On Feb 3, 9:25*pm, Paul Corfield wrote:

On 3 Feb 2011 10:54:43 GMT, Adrian wrote:

gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying:

Are you talking about ... the hybrid diesel ones that had much fanfare
then were never mentioned again (and I remember saying on this group
would be underpowered to many dismissive putdowns)?

You mean the 56 currently in service, rising to 300 through this year, or
the 100% of new buses TfL will be bringing into service from next year?

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/proj...emes/2019.aspx

And you may be interested to read the wording of the latest mayoral
answer on the topic of hybrid buses post 2012.

Hybrid buses promise
Question No:56/2011
Darren Johnson
Can *you *please provide a clear, unambiguous re-statement of your
commitment that all new buses will be hybrids from 2012 onwards?

Written answer from the Mayor

My aspiration is that all new buses from 2012 will be of a hybrid type.
TfL is working with bus operators and manufacturers to maximise the
number of hybrids from 2012 but the pace of the roll out will depend on
the availability of funding within and outside TfL, such as the DfT’s
Green Bus Fund, and the rate at which capital premiums reduce as volumes
increase. The inexorable rise in the price of diesel will also spur
operators to increasingly switch to this type of bus.

You will note the use of the word "commitment" in the question and
"aspiration" in the answer.

I am not surprised to see the above Mayoral statement - it makes sense
that TfL has preserved flexibility to not use hybrids if it cannot
afford to do so.

I'd just described the 2012 commitment as "something of a marker in
the sand" in another post - looks like the wind's blowing that sand
around a little...

Disappointing - though I (somewhat grudgingly) acknowledge it might be
sensible in a 'real-wordly' kind of way - if say it was to come down
to introducing hybrids at the expense of bus cuts elsewhere.

Two thoughts - one is that the issue of air pollution in London
remains very real, and doesn't get anything like the kind of attention
it should. The second is that this is another example of the flakiness
of the 'Boris promise', melting as it has into an aspiration - BoJo
bluster and mayoral credibility don't really go hand in hand.
Ultimately though it's the first issue about air quality which is what
really matters. (Thankfully, going by the publicity push that TfL have
just started - lots of billboard posters etc - the next phase of the
LEZ, which Boris postponed, is going to go ahead in January 2012, i.e.
with no further delay).