Electric Buses

to be actively encouraged [in the UK] and a regular market for new trolleybuses built up, there is no reason why new trolleybuses should not compare in price with diesel buses. In such a situation, all the environmental advantages of trolleybuses could be obtained without passengers, taxpayers, etc., having to fund them as such [compared with diesel buses]. Indeed, trolleybuses may well cost less!

As well as some initial additional funding, encouraging the development of trolleybuses in the UK will require attention to the removal of barriers or disincentives to the establishment of new trolleybus routes. In particular, the climate of UK bus regulation since 1986 has not been favourable to trolleybuses, and approval procedures for new trolleybus routes - which seem to be geared more to light rail requirements - are unduly onerous and expensive compared with those for motor bus routes.

Eur IngIrvine Bell

BSc CEng MIMechE CDipAF PGCE

June 1999.