Clean Bus Europe Platform concludes at UITP Summit: how the CBEP proved a true tipping point in clean bus deployment

What saw the light of day at the UITP Summit in 2019, concluded in the same fashion. After four years, the Clean Bus Europe Platform (CBEP) held its Final Event at the UITP Summit in Barcelona, wrapping up four years of collaboration that have proved a true tipping point in clean bus deployment across Europe.

The CBEP, an initiative under the European Commission’s Clean Bus Deployment Initiative, facilitated knowledge exchange between cities well progressed with clean bus deployment (Host Cities) and those who are yet to take the plunge (Target Cities).

Many city administrations have the political will to re-orient their public transport system towards clean buses, but lack the capabilities and know-how to do so on their own. At the same time, there is a wealth of knowledge and experience in deploying clean buses.

Led by UITP on behalf of the EC, the CBEP facilitated this knowledge to be shared beyond the circle of cities considered front runners. The CBEP assisted cities in the learning and transition process, ensuring that technical, procedural and operational know-how on clean bus deployment was passed on.

Within the Platform, exchange took many forms: webinars touching upon every topic of clean bus deployment, Study Tours and technical visits across Europe, and tailored assistance and meetings. Here, cities had the chance to learn from more experienced cities on issues such as funding schemes, depot adaptation in terms of energy supply and safety, life cycle assessment, and many more.

The cooperation with other bodies and initiatives, like the UITP Bus and Trolleybus Committees, also fostered the exchange of peer-to-peer knowledge. Many UITP members took part in the CBEP’s activities, grabbing with both hands the opportunity to share their valuable knowledge to further advance our sector.

Soon, the CBEP will also publish a new, pioneering report with joint recommendations on the impacts of the introduction of clean buses on the workforce – stay tuned!

On 7 June 2023, the CBEP held its Final Event at the UITP Summit in Barcelona. Target and host cities shared their experiences, taking a trip through memory lane and highlighting what the CBEP has meant for them, and for the sector as a whole.

From Danish public transport agency Movia sharing how they changed their tender requirements for smaller risks, to Transport for West-Midlands (TfWM) exploring the upscale of their hydrogen fleet and how it can support a wider UK green transition: it was inspirational to see what cities have learned from each other.

Condluding the CBEP with our official press release