HEALTH AND FUEL COSTS MAKE COMPELLING CASE FOR GAS BUSES

Thursday, 22 September 2005 10:00

Massive differences in both health and fuel costs should compel State Transit to resume buying compressed natural gas (CNG) powered buses instead of diesel fuel models the Total Environment Centre (TEC) has told the NSW Government.
Total Environment Centre (TEC) Urban Campaigner Mr Leigh Martin said, "Rising fuel costs have prompted Deputy Premier and Transport Minister John Watkins to reveal that the government is reconsidering its decision to stop buying CNG buses, however, comparison of health costs should make CNG buses the obvious choice".
CNG buses have lower tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases - particularly CO2 - and significantly lower emissions of air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) than diesel than Euro 3 standard diesel buses currently being purchased by State Transit.
One Euro 3 diesel bus travelling 41,529 km/year would emit approximately 14.12 kg of particulate matter (PM) per year. In contrast, a CNG bus would be expected to emit 0.83 kg of PM per year. The addition of 180 diesel buses to the Sydney fleet would therefore emit 2.54 tonnes of PM per year, whereas the same number of CNG buses would emit only 0.15 tonnes of PM per year. Over an average 12 year life span, 180 new diesel buses are likely to emit approximately 30.5 tonnes of PM, compared to approximately 1.79 tonnes of PM for a fleet of CNG buses.
"The decision to cease purchasing CNG buses will result in a major increase in fine particle pollution from the State Transit bus fleet. This will have a direct effect on air quality and public health. Reversing this decision would have clear benefits to the community through improved public health and reduced health costs" Mr Martin said.
Using best available estimates of health costs of fine particle pollution of A$147,400 per tonne, the cost the community could be valued conservatively at A$366,908 per year. Over an average life span, 180 diesel buses could cost the community A$4.4 million in health costs due to particulate matter alone. Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) are likely to cost an additional $1.3 million. As particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen constitute only a small proportion of pollutants emitted by diesel engines, the true costs to the community would be much higher than estimates for particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen alone.
"Rising fuel costs simply make the case for CNG buses even more compelling. The government should act in the interests of public health and the State's finances by committing to purchasing only gas buses for the State Transit fleet", Mr Martin said.
 

For further information

Contact
:
Leigh Martin - Urban Campaigner
Phone
:
61 2 9299 5599
Email
:
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WWW
:
http://www.tec.org.au/