Carbon and Air Quality Resource Centre
Welcome to our resource centre. Here we share details of what we are doing to help fight climate change and improve air quality. We've also compiled a list of useful documents and links with the aim of giving you access to information from a wide range of resources in addition to our own resources.
As your local bus company, we recognise that we have a responsibility to reduce our fuel use and emissions to help improve the lives of the people and communities we serve. We are committed to aggressively decarbonising our fleet and continuing to explore cleaner, renewable alternatives to fossil fuels, which cause carbon dioxide levels to rocket, trapping heat from the sun and warming the planet. Watch this short film to find out how we are working with our partners to achieve this.
Sustainability and Air Quality reports
Every year we publish our sustainability report. In the report we share details of the work we do here at Metrobus and Brighton & Hove Bus Company. The reports demonstrate our commitment to operating our buses in a way that puts our services at the heart of the communities they serve.
You'll find information about the community partners we work with and crucial information about how we work hard to keep our passengers safe and happy. Here you will find links to our sustainability reports as well as our air quality reports.
Download our Air Quality and Carbon Reduction report
View our annual Sustainability reports
Our parent company, the Go-Ahead Group has recently published it's Climate Change Strategy which you can view here
Euro VI buses
Whilst only 4% of UK roadside emissions come from buses, we still want to make every change we can to help make a difference. Over the last four years our miles per gallon (MPG) has improved by 7.5% with fuel consumption dropping by 1 million litres. Co2 emissions combined have improved by 16% at 29,000 tonnes and we want to make this even better. We also continue to invest extensively in a low carbon fleet. Euro VI micro hybrid buses have a lot to offer in terms of improving air quality and reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx).
NOx is produced from the reaction of nitrogen and oxygen gases in the air during combustion, especially at high temperatures. In areas of high motor vehicle traffic, such as in large cities, the amount of nitrogen oxides emitted into the atmosphere as air pollution can be significant.
What are the benefits of a Euro VI bus?
A Euro VI bus delivers a 67% reduction in NOx. The Euro VI reduced emissions are achieved by a SCRT system (selective catalyst regeneration trap) and a DPF (diesel particulate filter) both designed to reduce NOx levels.
How do these buses work?
Euro VI micro hybrids have a compressor, steering pump and alternator that are all electrically operated whereas other older buses are driven from a drive system from the engine increasing the load and effecting fuel efficiency. Our micro hybrid vehicles also have regenerative braking, that store energy reducing the need for the engine to generate it.
How does a Euro VI bus benefit people and the environment?
The NOx limit for Euro 5 diesel vehicles is 180mg/km. This has been significantly reduced to just 80mg/km for Euro VI diesel vehicles. This in turn reduces the amount of NOx released into the air. We know that NOx has a negative on health so the less of it in the environment the better and especially for people with respiratory issues.
We operate 27 Street Lites in Crawley and 55 Street Decker buses in Brighton & Hove.
Enviro400ER buses
Site energy has improved with electricity by 28% and gas by 6%. Co2 emissions combined have improved by 16% at 29,000 tonnes and we want to make this even better. We also continue to invest extensively in a low carbon fleet:
We now have 54 Enviro400 ER hybrid electric buses with geo-fenced zero emission electric only operation through Brighton’s Low Emission Zone delivering 3,000,000 passenger journeys and 244,000 miles of zero emission bus travel every year. We have also conducted successful trials for extending the emissions free area to help improve air quality in Brighton and to help tackle climate change.
Watch our short film to find out how these buses really work with a look under the bonnet with Dan Hyde from ADL.
Useful links
Here are some useful links on climate change and the environment from various organisations and groups, both locally and nationally.
Sussex
We’ve put together some useful links from Sussex councils on climate change and the environment within Sussex. Here we share air quality plans, climate change pledges and air quality monitoring. There's also information here from Sussex Wildlife Trust and Southdowns National Park.
Surrey
We’ve put together some useful links from councils within Surrey on climate change and the environment within Surrey.
| Surrey County Council - Climate Change |
| Epsom and Ewell Council - Climate Change |
Kent
We’ve put together some useful links from Kent County Council and other resources on climate change and the environment within Kent. If you have any documents to share please get in touch.
| Kent's Changing Climate - Kent County Council |
| Low Carbon Futures Project - Kent County Council |
Brighton & Hove
We’ve pulled together some useful links from Brighton & Hove City Council, The Living Coast and other organisations on climate change and the environment within the city of Brighton & Hove. There are some really great reports here worth reading to find out what's happening locally.
National
Here are some useful links on climate change and the environment from the government, Transport Focus, and other organisations.
Greener Journeys
Greener Journeys undertakes research and campaigns for the social, economic and environmental benefits of public transport. We think you may find their information really useful.
Here are some links to different projects and work they have completed.