New electric bus in the constituency

Eyes were turned on Roundhay Road on Friday afternoon 9th October when a brand new electric bus, the Solo EV from the Leeds Company Optare, drew up outside the constituency office. The special visit had been arranged by Fabian Hamilton who had been in discussion with the company following a meeting with representatives from the Leeds branch of National Federation of the Blind who came themselves to experience a new generation of bus travel. Like other public transport users, they are excited by technological developments but have some particular concerns.

The Optare Electric Bus on Roundhay Road. Glenn Saint (Commercial Director Optare), Mary Naylor MBE, Alan Oldroyd, Ruth Harris, Victor Jackson, Barry Naylor, with Fabian Hamilton

The bus body is the same as that found on the many hundreds of other Solo buses made by Optare and sold world wide. However, on lifting the bonnet at the back the view is very different. There is no engine! Instead most of the space is taken up by two large Lithium Ion Phosphate batteries which together store energy equivalent to between six and seven gallons of diesel. They give the bus a range of about 70 miles between each charge. Recharging takes about two hours and requires a three phase electricity supply. Also under the bonnet is an air compressor which works the doors, steering and braking systems. For cold weather there is also a bus heater but, for the present at least, this has to be diesel fuelled. The batteries alone at present cost about £70 000 and last about 7 years. This effectively doubles the cost of the bus but it is expected that the cost will fall with increasing production.

Comfortably seated in the spacious bus on leather seats, Fabian and his visitors made a short trip to Roundhay Park and return and were appraised of developments by Glenn Saint, Optaire Commercial Director and Chris Wise, Key Account Manager and bus driver (lucky chap). The bus glides along making no contribution to the pollution of the streets and in almost complete silence. It is this that is of concern to the National Federation of the Blind. Waiting with your eyes shut, it is almost impossible to tell if the bus has arrived at a stop or has departed. There is also no audible warning of the proximity of the bus either near to a stop or when you are crossing the road.

Fabian, staff from the constituency office and visitors from the National Federation for the Blind enjoy a short trip to Roundhay Park.

Fabian has been in communication with Lord Adonis, the Secretary of State for Transport, to ensure that he is aware of these legitimate concerns and asking for some technological solutions to the problems that are foreseen. These need to be developed at the same time as the infrastructure for recharging and the evolution of bus utilisation patterns to accommodate the shorter daily range.

Fabian gets to sit behind the steering wheel (but is not allowed to drive the bus).

Victor Jackson, from the Leeds Federation of the Blind and also representing the Independent Disability Council in Leeds said that he was very impressed with the comfort and ease of access of the new bus and thanked Fabian and Optare staff for letting them experience the new vehicles and for listening to their concerns.

Update November 2009

Fabian has received a reply from Sadiq Khan, Minister of State at the Department of Transport giving some assurances that the government is preparing a research programme on the impications for pedestrians of hybrid and electric vehicles. To read the reply. Click here.

Web sites linked to this page.

Optare Click here

Optare Solo EV electric bus Click here

National Federation for the Blind Click here