{"id":3012,"date":"2023-07-27T15:30:31","date_gmt":"2023-07-27T15:30:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/dft-pauses-bus-retrofit-funding-amid-doubts\/"},"modified":"2023-07-27T15:30:31","modified_gmt":"2023-07-27T15:30:31","slug":"dft-pauses-bus-retrofit-funding-amid-doubts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/dft-pauses-bus-retrofit-funding-amid-doubts\/","title":{"rendered":"DfT pauses bus retrofit funding amid doubts"},"content":{"rendered":"
Department investigates variable performance but Transport Scotland backs technology and continues to fund conversions. Rhodri Clark<\/strong> reports<\/h5>\n

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A bus in Glasgow. Transport Scotland is continuing to fund retrofitting through its Bus Emissions Abatement Retrofit (BEAR) programme<\/em><\/p>\n

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\nThe DfT has defended pausing England\u2019s bus retrofitting programme while it investigates variable performance. Faced with the same evidence on performance, Scotland is continuing to fund conversions to bring old vehicles into line with newer emissions standards \u2013 and says recent research shows the technology contributes significantly to cleaner air.<\/p>\n

The DfT paused its funding for further retrofitting of buses in April after evidence emerged that the technology may not be delivering the expected reductions in nitrogen oxide emissions. It is investigating the issue and talking to retrofit suppliers about possible causes and solutions.<\/p>\n

The situation has caused further delay to the introduction of Greater Manchester\u2019s Clean Air Zone, as well as delaying bus conversions for various areas of England. So far, the DfT has provided nearly \u00a3170m to Greater Manchester to help reduce nitrogen dioxide levels, of which approximately \u00a3150m was spent on retrofitting 1,153 buses before the programme was paused.<\/p>\n

A DfT spokeswoman said: \u201cWe work closely with local councils to help them improve air quality, including with using technology to help improve bus emissions.\u201d<\/p>\n

The DfT had always intended to undertake in-service monitoring to understand the effectiveness of retrofits funded by the UK Government. \u201cThis was accelerated when issues identified in Scotland suggested that retrofitted buses may not be having the anticipated impact on real world NOx emissions,\u201d said the DfT. NOx (nitrogen oxides) refers to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitric oxide, both of which are produced when fossil fuels are combusted.<\/p>\n

Evidence has shown variability in the performance of the retrofit technology, and the government has taken a decision to pause further funding whilst further investigation is carried out<\/p>\n

\u201cEvidence has shown variability in the performance of the retrofit technology, and the government has taken a decision to pause further funding whilst further investigation is carried out,\u201d said the Department.<\/p>\n

Transport Scotland told Passenger Transport<\/em> last week that it was continuing to fund retrofitting through its Bus Emissions Abatement Retrofit (BEAR) programme. \u201cRecent research shows that exhaust emission retrofits fitted under the BEAR programme do generate a significant improvement in vehicle emissions (NOx and particulates) and will therefore be having a direct and positive effect on urban air quality compared with non-retrofitted vehicles,\u201d said a Transport Scotland spokesman.<\/p>\n

\u201cBEAR retrofitting, along with other transport initiatives, has helped to improve air quality in some our most polluted streets ahead of the wider enforcement of LEZs [Low Emission Zones]. BEAR retrofit buses are subject to monitoring and evaluation to ensure that satisfactory in-service performance is achieved as part of the conditions of award.\u201d<\/p>\n

After receiving Scotland\u2019s defence of retrofitting, Passenger Transport<\/em> asked the DfT whether it had over-reacted to retrofit under-performance which was only marginal in the context of the overall programme, and whether the effect of its on-going pause would be a reduction in total DfT retrofit funding, because more old buses would be replaced with new ones over time.<\/p>\n

It would be premature to make a final decision on future funding of retrofit ahead of the results of that investigation<\/p>\n

The DfT responded: \u201cIt would be premature to make a final decision on future funding of retrofit ahead of the results of that investigation.<\/p>\n

\u201cBus retrofit is one of a number of measures used by local authorities to improve air quality in cities across England. The NO2 programme works closely with local authorities to agree specific measures appropriate to their circumstances. Government remains committed to working closely with programme local authorities to achieve compliance with legal NO2 limits in the shortest possible time.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the investigation has proceeded, the DfT has shared information and data on bus retrofitting with Greater Manchester so that the city region can factor them into its analysis. \u201cWe are continuing to engage closely with them on this issue,\u201d said the DfT. <\/p>\n

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The full story appears inside the latest issue of\u00a0Passenger Transport<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

DON\u2019T MISS OUT \u2013 GET YOUR COPY! \u2013\u00a0click here to subscribe!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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The post DfT pauses bus retrofit funding amid doubts<\/a> first appeared on Passenger Transport<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u200b\u00a0<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Department investigates variable performance but Transport Scotland backs technology and continues to fund conversions. Rhodri Clark reports \u00a0A bus in Glasgow. Transport Scotland is continuing to fund retrofitting through its Bus Emissions Abatement Retrofit (BEAR) programme \u00a0 The DfT has defended pausing England\u2019s bus retrofitting programme while it investigates variable performance. Faced with the same evidence on performance, Scotland is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":3013,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-camcab"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3012"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3012"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3012\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3013"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3012"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3012"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}