The vision for a greener Medway could be a step closer to reality as Medway Council is preparing a bid for a multi-million pound grant to become the very first 'all-electric bus city' in Britain. The local authority is seeking £50 million in government funding to develop an all-electric bus city that could see the entire Medway’s bus fleet changed over to vehicles that are fully electric, or capable of operating in electric, zero-emission mode. Speaking at the Full Council meeting on Thursday, 23 April, Cllr Phil Filmer (Con), Portfolio Holder for Frontline Services, said: "Bus operators do not currently have any plans to introduce the electric buses in Medway. "However, we [Medway Council] are planning to bid for a £50m government grant to develop an 'all-electric bus city'. "We are working with local bus providers to submit an Expression of Interest which is the first stage of the bidding process." In addition to the introduction of an all-electric bus fleet, the £50m government grant may also cover the costs to install essential infrastructure, such as charging equipment, and upgrades to the grid to cater for increased energy demand locally.
It follows a one-week trial in October 2019 of a 31-seater electric bus on the 170 service between Chatham Waterfront Bus Station and Medway Valley Park. Following the trial, the Council reviewed its success, the viability of an e-bus in Medway and looked into what infrastructure Medway would need should bus providers and operators also share an interest in introducing single and double decker electric buses across Medway in future years. The news of Medway Council's bid to become Britain's first all-electric bus city comes just months after it was revealed that Chatham was listed as one of the worst towns in the country for air quality. Independent think tank Centre for Cities reported that at least one in 16 deaths in Chatham are attributed to long-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution (particulates with a diameter less than 2.5 micrometres), ranking the Medway town close behind chart-topping Slough and London. Although the sources of pollution vary greatly between cities, the research found that PM2.5 in Chatham is almost exclusively driven by combustion in commercial, institutional and domestic activities, including coal or wood fires. Furthermore, in 2018 there were 40 days when pollution in Chatham rose to dangerous levels affecting those with pre-existing health conditions like asthma, according to the Met Office. In response to growing concerns around the environment and public health, Medway Council swiftly declared a 'climate change emergency' in April 2019. Measures to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions include a £12 million replacement of all street lights across Medway to LED energy saving light bulbs, reducing single-use plastics across the Council and a solar panel group buying scheme. It is expected that the Department for Transport will make an announcement by the end of May 2020 on which place(s) will be eligible to move forward to Phase 2, in which shortlisted places will then be assessed in more detail for funding support. Photos: Google Street View, Medway Council
Bob Bowring
25/4/2020 20:45:22
Does this mean that all busses traveling in Medway have to be electric? and does that also mean that you be implimenting this to other companies that still run the older buses in the Medway town that billow out harmful fumes.
Amanda Stewart
4/5/2020 14:20:36
Does this mean a new open top bus for the summer currently provided by Arriva? Comments are closed.
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