Recently we have converted a Optare Service bus and a Volvo Plaxton coach to run on 'Bio Fuel', the first company to convert a coach in the UK!

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Using a system developed by Regenatec (futher information can be obtained by visiting there website www.regenatec.com) the vehicles now use 100% vegetable oil as a substitute for diesel in their day-to-day operations. The people of Alford can now travel to the local town of Skegness and know that the vehicle is almost carbon neutral and in the near future the fuel will have potentially come from their local fast food shop. 

Mike Lawton, Managing Director of Regenatec, said: "Most people don't actually realise that the original diesel engine was designed to operate on peanut oil. We're proud to be working with Hunts Coaches to ensure we develop a product with mass market appeal".

While other companies have converted service buses, Hunts Coaches are the first to convert a traditional 12 metre touring coach, and with the support of Lincolnshire County Council, East Lindsey District Council and the Lincolnshire Wolds Sustainable Development Fund, the vehicle will be used on home-to-school transport services, long distance coach services and private hire, both locally and throughout the country.  One vehicle will primarily be used on home to school transport in conjunction with Max Respect, Lincolnshire County Council's branded approach to improving behaviour on school buses.

David Eales, Engineering Manager at Hunts Coaches, said "The system is relatively straight forward - a diesel engine will run on suitable quality vegetable oil without any problems once the oil has been warmed to above 60 degrees.  We have noted that the vegetable oil produces the same miles to the gallon as a diesel vehicle and we are monitoring the servicing and reliability."

Michael Hunt, Managing Director at Hunts Coaches, said "We are very happy with the system and excited at being one of the first in the country to use this technology.  Now that we have the system up and running we are working with various partners to be able to use local waste vegetable oil from the seaside resorts along the East Coast and locally grown oil seed rape once Regenatec have helped us define a standard for the oil.  The goal is very much to keep the whole project local so that the whole carbon cycle is contained as much as possible within Lincolnshire."

Lincolnshire County Council enthusiastically supports the project, hopes that others may follow suit and is examining the possibilities of using biofuels in its own fleet as part of a carbon management project in partnership with the Carbon Trust.

Councillor Mrs Patricia Bradwell, Executive Councillor for Children's Services, said:  "Reducing carbon emissions is an important goal for the County Council. We are pleased to see local firms taking the initiative, especially when they are transporting some of our pupils to school.  It means that the coach will be taking up to 53 of our children to school and back each day. When a project like this results in the use of waste oils, as is a real possibility in this case, we are closing the loop and making sustainable communities a reality."