Liverpool City Region to Convert Hydrogen Buses to Battery-Electric Fleet

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) has confirmed plans to convert its fleet of 20 hydrogen fuel-cell buses to battery-electric operation, as part of a broader multi-million-pound programme to expand zero-emission bus services across the region.

The decision follows ongoing challenges with hydrogen fuel supply and low vehicle utilisation since the buses entered service in 2023.

The fleet comprises Alexander Dennis Enviro400 fuel-cell electric double-deck buses, split equally between operators Arriva and Stagecoach. Their deployment has been limited, with Arriva vehicles only entering passenger service on an intermittent basis, while Stagecoach’s buses have reportedly not been used operationally. According to the LCRCA, a comprehensive review of the hydrogen project—taking into account global hydrogen availability and pricing—played a central role in the decision to move away from fuel-cell technology.

The conversion programme will add to the region’s growing battery-electric bus fleet, which already includes more than 100 vehicles secured through the Transport for City Regions (TCR) funding settlement. That funding also supports depot electrification, the introduction of bus franchising, and wider fleet renewal initiatives. Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram described 2026 as set to become the most transformative year for transport in the region, with major improvements planned to modernise services and enhance reliability.

The difficulties faced by the hydrogen buses mirror wider challenges encountered by other cities trialling hydrogen-powered public transport. In several cases, inconsistent fuel supply, high costs, and inefficiencies in energy conversion have limited the viability of hydrogen compared with battery-electric alternatives for urban bus operations.

Despite the technology shift, the LCRCA remains committed to decarbonising its bus network while improving affordability, accessibility, and service quality. The hydrogen-to-battery conversions will form part of a wider transition towards fully zero-emission operations, aligning with the move to a franchised bus system across the city region by 2027.