Bus Éireann unveils plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50%

At the launch of Bus Éireann's first sustainability strategy are from left Stephen Kent, Chief Executive, Bus Éireann; Stephanie Maher, Bus Éireann’s newly appointed Energy Manager; and Eamon Ryan TD, Minister for Transport, Climate, Environment & Communications. Picture: Naoise Culhane

Bus Éireann has unveiled ambitious plans to cut its total greenhouse gas emissions by 50% and increase annual passenger numbers by 27 million to 116 million by 2030.

The company says it will mean the conversion of around half of its 1,100-strong fleet of diesel-fuelled buses to zero-emissions vehicles, running on either electric batteries or on hydrogen fuel cells, within nine years as part of wider efforts to incentivise people to think “bus ahead of car”.

Bus Éireann chief executive officer Stephen Kent said funding will be one of the key enablers of what he described as a “profound transformation”.

“The big enablers for Bus Éireann will be fleet, power, people, facilities and funding,” he said.

“The scale and urgency of this transformation will require ongoing close collaboration with the NTA, the Departments of Transport and Education, CIÉ, state bodies, local authorities, suppliers and local communities, and our employees, and we are grateful for their support.” 

He was speaking as he unveiled the company’s first sustainability strategy, Driving Change, which includes a range of targets and actions across climate action, waste, cities and communities, education, equality and decent, safe work.

But there are no estimates for how much it could cost to convert the fleet or upgrade its 17 depots with new power or charging infrastructure. 

At the launch of Bus Éireann's first sustainability strategy are from left Stephen Kent, Chief Executive, Bus Éireann; Eamon Ryan TD, Minister for Transport, Climate, Environment & Communications; and Stephanie Maher, Bus Éireann’s newly appointed Energy Manager.

However, Mr Kent said the journey on what will be a long road has already started, with funding commitments from government, through the National Transport Authority (NTA), for the deployment of 61 hybrid buses in Galway and for three hydrogen-fuelled buses on Dublin commuter routes.

The tender has gone live to source electric battery vehicles for the Athlone town service — a project that will provide a lot of data that will inform costs in relation to the wider network, he said.

And he also pointed out that Bus Eireann is no longer buying diesel-powered vehicles, and that NTA has already tendered for 800 double-decker electric buses for deployment into cities by 2025.

He said they are committing the company to a very “positive but profound transformation”.

“The customer experience is the fleet, and we will move from having 1,100 diesel-fuelled buses and coaches on the road, to half of those being zero-emission in the next nine years, to align with and enable the plans outlined by Government. This will positively impact not only emissions but also air quality in urban areas.” 

Sustainable travel

With 79% of adult journeys outside of Dublin by private car, he said they want to make bus travel the first choice — especially for people living in towns and cities — and he stressed that bus and coach travel is more sustainable as it emits up to one-fifth the carbon dioxide per passenger kilometre, compared to private cars, with modern diesel bus engines emitting 90% less nitrous oxides than they did in 2000.

The company’s chief people officer, Sinead Kilkelly, said training programmes for its 300-strong team of fleet maintenance staff are already being devised to prepare them to service the new generation of vehicles, and for its drivers, to ready them to drive the new eco-vehicles.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said he is impressed by the company’s ambitions and fully supports their plans.

“This strategy will help us meet our climate commitments; achieving a 50% electric-powered bus fleet by 2030, and increasing the number of people who choose public transport, will help us transform how we travel in Ireland,” he said. 

Other initiatives in the strategy include an energy efficiency programme, sustainable procurement strategy and a new waste management plan with the aim of reducing waste by 50% over the next nine years, with 75% of all waste produced recycled.

The company plans to employ five times as many female supervisors, and achieve a full gender balance at board level.

And it has established a Board Sustainability Committee, which met for the first time in April and Rory Leahy has been appointed its chief safety and sustainability officer.