England's first double-decker hydrogen buses to launch in London

The only direct emission of the new bus is water

England's first fleet of hydrogen powered double-decker buses are set to be introduced in London.

Twenty of the vehicles, which produce no pollution from their exhausts, will serve the number 7 route between East Acton and Oxford Circus.

Transport for London already has more than 500 electric buses in its fleet as it aims to be zero-emission by 2030.

The new buses can be charged once a day within five minutes and the only direct by-product is water.

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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: "We have made real progress in London to clean up our air, but we still have a long way to go because toxic air pollution in our city is still leading to thousands of premature deaths every year and is stunting the growth of children's lungs.

"Our investment in these hydrogen buses is not only helping us to clean up London's air, but is supporting jobs and local economics across the UK."

London's air quality was cited as a cause in the death of nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debra in Lewisham by a coroner last December.