FEATURE: GREEN BUSINESS


All aboard for bus fund success T


ransport Minister Norman Baker visited the NEC to meet with Britain’s bus


bosses to celebrate the success of the ‘Green Bus Fund’. The fund was introduced by the


Government to help reduce carbon emissions from buses in England. So far, more than 540 buses have been bought with help from the £47 million fund. Mr Baker said: "The £47m Green


Bus Fund means greener journeys in towns and cities across Britain, with hundreds of new buses already in operation and helping to cut carbon emissions.


‘All round we are offering passengers better, greener bus journeys’


“I have enjoyed meeting the bus manufacturers and operators today who have been successful in their bids for funding. “The examples of innovation in both manufacturing and technology that I've seen clearly demonstrate the industry's on-going commitment to delivering green alternatives to the car.


Any more fares please: Norman Baker with representatives from leading bus makers Alexander Dennis, Optare, Volvo and Wright Group


“In addition I've made available £560m for sustainable transport projects that will create growth and cut carbon. Many of the successful schemes for this fund include improvements to bus services, so all round we are offering passengers better, greener bus journeys." The Green Bus Fund was launched in 2009, inviting bus operators and local authorities to bid for funding to assist them in buying low carbon buses. Twenty four applicants shared £30 million from the first part of the


scheme in 2009, used to buy 350 new buses. A further 14 shared £17 million from the second part of the scheme last year, and was used to support the purchase of 170 vehicles. Simon Posner, chief executive of the Confederation of Passenger


Transport, said: "Manufacturers and suppliers are committed to delivering products that really are making public transport the environmentally- friendly way to travel."


SWM announces green leaders


An organisation which advises the region on sustainability has named a group of business people and public sector figures which it claims are ‘green leaders’. Sustainability West Midlands (SWM), a not-for-profit


organisation set up in 2002, is trying to persuade the region to become a low carbon economy by 2020. Its list of 33 green leaders includes individuals who it


says are helping to achieve this aim. Among those listed is Birmingham City Council’s


green guru Sandy Taylor, and various academics, including Professor Andreas Hornung, of Aston University, who is an expert in biomass technology (which is the use of waste matter to produce energy).


‘This year our green leaders again featured a diverse group of individuals, who are all having a positive environmental impact’


Those from the world of business are Manel Roura of Denso Manufacturing, and Amey’s Keith Sexton. SWM chairman George Marsh said: “This year our


green leaders again featured a diverse group of individuals, who are all having a positive environmental impact in helping the West Midlands achieve our vision for a low carbon economy.


36 CHAMBERLINK NOVEMBER 2011


EU adopts local industrial project


A green project initiated by the now defunct Advantage West Midlands has been adopted by the European Union. The project is known as


‘industrial symbiosis’, which is the sharing of resources among industrial concerns. Such a project – the National


Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP) - was pioneered in the West Midlands back in 2003 and, eight years later, it has now been adopted by the EU, which wants all of its 27 member states to adopt it. It is all part of a grand vision by


Sustainable future: the ‘green leaders’ “There are some excellent examples of innovation,


community and workforce engagement and, importantly, case studies of how proven techniques can deliver real cost savings while reducing the collective carbon footprint. “What I am particularly pleased about is that


businesses are being recognised in 2011, such as Amey and Silent Computing for example.”


the EU to exploit efficient growth and create a sustainable economy by 2050.


It is claimed that since April 2005, NISP has created and saved around 3,125 jobs in the region as well as helping businesses to generate £330 million in new sales, at the same time cutting regional industrial costs by £195 million.


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