Sir Sadiq Khan’s ambition of electrifying the entire London bus fleet by 2030 will be “next to impossible to achieve”, according to a bus company executive. Bill Cahill, managing director of First Bus London, said his firm was committed to hitting the mayor’s challenging target but said it involved far more than simply buying new buses, according to the Evening Standard.

More than 2,600 of 9,000 buses in the capital are now “zero emission” – almost 30 per cent – but Transport for London says it will take until 2034 to convert the entire fleet without Government funding.

Electric buses have recently been introduced on routes 98, 268, 270, 277 and 341.

Mr Cahill said difficulties in electrifying bus garages could delay the move from diesel buses.

He suggested that he was not alone in believing that TfL had to offer bus firms better incentives, such as longer or more lucrative contracts, to help fund the switch to electric fleets.

Mr Cahill said:

“It’s not just about buying buses, it’s about electrifying the depots – and electrifying the depots will become progressively more difficult.You don’t plug an electric bus into a 13amp socket. It’s a very high voltage system that takes a lot of planning. There is limited power in the London Grid. You have to book your power up to five years in advance. Then you have to get it to your front door or back door. Only then can you electrify the garage.

“What this is doing in London is creating a barrier to entry for new bus operators.”

First Bus recently won a new tender to operate route 18, which is the biggest route in London, with more than 12 million passenger journeys a year.

The route, which operates between Sudbury & Harrow Road station and Euston, currently uses diesel hybrid buses.

First has purchased 60 new electric BYD buses that are capable of up to a “game-changing” 500 miles between charges, enough for two to three days of operation.

(Picture: TfL)