an estimated 9,000 Londoners every year.

 The new routes include Edmonton, Stratford and Haringey, bringing the total number of Low Emission Zones planned to 12, including the previously announced zones in Putney High Street and Brixton. The Mayor has targeted air quality hotspots where people are exposed to some of the highest levels of NOx pollution and where older buses contribute significantly to road transport emissions.

 The new buses, which will be a combination of hybrid electric vehicles and those with top-of-the-range engines and exhaust systems that meet the highest (Euro VI) emissions standards, are part of an improvement programme directed at 3,000 buses in London. The zones are expected to reduce NOx emissions from buses along the routes by around 84%, according to the Mayor’s office.  

The Putney High Street zone will be delivered in March this year and the route between Brixton and Streatham is set for October. The other ten new routes will be delivered by 2020.

The Low Emission Bus Zones will utilise a number of ‘Bus Priority Schemes’ that ensure buses have priority over other traffic and are able to keep moving, cutting idling emissions and speed up journey times for passengers.