Tootbus, the world’s first clean energy sightseeing bus company, is repowering a fleet of 15 open top double-decker buses for its iconic sightseeing services in central London, investing in the vehicle conversion programme as part of its commitment to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and promote green tourism. It aims to have a fully electric fleet by 2030 in line with the Mayor of London’s net zero ambitions for the capital.
Under the multi-million-pound agreement with Magtec – the UK’s leading designer, manufacturer and integrator of drive systems for commercial electric vehicles – the buses will be equipped with high-tech electric drive trains including its long-range 280 kWh battery system. Each vehicle will be operating hop-on, hop-off routes past world-famous landmarks and covering more than 70 miles per day in and around Westminster.
“This agreement enables us to continue to deliver on our commitment to a truly sustainable service,” says Gavin Brooking, Managing Director of Tootbus UK. “We are the first clean energy sightseeing bus company and remain driven to push the boundaries of green tourism at an accelerated rate – indeed our recent Sustainable Tourism Barometer showed that operators need to make it easier for consumers to adopt greener options.”
Tootbus has already taken major steps on decarbonising its fleet of open-top sightseeing buses by introducing three fully electric vehicles, which are zero carbon emissions at the exhaust pipes, as well as commissioning a Sustainability Barometer to better understand the environment across the whole tourism industry.
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To help visitors explore sustainably, next year will also bring a refresh of seasonal products and a new Tootwalk to go alongside the four existing offers in London and Bath. Complimentary with a bus ticket, the self-guided city tours allow visitors to make the most of areas around the bus stops to enjoy an in-depth audio tour of the destination. Each tour can be taken at an individual pace with GPS triggered audio commentary, available in English, French and Spanish through the Tootbus app (available to download on Apple and Google play) giving added value to the tours.
