The air in Oxford could soon be cleaner than ever thanks to a new initiative that aims to limit bus emissions in the city centre.
In an effort to reduce the levels of the gas nitrogen dioxide, bus companies will be legally obliged to reduce their emissions by January 2014. Under plans from Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford the city will become a Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) with a legal limits on emissions.
Once the LEZ is enforced, all buses will have to meet the highest European standard for low emissions meaning that older, less clean will have to be replaced or refitted with exhaust treatment devices. Bus drivers will also be legally obliged to switch off engines when buses are stationary at bus stops for more than one minute.
Councillor John Tanner, board member for Cleaner, Greener Oxford at the city council, said: “This is another step in the campaign to push pollution levels in Oxford well below the safe minimum set by Europe. “I’m thrilled that the city and county are working hand in hand to ban nearly all polluting buses from our city by January 2014. This traffic regulation will mean Oxford residents and visitors can breathe safely. Green bus companies will not be able to be undercut by polluting rivals.”
The introduction of the LEZ builds on the efforts of Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach, which have reduced bus emissions by 60 per cent since 2009 by introducing hybrid buses. The LEZ has been welcomed by the Oxfordshire branch of national bus passenger campaign group, Bus Users UK.
Spokesman Hugh Jaeger said that as older buses were replaced by greener vehicles, passengers would not only benefit from better air quality but also get to travel in nicer surroundings.
“On most routes coming in and out of Oxford we have really modern, very nice buses. We’ve got some of the most modern buses in the country as well as ones with the lowest emissions,” he said. “Oxford is one of the leading cities in Britain for low emission buses. The only other cities that are doing as much as us are much bigger cities.
“Manchester has a lot of hybrid buses, London is getting quite a few and other big cities are starting to get significant numbers of them but we’ve just got loads for a city of our size. We are really making strides.”
He put the city’s forward-thinking approach down to strong council leadership and the healthy competition between the two main bus companies in the city, which he believes is driving up standards. Philip Kirk, managing director of Oxford Bus Company, said that 85 per cent of the company’s fleet already complies with LEZ regulations.
He said: “We welcome the Low Emission Zone scheme. Oxford Bus Company has been at the forefront of environmental awareness in Oxford for nearly 20 years. The measures the company has already taken under its own initiative have provided the benchmark for the LEZ.”
