A £30 million investment has enabled the launch of a state-of-the-art liquid hydrogen refuelling station at the Metrobus Crawley depot, marking a significant milestone in the decarbonisation of local public transport. The new facility fueled nine hydrogen buses on its very first day.
The liquid hydrogen, stored at the Manor Royal depot, is converted into gas and held in tanks on the roofs of the buses. This innovative system dramatically improves refuelling efficiency, with each bus able to be fully refuelled in just eight minutes. This fast refuelling capability means buses can spend more time on the road, providing essential services to local communities across Sussex and Surrey.
Previously, the depot relied on gaseous hydrogen delivered in special tanks on trailers, a method that operated on a smaller scale and limited the number of buses that could be fully fuelled and operational. With the new liquid hydrogen system in place, Metrobus is now able to significantly increase the number of hydrogen buses it operates.
Ed Wills, managing director for Metrobus and Brighton and Hove Buses, said: “The plan is for the entire fleet of Fastway buses to operate daily with sixteen buses on routes 10 and 20, and nine further buses on the route 100. That’s twenty-five vehicles in total, with a longer-term plan of fuelling a fleet of up to fifty-four buses from the Metrobus Crawley depot.
"This innovation for buses is a giant leap forward for sustainable transport with Metrobus leading the way in the decarbonisation of local public transport. Less emissions from road vehicles helps to tackle climate change benefitting the environment and the communities we serve.”
The Metrobus Manor Royal depot is now at the forefront of sustainable public transport, leading the way in decarbonising local bus services.
