A government plan to set up a low-emission zone in busy districts, including Central, Causeway Bay and Mong Kok, is probably not going to be put into action before the current administration ends its term in 2012.

Low emission zones are areas where only Euro IV public buses would be allowed to enter. However, because there are only 160 buses that currently meet that standard; the EPD has proposed that Euro II and Euro III buses first be fitted with a filter to meet Euro IV emission standards.

A study of fitting a catalyst reduction device would only begin in 2011 and last till 2012, wherein the present political administration would step down.

While the device has been tested on single-decker buses in London and Belgium, buses in Hong Kong are double-deckers and operate in hot and humid summer conditions, making the operating efficiency of the devices on them unknown.

“As of March, Euro II buses made up about 70 per cent of the 5,800-strong fleet for Kowloon Motor Bus, New World First Bus and Citybus combined. If all the 2,360 buses entering the three busy areas have to meet the Euro IV emission standard, there would be a shortfall of 2,200 buses. And even if entry to the zones was lowered to Euro III standard, there would still be a shortfall of about 1,200 buses.”

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The deadline to remove the 440 pre-Euro I buses run by Citybus and First bus from Hong Kong roads should be brought foward.

The air quality in Hong Kong continues to deteriorate and the worst roadside polluters are buses.

“Because of inefficient planning and preferential franchise policies, many routes have more buses than needed. Operators and government planners must work to rationalise available buses running on those routes. More importantly, they need to introduce new buses that meet higher emission standards, such as those for Euro IV and V. ”

The Hong Kong government and bus companies should work together to retrofit buses with NO2 emission reducing equipment until they can introduce truly environmentally friendly buses.

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For more information, take a look at a breakdown of the age of the franchised bus fleets here.

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KMB to retire 288 old buses AS PLANNED, hardly “breaking” news. More like, a spin job.

The buses being retired were fitted to meet the lowest Euro I standards for suspended particles, but KMB has not said whether these buses met the same standards for other pollutants. Such selective information about emissions is misleading and makes it unclear whether the buses have fully met the European emission standards.

KMB is also in talks with the government with regards to a pilot trial to test selective catalytic reduction equipment that helps reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.

However, KMB has stated that the lack of space in older buses makes it difficult to safely accomodate SCR equipment and that the reliability and efficiency of the bus fleet should be the priority.

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