£30m has been invested in a pioneering hydrogen bus fleet and refuelling station for services in and around London Gatwick Airport.
The Go-Ahead Group, a UK bus and rail operator, has launched a fleet of hydrogen fuel cell buses to carry passengers on routes in the Gatwick Airport, Crawley and Horley area.
Once fully delivered, the fleet will consist of 54 vehicles and will be one of the biggest hydrogen bus fleets in the UK. It will be served by a liquid hydrogen refuelling station – the largest of its kind in Europe.
The zero emission buses are able to cover long ranges and carry heavy loads, making them ideal for local routes around Gatwick that are intensively used - operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
We want half of our passengers and staff to get to the airport using sustainable transport, so we’re investing in our public transport facilities
The single-decker GB Kite Hydroliner buses, manufactured by Wrightbus, are the first hydrogen powered vehicles in Go-Ahead’s fleet of more than 6,000 buses. Hydrogen will be stored at the Metrobus Crawley depot in liquid form, before being converted to gas held in tanks on the roof of vehicles.
The liquid hydrogen refuelling station in Crawley is owned and operated by Air Products. Once it reaches full capacity, it will be capable of providing fuel for more than 100 buses per day.
Stewart Wingate, chief executive of London Gatwick Airport, said: “Sustainability is key to everything we do and we’re proud to have contributed financially to these 20 zero-emission hydrogen buses. The route this new fleet serves is vital for passengers and airport staff travelling to and from work, including late at night and early morning.
“We want half of our passengers and staff to get to the airport using sustainable transport, so we’re investing in our public transport facilities. In addition to this zero-emission bus fleet, we have also upgraded a vital bus interchange with accessible lifts and our redeveloped train station will open soon. We also hope to see further advances in the use of hydrogen at the airport in the years ahead.”
Images: Go-Ahead Group
