The first-ever double decker hydrogen bus tour of the UK stopped off at National Express West Midlands to see the strides being made to decarbonise public transport in Birmingham.
The UK Hydrogen Roadshow, a partnership between bus manufacturer Wrightbus, hydrogen distribution firm Ryze Hydrogen, and hydrogen production company INEOS through its INOVYN subsidiary, set off from London on Monday 18 October on a 600-mile journey to Glasgow ahead of the UN’s climate conference, COP26.
The roadshow – taking place on the world’s first hydrogen double decker bus, the Wrightbus Hydroliner – is stopping at various businesses along the way to highlight the potential that low-carbon hydrogen fuel has to play in various industries.
The iconic roadshow bus was greeted on Tuesday (19 October) by ‘Sylvia’ the bus and Sylvia Broadley, Specialist Energy Manager from Birmingham City Council. ‘Sylvia’ is the first of Birmingham City Council’s 20 hydrogen buses, which National Express West Midlands will operate in service later this year.
Made by Wrightbus, the buses have been purchased as part of the Council’s Clean Air Hydrogen Bus Pilot, which aims to ‘kick-start’ the hydrogen market as a viable zero-emission fuel and are hailed as another solution to tackling Birmingham’s poor air quality.
