More bus routes across London are set to benefit from vehicles fitted with innovative technology to reduce pollution. In addition, a second 140 sq m green wall is to be installed in central London helping to trapharmful road transport emissions.
Transport for London (TfL) has been trialling two types of technology that is fitted to bus exhaust pipes to reduce either PM10 or NOx pollution. Results have shown significant reductions in emissions on buses piloting the equipment with PM10 reduced by 77 percent and NOx has reduced by 88 per cent.
Following these successful trials, the Mayor of London has now confirmed the wider introduction of the technology. 155 buses will be the first to be fitted with equipment to cut PM10 levels. The routes have been selected based on levels of current air quality.
In addition, up to 1,000 older buses are set to receive the NOx reducing equipment. This is the largest retrofit of this type of equipment in the UK. TfL will target around 50 bus routes where concentrations of NOx are highest.
Furthermore, following the completion of a green wall on Edgware Road Tube Station adjacent to Marylebone Road, a second green wall is now set to be built (subject to planning permission) on the Mermaid Theatre at Blackfriars on Upper Thames Street. Green walls are visually stunning whilst also trapping pollutants, removing them from the air.
These initiatives are part of the Mayor’s Clean Air Fund which has been financed by an initial £5 million from the Department for Transport to deliver targeted local measures tackling PM10. An additional £5 million has been secured from the Department of Transport (match funded with £5 million from TfL) to expand the Clean Air Fund into a second stage which is funding the NOx bus retrofit work.
TfL estimates that by 2015, 7,500 buses will be Euro IV NOx compliant (through replacing older buses with newer, cleaner models or through retrofitting).