FirstBus on the street with gas
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• Dennis and Plaxtons have produced the UK's first purpose-built natural gas-powered bus in conjunction with Bristolbased operator FirstBus, The Dennis Dart is designed to hold 500 litres of gas in six roofmounted tanks, giving a range of at least 250 miles.
Power comes from a Cummins B-Series (B159(;) developing 148hp (110kW) at 2,500rptn and 3761bft (510Nm) at 1,500rpm. Transmission is the Allison MT545 fitted as standard to the Dart.
The 35-seat low-floor bus cost
£ 115,000 to develop. It weighs around 500kg more than the traditional vehicle and has the maximum number of standing passengers reduced from 14 to 10 to pass the tilt test.
A fast-fill gas plant will be
used at British Gas's Eastville depot which is within a mile of the vehicle's base.
The new bus will be on trial for a year running through Bristol alongside diesel-powered versions.
BOG has called for greater tax breaks for "green" fuels. While it acknowledges the reduced duty on natural gas and the increased diesel tax which goes some way to redress the balance, it says more needs to be done. "At the moment no fleet can risk becoming uncompetitive by switching to natural gas—and that is the only stumbling block," says BOC's chief engineer Sam de Beaux.
He is calling for next year's Budget to mirror the changes in this but says that the industry shouldn't have to wait.