Hydrogen Buses
Our commitment to Zero Emissions
As part of our commitment to reducing emissions, twenty new hydrogen fuelled buses will operate on Fastway routes 10 & 20. These new buses demonstrate an ongoing commitment to reducing our local emissions. They deliver against science-based targets set by Metrobus and its parent company, The Go-Ahead Group, of becoming a net zero business by 2045 and decarbonising our bus fleet by 2035.
Ed Wills, Managing Director for Brighton & Hove and Metrobus said “I am delighted to introduce 20 new hydrogen buses to our Metrobus fleet and a liquid hydrogen fuelling station, which will be the first in Europe. This marks a historic moment for our business and demonstrates our commitment to reducing emissions in the local community where the only thing that comes out of the tailpipe is water. We are not stopping there either! A further 34 buses will join our fleet over the next 18 months in partnership with Surrey County Council making us have one of the largest zero emissions hydrogen bus fleets in Europe.”
Why hydrogen?
Hydrogen is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to operate a bus service because all that comes out of the tailpipe is water. Hydrogen for Fastway buses is generated using water, and ends as water. With zero CO2 emissions at the tailpipe, these buses help to tackle climate change and improve air quality.
Hydrogen buses can be refuelled in 15-20 minutes, which is an advantage over electric vehicles that take considerably longer and require much greater infrastructure. We use green hydrogen that is generated using renewable energy and desalinated seawater, making it even more sustainable.
Fastway route
Hydrogen buses are a great choice for Fastway because this is the hardest working route on our network with each bus travelling around 370 miles per day.
Fastway links the busy town of Crawley to Horley, connecting Manor Royal Business Park, Gatwick Airport and Gatwick train station with direct services to London and other parts of the UK. The services operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year taking people to work and school, to visit friends and family, for leisure and even international holidays. Lengthy routes, heavy passenger loads and hilly terrain means hydrogen is the most effective option for bus travel here.
Liquid fuelling station – biggest in Europe!
Liquid hydrogen is a recommended solution when it comes to large fleet decarbonisation. The permanent re-fuelling infrastructure is the largest of its kind in the UK capable of providing 1600kg of liquid hydrogen per day. This means the fuelling station can deliver 250kg per hour over 10 hours making it the largest in Europe and the largest outside of China. This capacity would allow our entire Crawley based fleet to operate using hydrogen, with a total of just over 140 vehicles.
The future – 34 new buses in partnership with Surrey County Council
The future ambition for hydrogen at Metrobus does not stop here. We are looking forward to receiving a further 34 hydrogen buses that will join the Metrobus fleet in the next 18 months, making it one of the biggest hydrogen fleets in Europe. This is thanks to the foresight and commitment to sustainable transport by our partners Surrey County Council.
Click here to view our Fastway Hydrogen leaflet