Following a multi-million-pound investment, the London air transport hub is introducing a fleet of sustainable car park transfer buses and ground vehicles to be used across the airport.
The buses are powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a lower-carbon alternative to diesel that can save up to 90% of carbon emission across the fuel’s lifecycle.
The introduction of the vehicles is aligned with the airport’s commitment to net zero which includes targets to implement a 100% low-carbon fleet by 2030. “From the end of this year, this latest transition, will reduce our airport emissions by nearly 15 per cent, playing an important role in our plans for responsible growth,” said David Vazquez, Head of Sustainability at London Luton.
The introduction of the buses alongside the transition of all airside operations vehicles to HVO and an increase in the electric vehicles on site means that almost two thirds of the airport’s fleet will be electric or running on low-carbon fuel by the end of 2024.
“All aspects of our sustainability strategy are underpinned by collaboration and I’m grateful to teams across the business, who work so hard to embed better environmental and social practices into their daily roles and responsibilities,” continued Vazquez.
The airport is focused on six key areas to decarbonise operations and is working with partners and the wider industry to implement these. The focus areas include developing on-site renewables, phasing out natural gas, improving energy efficiency and transitioning the operational fleet to low carbon alternatives.
