Reading green power station opens for buses

Reading is said to have one of the biggest fleets of vehicles powered by bio-methane in the UK

A £1m environmentally-friendly gas station has opened in Reading to power public transport in the town.

The station will be used to fill Reading Buses' fleet of 34 gas-run buses, as well as 113 taxis which are going to switch to part gas.

Transport minister Baroness Kramer opened the station and announced £360,000 of government funding towards a hybrid gas taxi programme.

She said the town's commitment to using renewable energy was "very impressive".

She said: "If you look at communities across the UK there are very few that you can find, if any, that have so much of their public transport going to super green fuel."

She added gas use was good for the environment and air quality.

The station in Great Knollys Street will also be available to commercial vehicles.

James Freeman, chief executive of Reading Transport, said: "Not only do we have one of the biggest fleets of vehicles powered by bio-methane in the country, but we have the largest - and most comprehensive - fuel compression storage and delivery system in the UK bus industry."

Reading Buses also has 31 hybrid buses.