Spain: Community of Madrid speeds up transition to natural gas buses

The Community of Madrid has introduced 14 natural gas buses – seven manufactured by MAN and seven by Scania – to the regional intercity fleet of the Regional Consortium of Transport. These new vehicles, which involved and investment of 3.2 million euros, are greener and less polluting, as they reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 20% and noise up to 50%, and reinforce the commitment to improve environment.

The new buses are being added to the following intercity routes: 496 (Fuenlabrada – Moraleja de Enmedio – Arroyomolinos/Xanadú), 497 (Leganés/Parque Sur – Moraleja de Enmedio/Las Colinas) and 499 (Móstoles – Arroyomolinos). With these 14 vehicles, 70% of the Regional Consortium’s fleet for intercity transport between Madrid, Leganés and Fuenlabrada (100 vehicles in total) is powered by natural gas.

“During our mandate, 306 buses have been renewed, as part of the Government of Cristina Cifuentes’ commitment to the environment and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,” said the councilor of Transport, Housing and Infrastructure of the Community of Madrid Pedro Rollán, during the presentation of the new buses. In 2016, the Community renewed a total of 162 intercity buses from its total fleet, which currently has 1,823 vehicles, including CNG 184 buses.

In 2015 the use of public transport in the Community meant a reduction of one million tons of CO₂ that would have been released into the atmosphere if all the trips had taken place in a particular vehicle, according to data released by the Regional Consortium of Transport of Madrid. That amount is equivalent to the emissions of 300,000 vehicles during a year, with an average route of 20,000 kilometers per year.

https://www.ngvjournal.com/spain-70-of-community-de-madrids-buses-operate-on-natural-gas/