A NEW hydrogen refuelling facility is to be built in Leyton in a major step towards bringing in a fleet of five environmentally-friendly buses to London.

The new facility will be built at Temple Mills Lane after the Olympic Delivery Authority gave planning permission.

Travel company First will operate the five new buses in a move aimed at cutting carbon emissions and improving air quality in the capital.

Work on the new refuelling centre is set to begin early in 2010 and should be complete by next summer.

Hydrogen fuel cells emit nothing but water vapour and the new buses will operate between Covent Garden and Tower Gateway.

Kit Malthouse, Chair of the London Hydrogen Partnership and Deputy Mayor for Policing, said: “This is excellent news which secures the arrival of five zero-polluting hydrogen buses on London's streets next year.

“With the right refuelling structure, we can expand our use of hydrogen technology to provide cleaner fuel for transport and greener energy to heat homes and businesses.”

Concerns over safety were raised last year by local residents as it is feared hydrogen may be difficult to store as it is highly flammable.

But planning permission has now been granted and proposals are in place to increase the fleet of hydrogen fuelled buses to eight.

Air Products will supply the hydrogen and refuelling equipment and will also provide specialist maintenance equipment.

Ordinary diesel buses will also be housed at the facility.

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