16 Jun 2008 03:06:08
New sugar beet fuel station to open in Berkshire
Reading Buses has revealed it is to open a filling station at its depot to provide fuel for 13 new buses which run on bio-ethanol.
The local council recently ordered a fleet of new green double decker buses which run on sugar beet waste as part of its efforts to cut carbon emissions and improve air quality
Its first new bus took to the roads as part of the number 17 service in April.
A further 12 will enter into service during the summer, prompting the move to build new facilities at Reading's bus deport, reports the BBC.
The council organised a ten-year bio-ethanol contract from a supplier in East Anglia using a renewable source of sugar beet when it bought the vehicles but needed some way of ensuring they could refuel.
That has now been provided by the new facility at the bus depot, which cost in the region of £200,000.
It is hoped that the availability of the filling station will persuade other bus operators in the town to switch to low emissions bio-ethanol vehicles.