Oxford is now quieter with cleaner air, research suggests

The introduction of 159 electric buses to serve the Oxford area has led to “significant” reductions in air and noise pollution.

In 2023, a deal worth £82.5 million was agreed between Oxfordshire County Council, the government, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach to fund the fleet of new battery electric vehicles.

Provisional data suggests that bus fleet electrification has reduced roadside citywide nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations across Oxford by an average of 10 per cent from 2023 to 2024, and up to 24 per cent in areas of high bus traffic such as St Aldates and High Street.

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The transition from diesel to electric buses also cut roadside traffic related noise in central Oxford by an average of 5.1 decibels – comparable to the reduction in noise you would experience by moving three times further away from a road.

Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport management, said: “We are proud and thrilled that we were able to back our ambitions with political and financial capital, alongside our partners, to deliver a safer, cleaner, greener, better county for residents and visitors.

Andrew Gant (Image: Contributed)

“This provisional data shows what a difference these electric buses are making to people’s lives already.”

The analysis was carried out by the National Institute for Health and Care Research which investigated air and noise pollution changes before, during and after the introduction of battery electric buses in Oxford.

In Oxfordshire, the county council contributed £6m and secured £32.8m from the Department for Transport.

This was supplemented by £43.7m from the two commercial bus operators to support the introduction of 159 battery electric buses, across 34 routes in Oxford city centre and the surrounding areas, plus the sightseeing buses.

Buses in Oxford High Street (Image: Oxford Mail)

At full implementation, electric buses account for 69 per cent of daily bus mileage within the city and 49 per cent of daily bus flow.

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company managing director, said he is proud of the “significant” contribution by the business.

“The whole community is positively benefiting from this ambitious infrastructure project, which demonstrates what can be achieved when key stakeholders have a shared vision and work together.”

Oxford Bus Company will introduce a further 13 electric buses this spring.

Chris Hanson, managing director of Stagecoach West, added: “These buses are delivering greener, zero emission journeys right across the city’s network, while also offering a noticeably smoother, quieter and more comfortable experience for our customers.

“The response from passengers has been overwhelmingly positive and, just as importantly, this investment marks a vital step towards our pledge to operate a fully zero emission fleet by 2035.”

In Oxford city, air pollution has fallen in recent years but while legal limits are widely met across the city, levels still exceed World Health Organisation global air quality guidelines.