30/04/2008

• Successful carbon reduction initiative to continue for a further six months
• Cleaner fuel saves 550 tonnes of C02 as carbon emissions cut by 80%
• Green incentive scheme exchanges recycled oil for discounted bus travel
• Householders recycle 21 tonnes of used cooking oil at local authority facility

Stagecoach announced today (30 April 2008) that it is extending its pioneering Bio-bus initiative for a further six months after the project generated a significant cut in carbon emissions and boosted recycling.

The UK’s first Bio-buses were launched in October 2007 as part of a ground-breaking environmental projects that allows customers to exchange used cooking oil for discounted bus travel.

Eight vehicles in Kilmarnock run on 100% biodiesel manufactured from used cooking oil and other food industry by-products, which are from sustainable sources that do not involve the destruction of natural habitats or compete with the human food chain.

In the past six months, the cleaner fuel project has cut C02 emissions from the buses by 80%, saving 550 tonnes of carbon.

Stagecoach issued 5,000 free containers to householders on the Service 1 route, which runs from Stewarton to Darvel via Kilmarnock, to allow them to recycle their used cooking oil in return for discounted bus travel. In six months, more than 21 tonnes of used cooking oil has been taken to East Ayrshire Council’s recycling plant at Western Road, a 100% increase on the volume normally recycled at the facility.

Local schools and other groups have taken a keen interest in the Bio-bus project. Senior managers from Stagecoach have worked closely with Stewarton and Loudon Academies, both of which are on the bus route, to explain the project to pupils as part of their environmental studies.

Sam Greer Managing Director of Stagecoach West Scotland, said: “The Bio-Bus project has captured the imagination of local people, and the community has really got behind the scheme.

“We have delivered a truly sustainable partnership solution to the challenge of climate change. The local community, a forward-thinking transport operator, the fuel industry and local government are all working together to protect the environment.

“More than 600,000 passengers have used the Bio-bus service, helping to cut their own carbon footprint, and we are a long way toward reaching our goal of running a 100% carbon neutral service.

“We are delighted to extend the project for a further six months to bring further environmental benefits to the local community as we monitor the potential to roll the 100% biofuel out to other parts of our UK operations.”

The single-deck Bio-buses, running under the slogan "Do your part, be Bio smart!", are fitted with bespoke dual fuel tanks as part of the project undertaken with Motherwell biodiesel business Argent Energy Ltd.

Argent Energy, which operates the UK’s first large-scale biodiesel plant, is providing bulk fuel storage at Stagecoach’s Kilmarnock depot for the duration of trial and is supplying all the biodiesel.

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council said: “The people of East Ayrshire have certainly done their part so far by recycling 21 tonnes of used cooking oil at our newly extended recycling facility at Western Road in Kilmarnock.

“Recycling in East Ayrshire continues to go from strength to strength and we are now one of the best performing councils in Scotland. I am delighted to be working with Stagecoach on this very worthwhile project. The Council is committed, with its partners, to continue to look for new ways to make East Ayrshire ‘Greener, Wealthier, Fairer and Smarter’.”

The buses involved in the trial have MAN engines and Alexander Dennis bodies. The dual fuel tanks have the capacity for 184 litres of biodiesel and 40 litres of mineral diesel.

From first start up in the morning, the buses will run on mineral diesel until the normal engine operating temperature is achieved a process that takes no more than 10 minutes. The system then automatically switches over to biodiesel, which powers the vehicles all day.

The UK Government is encouraging the use of renewable fuels as part of its drive to cut carbon emissions.

Stagecoach currently uses a blend of 5% biodiesel across its 7,000-vehicle UK bus fleet. The Group also uses a hi-tech fuel additive manufactured using nanotechnology to keep emissions from its fleet to a minimum.

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact:
Steve Stewart, Director of Corporate Communications,
Tel: 01738 442111 (office) or 07764 774680 (mobile)
steven.stewart@stagecoachgroup.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

Stagecoach

• Stagecoach is one of UK’s biggest bus and coach operators, connecting communities in more than 100 towns and cities.
• The company runs around 7,000 vehicles from Devon in south-west England to Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland, carrying around 2 million passengers every day.
• Stagecoach services cover many of the UK’s major cities, including Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield, Hull, Oxford and Cambridge, as well as key shire towns and rural areas.

Argent Energy (UK) Ltd

• Argent Energy is a pioneer in the biodiesel business and operates the UK’s first large-scale biodiesel plant of its type.
• The plant, located near Motherwell in Scotland, started production of biodiesel in March 2005 and plans are in hand to expand operations in the UK and overseas. The company uses only tallow and used cooking oil as feedstocks.
• The Motherwell facility has a production capacity of 45,000 tonnes (more than 50 million litres) of biodiesel per annum and is currently producing a weekly average of approximately 875 tonnes (approximately 1 million litres).

Biodiesel

• Biodiesel is one of the main candidates to replace fossil fuels as the world's primary transport energy source.
• It is a renewable, cleaner-burning fuel that can be refined from an array of oil and fat-based materials, including tallow, used cooking oil and vegetable oil through a process known as transesterification.
• Biodiesel is a non-toxic, biodegradable fuel that can be used as a pure transportation fuel or can be blended with mineral diesel for use in normal mineral diesel engines. In comparison to mineral diesel, biodiesel can deliver benefits to both the environment and to vehicle engines where it acts as a lubricant.