Emissions to air
Although emissions per passenger journey from buses are much lower than cars our exhaust emissions impact on air quality. We continue to significantly reduce these emissions by investing in new engines, fitting further emission control technology such as catalytic converters and particulate traps and ensuring that our maintenance and fleet management programmes are effectively managed.
EURO III engines now make up 33% of the fleet an increase of 2% since last year and EURO IV engines make up 2.7% of the fleet.
We calculate the emissions from our buses on an annual basis using emission factors published in the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) database www.naei.org.uk (link opens in a new window). This contains emission factors for each of the pollutants reported for all Euro engine types and pre-Euro engines. Emission factors are adjusted for average operating speeds and vehicle mileage within each operating company.
| Our ongoing investment in new vehicles has achieved the following emissions reductions since 2001. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pollutant | Percentage reduction | Tonnage reduction |
| Particulates | 65% | 314 |
| Nitric oxides | 39% | 2,975 |
| Carbon monoxide | 68% | 2,532 |
| Hydrocarbons | 63% | 812 |
In June this year in partnership with BAA Heathrow we launched a new fleet of low-emission buses for the Slough/Maidenhead/Heathrow route. This £1.5 million investment is part of a commitment between BAA and First to reduce emissions and reflects BAA's ongoing pledge to minimise the impacts of the airport's transport network to effectively manage air quality at Heathrow. The buses are designed to the latest EURO V emissions standard with low floor access and additional safety features.
The graph shows the rapid increase in buses with Euro 3 engines since 2002 and the corresponding decline in pre Euro models. Buses with Euro 2 and Euro 3 engines are now the main types in the First fleet.
