Low Emission Bus Scheme
Application Form
Guidance on the application process is available on the DfT website1.
Applicant Information
Are you a (Tick which of the following applies): Bus Operator
Local authority or bus operator name(s):
This is a collaborative bid and Parties to this bid are as follows:
First Cymru (Lead)
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
The City and County of Swansea
Who is the lead bidder?
First Cymru Buses Limited
Bid Manager name and position: Justin Davies - Managing Director
Name and position of the official with day to day responsibility for delivering the proposed bid
Contact telephone number: 01792 572202
Email address: justin.davies@firstgroup.com
Postal address: Heol Gwyrosydd, Penlan, Swansea, SA5 7BN
Website address for published bid (if applicable):
When authorities submit a bid for funding to the Department, as part of the Government’s
commitment to greater openness in the public sector under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and
the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, they must also publish a version excluding any
commercially sensitive information on their own website within two working days of submitting the
final bid to the Department. The Department reserves the right to deem the bid as non-compliant if
this is not adhered to. We welcome any bus operator that wishes to do so too.
1
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/low-emission-bus-scheme
SECTION A - Bid description and funding profile
A1. Headline description:
This bid seeks to transform the Port Talbot to Swansea Bus Corridor to a quality,
innovative and low emission corridor.
High value development on the corridor is booming. A new £450m Swansea
University campus has recently opened, a second new Campus (for the University
of Wales Trinity St. Davids) is planned in the SA1 Maritime quarter, a new super
School and Health Care Facility are being built on Baglan Energy Park and a Tidal
Lagoon is proposed which will be accessed from the corridor. In Port Talbot the
redeveloped Parkway station on the Great Western Mainline is due to re-open later
this year (and it due to be electrified in the next few years). A new integrated
transport hub is being created adjacent to Parkway station and a second phase to
the Innovation centre on Baglan Energy Park is planned.
This huge wave of economic and knowledge economy activity is in addition to
existing occupants on the corridor such as Amazon, the Bay Studios, Admiral and
the retail and leisure economy of Swansea City.
The aim of this project is to capture the buzz from all this development and the
opportunities it is creating for the commercialisation of research and the
encouragement of entrepreneurs and ensure that the transport connections which
link all the establishments are low carbon. We want to buck the trend that links
development to increased private transport movements and create an attractive and
viable alternative which matches the expectations of the next generation of
business, public and private sector leaders.
Our ambition is to ensure that a growing and thriving economy is not accompanied
by lower air quality or increasing degradation of the environment. Low emission,
high quality public transport vehicles will continue a process of raising the
connectivity bar and encouraging modal shift.
A2. Geographical area:
The bid covers the coastal sweep of Swansea Bay starting from Port Talbot
Parkway Station in the east (and the soon to be Integrated Transport Hub) and
curving via the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, Baglan Energy Park, along Fabian Way,
SA1 maritime district and into Swansea Bus Station. See plan on next page. The
Port Talbot to Swansea corridor is critical to the economies of Swansea and Neath
Port Talbot councils and to the push towards a higher value, innovative and
knowledge economy based future. Accordingly a joint Masterplan Framework for the
“Fabian Way Innovation Corridor” is being developed and is due for publication
shortly. A draft copy is available as a supporting document if required.
A3. Total DfT funding sought (£):
2016/17 NIL
2017/18
£125,775
2018/19
£125,775
A5. Total cost of your proposal (This should include DfT funding as specified
in A3 + any 3rd party contributions) (£):
2016/17 NIL
2017/18
£125,775
2018/19
£125,775
A7. Joint bids:
First Cymru has been working closely with Neath Port Talbot County Borough
Council, the City and County of Swansea and Swansea University over the last 12
months in preparation for the opening of the new Bay Campus on Fabian Way
Swansea. As part of this and in light of the significant volume of new development
on (and planed for) the corridor, the discussions have moved beyond the pragmatic
response to serving a split University site, to the strategic needs of a growing
development corridor between Port Talbot and Swansea centres.
A small Delivery Group comprising the Managing Director of First Cymru and Senior
Transport Local Authority Officers from both Councils has been formed. This Group
has been meeting regularly to plan and develop the proposed Low Emission Bus
corridor. In the current financial year the two Councils have secured a total of £920k
from Welsh Government Local Transport Fund (LTF) for improvements to
sustainable transport on this corridor. This includes an element of improved walking
and cycling infrastructure but is largely related to new bus priority measures and bus
stop infrastructure and measures to be delivered include:
1. New High Quality Bus shelters and provision of digital Passenger Transport
Information through screens and mobile devices
2. The potential for further bus priority measures at Briton Ferry Roundabout and on
approaches to Neath Port Talbot hospital. (This will be subject to Welsh
Government decisions on the potential closures of M4 motorway junctions around
Port Talbot)
3. The conversion of the Port Tennant Road junction to operation by MOVA
(Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuator)
4. Traffic signal enhancements on the Amazon roundabout
5. Replacement of some traffic calming measures with “bus friendly” cushions
6. Afan Way/Victoria Road junction – Change to MOVA to prioritise bus movements
7. Elba Crescent/Bay Campus junction – traffic signal optimisation to prioritise bus
movements
The expectation is that further LTF funding will be sought in 2016/17 to allow the
continuation of priority infrastructure on the corridor.
In addition, Neath Port Talbot Council has received >£750k from the LTF in
2015/16 and with match funding, has £1m to spend in the current financial year on
the preparations for the creating of a new Integrated Transport Hub in Port Talbot,
adjacent to the Parkway Station (see below the outline of the Hub). This state of the
art facility, alongside the totally refurbished and fully accessible Railway Station,
provides an excellent shop window for public transport in the region. For those
arriving by train at Port Talbot Parkway station, the new Integrated Hub will be an
accessible and attractive facility. The intention is that new, low emission buses will
be used to transport students, staff and visitors to the campus (where stringent car
access conditions are in place) and subsequently to and from the City Centre in
Swansea, re-enforcing the impression of first class and low emission travel, to a
demanding and carbon conscious audience.
Port Talbot Integrated Transport Hub outline proposal
The intention is that the Delivery Group will continue to meet regularly to oversee
the transition of the Port Talbot to Swansea bus corridor to a low (and ultimately
zero) emission zone. This will support closer working and more cohesion in terms of
future funding bids (whether from Local Transport Fund or other sources such as
European funding) and capital expenditure plans by First.
SECTION B – Evidence against the assessment criteria
B1. Ambition
Longer term vision
The longer term aim is that the Port Talbot to Swansea bus corridor will become
hydrogen powered. This would include the creation of infrastructure for all types of
ULEVs, and
1. The implementation of a community energy tri-generation fuel cell unit to produce
electricity and hydrogen (with heat as a useful community by-product)
2. Distributed fuel cells which will result in a local, secure and scalable supply of
electricity in addition to clean grid-supplied electricity where suitable to serve a
comprehensive network of EV charging points.
This ambition formed the basis for our Go Ultra Low City Bid screening stage
application in early spring 2015. However our bid did not proceed beyond screening
stage as it was considered to be “too ambitious”. This was confirmed in a meeting
with the Delivery Group on 19th March this year, when Baroness Kramer (the then
OLEV Minister) and a number of OLEV officials visited and provided some feedback
on the bid which they considered very encouraging and worth progressing, but
which was too ambitious at the current time. The longer term aspiration remains
hydrogen buses fuelled by locally created hydrogen.
The Hydrogen Centre, located on Baglan Energy Park, has recently been awarded
a grant of approximately £1m to expand research and development at the site. A
Hydrogen filling station could be located along this corridor and would form a key
link on the M4 hydrogen highway, directly off the M4 and completing what has been
started by hydrogen stations at Swindon, Bristol (and planned in) Newport. The M4
is part of the Trans European Network connecting Ireland, Wales and England to
European markets. A hydrogen station along this corridor would be a significant step
forward in terms of ensuring supplies as we move towards hydrogen powered
mobility in the medium and longer terms.
So for the LEBS funding we have focused on a more “mainstream” response,
proposing more tried and tested technology.
This approach ties in well with UK wide and Welsh Government aspirations to
reduce carbon emissions and move to a more sustainable transport system. The
Wales Transport Strategy (WTS) has three main themes:
1. Achieving a more effective and efficient transport system
2. Achieving greater use of more sustainable and healthy forms of travel
3. Minimising demands on the transport system
In addition the WTS has 17 outcomes social (6), economic (4) and environmental
(7) including “Reduce the contribution of transport to air pollution and other harmful
emissions”.
The Joint Local Transport Plan for South West Wales includes 6 objectives, one of
which is “To implement measures which will protect and enhance the natural and
built environment and reduce the adverse impact of transport on health and climate
change. So the policy framework to support this bid is in place. A copy of the Joint
Local Transport Plan is available as a supporting document if required.
The commitment is also in place and this is evidenced by the engagement of very
senior First Group and local Council Officers with responsibility for transportation
and highways. The bid is also supported by the Regional Transport Forum for South
West Wales, which comprises the four local Councils and a range of partners
representing transport industry, or user groups. It is also supported by the Welsh
Government which is keen to encourage the acquisition and use of low/zero
emission vehicles in Wales (a letter of support will follow this bid).
The low emission vehicles to be purchased are the ADL Enviro 200 MMC vehicles.
These are innovative low emission vehicles with Smart Accessories and Gyrodrive
(Flywheel) which enhance the reduction in conventional fuel usage and thus harmful
emissions. The Smart Accessories is package is a combination of technologies
designed to recapture some of the energy that would otherwise be lost during
braking in order to power electrical and air systems on the bus. Together with an
electrically powered cooling fan this reduces engine loading at other times,
improving overall efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. The Gyrodrive which is
a technology inspired from Formula 1 motorsport also recaptures brake energy,
storing it in the rotation of a mechanical flywheel, this energy can then later be used
to help the bus accelerate which saves fuel and further reduces emissions. Both the
Gyrodrive and the Smart Accessories are complemented by newly emerging
stop/start technology which reduces emissions even further through automatically
turning off the engine when the vehicle is stationary at bus stops. The Enviro 200 is
an efficient bus in its own right but the Enviro 200 MMC provides economy
improvements as high as 35% in comparison with older and heavier buses.
The First Cymru Fleet already includes 33 low carbon buses and 24 which are euro
6 standard. This bid is for an extra 3 Low Emission vehicles in the financial years
2017/18 and 2018/19.
B2. Deliverability
Delivery Strategy and Project Plan
First Cymru has a long record of replacing older, higher emission vehicles with
newer lower emitting vehicles. In terms of the current First Cymru fleet (299
vehicles):
50% of the fleet is aged 0-5 years old
19% of the fleet is aged between 6 and 10 years old
26% of the fleet is aged between 10- 15 years old
5% of the fleet is aged over 15 years (extended life)
For the fleet as a whole the average age of vehicles is approximately 6.1 years old,
lower than the national target of 8 years old.
In the 5 years between 2009 and 2013 First Cymru invested £14m in new vehicles,
but there is still a long way to go. The cost of no/lower emission vehicles is clearly a
barrier and the benefit of a successful LEB bid, is in reducing the size of that barrier
which is preventing the step change to a lower emission buses.
First Cymru is a division of First Group which has a long history of procuring low and
ultra low emission vehicles and has established good relationships with bus
manufacturers. It has the purchasing power, the contacts and the structure to
support the best value procurement of new low emission vehicles. First Group buys
hundreds of vehicles each year (many from ADL) and has a proven a track record in
bringing new technology to market.
First Group has utilised previous funding to buy large numbers of buses. First will
soon have the largest fleet of low carbon buses in the UK and has actively worked
with manufacturers in the development and testing of these technologies
As stated in the “ambition” section above, there is a Delivery Group which has been
established to oversee the whole Port Talbot to Swansea Bus corridor. With the
award of Local Transport Funding in the 2015/16 financial year (to improve the
quality and bus priority on the corridor) and the opportunity to bring down the barrier
created by the additional cost of Low/zero emission buses (through the LEBS
funding) the work of the Delivery Group has stepped up a gear.
The expectation is that First Cymru will continue to manage the bus service
operation and that the two Local Authorities will be responsible for planning, bidding
for funds, implementing and maintaining supporting infrastructure (both related to
bus priority and bus access). The expectation is that a formal Partnership
Agreement for the corridor will be signed by all parties in the next few months.
The University will also be involved via their Travel Plan Co-ordinator to make sure
that appropriate promotions, marketing and ticketing options are shared with staff,
students and visitors.
The Port Talbot to Swansea bus corridor is commercially operated by First Cymru
and the only “public purse” payments relate to the Bus Service Support Grant (son
of BSOG in Wales) payments for kilometres operated in service. The service also
receives concessionary fare re-imbursement for older and disabled pass holders
and also more recently for pass holding Young People (under the newly introduced
young person’s concessionary scheme). However these payments relate to revenue
lost through pass usage and are not therefore subsidies.
Please see on the next page a simple project plan for the introduction of the Low
Emission Buses onto the corridor and a risk register. These have been prepared to
be proportionate with the scale of the funding bid submitted.
The project will be delivered in a number of phases as indicated in the project plan
overleaf:
Phase One – points 1-7 listed in A7 above
Phase Two – Vehicle procurement
Phase Three – Implementation and monitoring and develop business case for move
to hydrogen buses
Phase Four – Move to hydrogen buses
The Project Plan and Risk register will need to be updated regularly as the
development proposals along the corridor come to fruition. This is particularly in light
of the modal shift expected as a result of:





Re-development of Swansea City Centre
Establishment on the new University of Wales Trinity St Davids’ campus in
the SA1 area of the Fabian Way corridor
The completion of the Integrated Transport Hub adjacent to the re-developed
Port Talbot Parkway Station
The development of Port Talbot Harbourside and increased work/training
opportunities
The development of the Tidal Lagoon
Project Element
Fabian Way Transport Appraisal
Yr 1 LTF bid for sustainable
transport infrastructure
Adoption of Fabian Way
Masterplan
Commence LTF expenditure
Establish Delivery Group
Delivery Group meetings
Review Technology options
Prepare LEB bid
Submit LEB bid
Results of bids announced
LEBs ordered
LEBs delivered and in service
Cascade vehicles replaced
throughout fleet
Prepare and submit Year
2/3/4 LTF bid
Commence LTF expenditure
Monitor impacts of LEBS
Develop case for longer term
hydrogen powered corridor
Pre Dec
2014
Dec14-Mar
2015
Project Plan
Mar – Oct
2015
Nov –
March 2016
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
Risk Register
Risk Scoring
Likelihood of risk
Unlikely
1-3
Likely
4-6
Very Likely 7-9
Impact of risk
Low
1-3
Medium 4-6
High
7-9
Risk Categorisation
Impact
High
Medium
Low
Unlikely
Amber
Green
Green
Probability
Likely
Red
Amber
Green
Description
Consequence
Mitigation
Delays to Procurement
Buses not in service as planned
Changes to M4 junctions leading to extra
traffic using bus route
Bus speeds reduce to the extent
that routes are
not commercially
viable
Changes to bus
routes
less attractive
service leads to
an increase in
private transport
Work with manufacturers to ensure
deadline are met
Work with Welsh
Government and
Trunk Road Agency to ensure implications are understood
Continue to work in
partnership through
Delivery Group
Very Likely
Red
Red
Amber
Impact
Probability
Risk
Score
Review
date
4
2
8
Dec 2016
7
2
14
Sep 2016
1
4
4
Dec 2016
Comments
Description
Consequence
Mitigation
Failure of development on Fabian Way
corridor
There will be few
inter route journeys with most
passengers travelling end to end
New vehicles
cannot be acquired
Partnership
breaks down and
co-operation on
infrastructure and
services ceases
Block on new vehicle
acquisitions at First
Cymru
Failure of Delivery
Group collaboration
Impact
Probability
Risk
Score
Work with regeneration colleagues
in both Councils
and developers to
ensure progress
None
7
1
7
7
3
21
Continue to meet
and work together
on the corridor
7
1
7
Review
date
Comments
B3. Air Quality
Air Quality
The E200 MMCs will be Euro 6 standard and (based on TfL data) if they replace a
Euro 2 or Euro 3 buses they should save 10grams of NOx and 0.014grams of
Particulate Matter per Kilometre. The reductions in NOx and PMs is of particular
value in Neath Port Talbot and Swansea, both of which have had and are still
addressing air quality issues relating to these emissions.
Both Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council (NPTCBC) and the City and
County of Swansea (C&CoS) have air quality problems and Air Quality Management
Areas (AQMA) as seen in the screenshot of the DEFRA website shown below.
NPTCBC declared an AQMA in 2000 with the main cause at that stage related to
industrial processes in the TATA Steel works in Port Talbot. However there have
also been issues associated with traffic related air quality problems in Neath,
Pontardawe and Port Talbot.
The NPTCBC Air Wise policy includes three key features to try and reduce
emissions from road transport and these are: Reducing traffic demand through
encouraging public transport usage, walking and cycling and car sharing; Looking to
change the make-up of the Council fleet to low/zero emission in line with
procurement cycles; Managing the movement of traffic to reduce the number and
volume of traffic queues, especially in residential areas.
The C&CoS declared an AQMA in 2001. Initially this was focused on Hafod, a
community to the immediate north of the City Centre, where terraced housing
fronted onto a very heavily trafficked and slow moving road and created a canyon
effect, with subsequent poor air quality. In the last five years the AQMA has been
extended to cover other parts of the Authority where traffic related emissions are
causing regular exceedances of the permitted levels of emissions. The Swansea
AQMA now includes parts of Sketty (to the north west of the City) and Fforestfach
Cross (to the north of the City) and many areas close to the City Centre are close to
exceeding limits and thus being monitored regularly.
The impact of emissions from transport in the region is of concern. In Wales as a
whole, the Greenhouse Gas Emission (GHG) Inventory for the period from the base
year (1995 for fluorinated greenhouse gases and 1990 for all other gases) to 2013
shows an overall reduction of 12%. These reductions are mainly associated with the
efficiencies introduced in energy generation and business heating, the use of natural
gas to replace some coal fired processes and variations due to manufacturing
outputs. Transport emissions have reduced by 6% over the same period as
improved energy efficiencies of vehicles have been offset by an increasing
population, increased demand for transport and access and increased affordability
of private transport. Transport emissions account for 11% of Wales’ total GHG
emissions and the dominant influence is that of road traffic.
So there are traffic related air quality issues associated with both Port Talbot town
centre (the start of the service) and Swansea City Centre (the end of the service). In
addition once the service leaves Port Talbot town centre, it travels via the densely
populated residential area of Sandfields, a community with high levels of deprivation
and long term limiting illnesses. Residents in this area are less likely to be able to
own and run a car, but are most likely to suffer from the emissions created by those
who can afford to own and run a car. A low carbon bus corridor will help to reduce
the impact of the high frequency services on local residents at the same time as
providing them with more and better opportunities to access work, training or other
services and facilities needed for a good quality of life.
The NPTCBC Air wise policy confirms one of the best ways to tackle transport
related air quality issues is to encourage more use of sustainable transport. This
proposal has a double benefit in terms of air quality. Firstly, the creation of a high
quality corridor will encourage more people to use public transport (as opposed to
individual private transport).Secondly, the low emission buses, significantly reduce
the traffic related emissions along the route and particularly in the residential areas
the service will operate through.
B4. Value for Money
Competitive nature of the Bid
The funding sought is relatively low and so will allow many other bids to be
approved alongside this. There are no infrastructure requirements as the nature of
the vehicle is such that the electric capacity is being recharged constantly during
operation. This makes the bid even better value. It means that the total OLEV sum
available will spread further around the UK and allow a wide range of Low Emission
Buses and infrastructure to be trialled and hopefully provide evidence of significant
improvements in emissions alongside maintenance and repair charges which are in
line with (or lower than) those applicable to conventional fuelled vehicles.
Other route infrastructure measures being implemented along the route as part of
the overall corridor approach (as described in earlier sections of this submission).
These are all designed to enhance the quality and accessibility of the bus services
and to encourage existing and new passengers to use the local bus services on the
corridor. These are being funded through Local Transport Funding from the Welsh
Government and some match funding from developers.
A successful bid will allow Low Emission buses to be tested on a frequent and
commercial service connecting Port Talbot and Swansea. It will help to pump prime
a move towards low (and ultimately Zero) emission buses which will support
regional economic, social and environmental aspirations.
A successful LEB bid will help to ensure that the foundations are in place for our
vision for a low carbon high quality bus corridor along the Port Talbot to Swansea
“sweep of the Bay”. This will tap into the green aspirations of students, post
graduates and lecturers at the new University Campus and also the environmental
credentials of the small enterprises which are expected to spring up alongside the
Bay Campus, tapping into the commercial opportunities that may arise as a result of
post graduate research.
The buses will use diesel fuel as well as electric charge generated by the operation
of the vehicle itself. So the hybrid nature of the buses helps to reduce overall diesel
usage in comparison with conventional vehicles.
B5. The bid – supplementary information
Whilst this bid is modest in terms of the overall funding sought, it forms part of a
hugely ambitious plan for a major corridor linking Neath Port Talbot and Swansea.
There have already been and are further planned large developments on this
corridor and our ambition is to de-couple economic growth from increased private
car transport by providing a high quality, low emission public transport corridor
connecting all development to the City and Town centre and to the major transport
interchanges for onward travel.
The Welsh Government, following advice from the Bus Policy Advisory Group is
currently considering a Green Bus Fund for Wales. This could be a potential source
of income for the move to hydrogen buses on this corridor in the medium and longer
ter. As stated earlier in this application supporting information is available if required.
Please note that the manufacturer has not yet been able to carry out the emissions
test certification on the selected vehicles yet. Estimated figures have been provided
for use in the LEB calculator on the understanding that no funding would be
released until a certificate was produced.
SECTION C – Funding
Removed from copy of application
SECTION D – Funding (bid 2 – scaled-down)
NOT APPLICABLE
SECTION E – Monitoring and evaluation
E1. Monitoring and Evaluation (optional)
The monitoring proposals are still being developed but the proposal is that we would
seek to monitor and evaluate:



The % of low emission public transport vehicles operating on the corridor
The total number of vehicles on the Fabian Way corridor
Public transport patronage on Low Emission Bus services
Submission of Bids
The deadline for bids is 5pm, 31 October 2015
An electronic copy should be submitted to lebs@dft.gsi.gov.uk
Please also include the supporting documentation specified either within the
guidance document or in this proforma. This should include, but is not limited to:
 a PSV license (operators only) and
 quotes from the manufacturer(s) for the low emission bus and its’ diesel
equivalent
 evidence of the calculation of your base grant, top-up grant and total eligible
grant
 Where match-funding has been secured, evidence of this will strengthen a
bid
 Please also provide evidence that the LEB has been certified as such
If, for any reason, you need to send hard copies of papers to DfT, please provide 3
copies to:
Low Emission Bus Scheme
Buses & Taxis Division
Department for Transport
Great Minster House
33 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 4DR