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Hydrogen buses: 34 new double deckers start service in Brighton & Hove

February 04, 2025
By Matt Lister, Editor
34 new hydrogen buses start service in Brighton & Hove
New hydrogen bus fleet starts service in Brighton & Hove. (Image: Ed Wills/LinkedIn)

Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus, both owned by The Go-Ahead Group, have just started operating their latest Wrightbus hydrogen double-deckers, with the first vehicles entering service on Monday, 3rd February 2025.

This rollout is part of a 34-bus expansion, jointly funded by Brighton & Hove Buses and Surrey County Council, bringing their total hydrogen fleet to 54 vehicles – the largest hydrogen bus operation in the UK.

According to Ed Wills, Managing Director of Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus, the company has been operating at least 20 hydrogen buses daily since November 2024.

Wills stated that from March, they plan to deploy 42 buses in daily service, making full use of their expanded fleet.

The UK’s first liquid hydrogen refuelling station

To support operations, Air Products has established the UK’s first liquid hydrogen refuelling station, which has been in use since November 2024.

In his LinkedIn post, Wills confirmed that the hydrogen used is fully certified and traceable as “green hydrogen”, produced using renewable energy.

Hydrogen’s role in public transport

Hydrogen buses are particularly suited for high-mileage, all-day operations, offering longer range and faster refuelling than battery-electric alternatives.

The adoption of liquid hydrogen further increases efficiency by allowing denser storage and quicker refuelling than gaseous hydrogen.

Future Expansion

Other UK hydrogen bus fleets include:

  • London – Over 50 hydrogen buses
  • Aberdeen – 25 hydrogen buses
  • Birmingham – 20 hydrogen double-deckers

With 54 buses now in service, the Go-Ahead Group operates the largest single hydrogen bus fleet in the UK.

Wills also noted ongoing challenges with policy and regulation, stating that government action has been slow to catch up with the need to decarbonise transport.