by
Autonet Insurance
| May 07, 2009
An eco-bus powered by old cooking oil has taken to the roads to test its performance against conventional coaches.
"The Chipper" will take part in a six-month trial in Bristol to see how it measures up against petrol vehicles running on oil collected from chip shops and restaurants.
Several local outlets have already signed up to take part in the trial, with the bus's operator First, the Bishopston Fish Bar and Bristol Rovers Football Club all volunteering to provide the oil.
Passengers are also being encouraged to contribute to powering the biodiesel single-decker bus by bringing their own waste cooking oils to local recycling centres.
The bus, which is a converted 1998 Dennis Dart vehicle, will be used on Service 73 travelling between the city centre and the Cribbs Causeway shopping complex.
If the tests find the Chipper produces less smoke, then First could switch more of its vehicles to 100% biodiesel, cutting carbon emissions and costs.
John Bickerton, engineering project manager for First UK Bus, said: "As well as being a near carbon-neutral fuel source, biodiesel made from waste cooking oil can produce less carbon monoxide when it is burnt, so it is considered better for the environment than conventional diesel."
© Press Association 2009